Joe Mazzulla’s parting thoughts on Jaylen Brown say a lot about what Boston is losing.
In an interview with Noa Dalzell of Celtics Blog, the Celtics coach said Brown’s edge and accountability helped push him to be a better coach. Brown was dealt to the Sixers in a trade that altered both Atlantic Division rosters, but Mazzulla didn’t hesitate when asked what he’ll remember most.
“The biggest thing was just his competitiveness,” Mazzulla said. “He wasn’t afraid to push you.
That was for teammates. That was for me.
That was for people. He wasn’t afraid to hold you accountable to a higher standard.
And when you have the opportunity to coach guys like that, it just makes you better.”
Brown just finished his strongest NBA season, posting a career-high 28.7 points per game and earning second-team All-NBA honors while leading a short-handed Celtics group to the East’s second-best record. Mazzulla said he hopes fans noticed the growth Brown showed as a leader.
“I hope people saw the leadership. The leadership jump that he took this year,” he added.
“… I hope people [were able to] see that. What you see is what you get from Jaylen: it’s competitiveness, it’s respect.
And he wants to win.”
Mazzulla also touched on Boston’s new center addition, Mitchell Robinson, who came over from the Knicks after helping them win a championship. When he called Robinson in free agency, Mazzulla brought up the Hack-A-Mitch approach Boston used in the 2025 playoff series.
“I told him (the fouling) was a compliment,” Mazzulla said. “He was so effective when he’s on the floor.
We had to do what we could to take him off the floor. So, now we have to be able to use his effectiveness to make us better.
And I think it gives us a ton of depth at the center spot where two guys have done so many great things for us, (Neemias Queta) and Luka (Garza). And now we have another guy that can help us.”
Elsewhere, Hugo Gonzalez said he learned quickly how fast trade talk can surface in the NBA. Brian Robb of MassLive noted that the Bucks reportedly wanted Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman included with Brown in a package for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but Boston refused to move its young players and Milwaukee ended up taking Miami’s offer instead.
“It was tough but it’s something that when you come to the NBA, it can happen and something that you are exposed to,” Gonzalez said (YouTube link). “Obviously, it’s a league where you can get traded all of a sudden. It’s something that, if you want to play here, you need to know.”
The Celtics also got a promising look at rookie big man Chris Cenac Jr. in Summer League. Robb reported that Cenac had 14 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks off the bench Friday night, while also burying a three-pointer at the final second of regulation to send the game to overtime. Summer League coach said, “We saw him put the ball on the floor, we saw him shoot the three, we saw him screen,”
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Bostons summer league opener gave fans a first look at the kind of rookie impact theyve been waiting to see, and Chris Cenac Jr. delivered plenty of it in an 83-80 overtime win over Toronto. The Celtics had to rally from a double-digit deficit, but Cenacs debut offered the blend of activity and poise that can make a summer showcase feel a little more meaningful than the average July box score.
He finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks, giving Boston a frontcourt presence that showed up on both ends and kept the game within reach when it mattered. Dillon Mitchell also flashed with defense and energy, while Hugo Gonzalez, Amari Williams and John Tonje each had their own stretches, leaving the Celtics with a promising opening-night mix and a few more reasons to keep watching this group closely. [Read more 🡒]
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Now that decision may be echoing beyond Boston. Victor Wembanyamas reported willingness to accept a rookie extension below the maximum has sparked the idea that stars could start viewing a little short-term sacrifice as a way to help their teams stay flexible, and that is exactly the kind of precedent the Celtics would not mind setting in the abstract. The lingering question is whether this becomes a one-off gesture or the start of a broader shift in how elite players approach their next big deals. [Read more 🡒]