Celtics assistant coach offers candid view on Jaylen Brown’s move to 76ers
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Boston — A Boston Celtics assistant coach said Thursday that Jaylen Brown’s unexpected trade to the Philadelphia 76ers “stunned” the locker room but added that the organization respects the All-Star guard’s decision to start a new chapter.
Speaking before the team’s summer-league practice at the Auerbach Center, the veteran assistant acknowledged players and staff were caught off guard by the deal finalized earlier this week. Brown, 29, was shipped to Philadelphia in exchange for a package that includes two future first-round picks and guard Tyrese Maxey.
“Any time you lose a player of Jaylen’s caliber, it shakes things up,” the assistant said. “But this is the NBA. You adapt.”
Brown spent his first nine seasons in Boston, averaging 23.9 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists last year while earning his third straight All-Star selection. He now joins reigning MVP Joel Embiid in Philadelphia, creating a new Eastern Conference powerhouse.
The Celtics assistant praised Brown’s professionalism, noting the guard notified teammates immediately after learning the trade was imminent. “He called each of the guys. That’s who he is,” the coach said. “We’re grateful for everything he gave this franchise.”
With Brown gone, Boston is expected to elevate Derrick White into a starting role and lean more heavily on Jayson Tatum as the lone remaining member of the former All-NBA duo.
The assistant declined to predict how the shake-up will affect Boston’s title hopes but emphasized confidence in president Brad Stevens’ vision. “We trust our front office,” he said. “We’ll be ready when camp opens.”
Source: New York Post
