Jayson Tatum isn’t entertaining the noise around his relationship with Jaylen Brown.
With Brown now on the Philadelphia 76ers and Tatum remaining with the Boston Celtics, the two longtime teammates are suddenly on opposite sides. That has opened the door for speculation, but Tatum made it clear he wants none of it.
For nearly a decade, Tatum and Brown formed the Celtics’ star pairing. Now that they’re no longer sharing a locker room, some people have tried to turn that separation into a story about tension or a falling out. Tatum pushed back on that idea, saying the bond is still there even if the basketball setup has changed.
There is a natural rivalry now that they’re no longer teammates, but their history runs deep. The awkward part comes with the new reality of being competitors, not because the relationship has fallen apart.
“There are so many different narratives, opinions, and speculations. For me, I love that guy.
What we were able to accomplish together for 9 years, going to the Conference Finals 5 times, went to the championship twice, we won a championship... You can't talk about him without talking about me and vice versa,” Tatum said about his relationship with Brown.
That shared run is the backdrop for everything now. They won’t spend the rest of their careers side by side, which is rare in the NBA, but their next chapter will still be tied together. Every meeting between them will carry the weight of a rivalry and the familiarity of two players who built plenty together.
In Other News...
Sixers Put Dominick Barlow In A Spot He May Not Escape
Dominick Barlows path with the 76ers is getting harder to read by the day, and not just because he is still trying to carve out a niche as a power forward. Philadelphias latest frontcourt additions have crowded the picture, with LeBron James and Dean Wade joining a mix that now gives the team far more options than it had before. For a player like Barlow, that means every minute on the floor has to be earned, and the margin for error in training camp and beyond is suddenly much smaller.
Barlow has been working to sharpen his three-point shot, knowing that a reliable outside touch could help him fit into different lineups and give him a better chance to stick as a backup center. The problem is that improvement alone may not be enough in a rotation that has already been squeezed by the roster changes. Philadelphia now has to sort out who fits where, and Barlow is left trying to prove he belongs in a role that may not be there for long if he cannot make himself indispensable. [Read more 🡒]
Tatum Just Added More Fuel To Sixers Celtics Tension
Jayson Tatum took a surprisingly warm tone toward Jaylen Brown during an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, even with the Celtics having traded Tatum to the Philadelphia 76ers. Brown had already said he had not spoken to Tatum since the move, so the exchange only adds another layer to a situation that has quickly become one of the leagues more closely watched storylines.
For the Sixers, the trade has already sharpened the edge of the Boston matchup, and the timing only makes the next stretch more interesting. Media days and preseason games are coming, and every public comment from here on out figures to get sifted for meaning as the two sides keep circling each other. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers May Not Get The Brunson Break Fans Were Hoping For
Jalen Brunsons recovery appears to be moving in the direction the Knicks wanted, and that is not exactly the news Sixers fans were waiting for. The point guard is reportedly 80 to 85 percent recovered from wrist surgery and is expected to enter Knicks training camp without limitations, a sign that he should be close to his usual workload by the time the season gets going.
For Philadelphia, the timing matters because the two teams are set to see each other three times, including a preseason matchup, before the end of October. Brunson has already been a tough matchup for the Sixers in the playoffs, and he is anticipated to be in the lineup for the season opener on October 20 unless something changes, which means any hoped-for early-season break may be slipping away. [Read more 🡒]