Jaylen Brown’s departure from Boston is still hanging over the conversation in Philadelphia, and now the story has taken another turn.
A representative for Brown pushed back hard on the idea that he forced his way out of Boston, calling claims that he demanded a trade or handed the Celtics a list of demands “10000% a lie,” according to Kris Rhim of ESPN.
The dispute traces back to remarks from former Celtics forward and current NBC Sports Boston analyst Brian Scalabrine, who said Brown asked out and was “rooting to be traded to Milwaukee.”
Brown’s camp says that version misses the sequence of events. According to the representative, Boston told Brown he was going to be moved after a possible deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo fell apart. Brown’s request, the representative said, was simply to have some say in where he ended up.
Scalabrine later eased off the idea that Brown outright demanded a trade, but he still stood by the broader claim that Brown made demands.
“So technically, he did not demand to be traded. It was, ‘Do these things right here or else,’” Scalabrine said, while acknowledging he didn’t know the specific ultimatum.
“I haven’t gotten to the bottom of all that,” he added.
Boston eventually dealt Brown to Philadelphia for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-rounders.
Brown’s move has also kept the spotlight on his relationship with former teammate Jayson Tatum. Both players have denied there was a feud, and Brown has repeatedly complimented Tatum’s “hell of a PR team,” a line that hasn’t exactly shut the topic down.
“There’s no beef,” Brown said, “but it’ll be a little lamb chop.”
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