Jaylen Brown’s first trip back to Boston as a 76er came with a strange twist: he was in the building, but nowhere near the bench.
Jaylen Brown is watching the 76ers and Celtics from the locker room in his first return to Boston 😭 pic.twitter.com/GaTrD26sVh
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) October 11, 2026
During Philadelphia’s third preseason game, the 76ers went to TD Garden for Brown’s quick return to the city where he spent his entire career before the offseason trade to Philadelphia. Brown was reported to be in the arena, but not on the bench, and he apparently watched the game from the locker room instead. He also did not play in Philadelphia’s loss.
The vibe around the visit only fueled the sense that Brown wanted no part of a reunion. A viral post also showed Brown and Jayson Tatum, his longtime teammate and former co-star in Boston, seemingly avoiding each other during pregame warmups.
The Jays warm up on opposite sides of the court for the first time pic.twitter.com/0PO8MMNDF8
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) October 10, 2026
Brown and Tatum formed one of the NBA’s best duos for nearly their entire run together, though there was always tension over who held the bigger role. That dynamic may have been part of the backdrop when the Celtics explored moving Brown in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes before later dealing him for Paul George after Antetokounmpo went to the Miami Heat.
Brown’s move to Philadelphia was one of the offseason’s biggest shocks. The Celtics sent him to the 76ers in a deal that changed the league’s outlook, with Brown’s arrival making Philadelphia the championship favorite in the eyes of many. Brown had already built a Celtics résumé that included NBA Finals MVP honors, making the trade all the more striking.
The two teams meet again in Philadelphia on Nov. 10.
The 76ers’ next regular-season game at TD Garden will come on Jan. 21, 2027.
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