Jaylen Brown has not spoken to Jayson Tatum since the Boston Celtics traded him to Philadelphia in July, and the former teammates have no plans to reconnect before Tuesday’s matchup.
According to Jay King of The Athletic, Tatum indicated in October that Brown did not answer a phone call shortly after the trade. Their communication appears to have remained frozen months later, with Brown confirming Sunday that they still had not spoken.
Asked whether he and Tatum had talked since the deal, Brown answered, “Nope.” He was just as direct when asked whether he planned to approach his former teammate before tipoff: “It’s nothing to talk about.”
Brown explained that both players were focused on their respective teams rather than their past partnership. “He’s on his side, I’m on my side,” the Philadelphia forward said. “Just check the ball up.”
Tatum has also avoided making the situation a central part of Tuesday’s game. Asked whether he expected to speak with Brown, the Celtics star said he was focused on the matchup and doing his job.
The public tension intensified in October after Brown posted a “cap” emoji in response to Tatum saying the trade had caught him off guard. Tatum later dismissed comparisons between their relationship and the famous Shaquille O’Neal-Kobe Bryant feud, while Brown added his “lamb chops and gravy” remark.
The disconnect contrasts with the success they shared in Boston. Brown and Tatum spent nine seasons together, reached the NBA Finals twice and won the 2024 championship. Their partnership also survived several playoff disappointments and years of outside debate about whether they could thrive together.
Former teammate Marcus Smart blamed media narratives for creating distance between the two, while former Celtics coach Ime Udoka said they should have addressed their differences privately. Neither Brown nor Tatum has indicated that a conversation is imminent.
Tuesday’s meeting carries immediate importance for both teams. Philadelphia enters at 9-2 after beating Chicago 127-121 on Sunday, with Brown scoring 29 points and Tyrese Maxey adding 27. The 76ers have their best 11-game start since 2000-01.
Boston is 8-2 after defeating Milwaukee 117-97, with Tatum scoring 21 points in 29 minutes. The Celtics and 76ers enter the game among the Eastern Conference’s leading teams, giving Brown an immediate test against his former franchise.
Brown said he still loves Boston and values the relationships he built there, but his attention is now on Philadelphia.
For Tatum and Brown, Tuesday’s game will be their first regular-season meeting since the trade, with no sign that either intends to settle their differences beforehand.
