Jaylen Brown revealed he was in sheer disbelief when he was traded to the 76ers. So much so that he chucked his phone.
The five-time All-Star was introduced to the Philadelphia media on Thursday and discussed how he found out he was being traded.
“When I first got traded I just threw my phone across the room,” Brown told reporters of his reaction to the July deal that sent him from Boston to Philly.
“Who [reached out] first? It might have been [Tyrese] Maxxey. … He reached out and was like, ‘I know there’s a lot of stuff going on right now, but we [are] excited to have you.’”
Brown was acquired by the 76ers after much speculation about where he’d play in 2026-27. In return, the Celtics got Paul George, two first-round draft picks and two second-round draft picks.
Brown added that he’s still processing the news. He said the excitement of being in a new city with new expectations hasn’t worn off.
He also pointed out that he was in Boston for 10 years, over a third of the 29-year-old’s life to this point, and has to get used to his new normal.
A large part of his Celtics experience was shared with Jayson Tatum, and their relationship was rumored to have deteriorated throughout the past few seasons.
Brown, however, said Thursday that he leaves Tatum with nothing but respect.
“We won a championship together,” Brown said. “Anybody that you win a championship with, you think that’s what a brotherhood or a lifelong legacy would entail.
“Obviously, there’s ups and downs in any type of relationship, for sure. On my end, there’s nothing but respect. Besides when he plays for the Sixers, I hope he does well.”
Another relationship brought into the limelight after the trade was Brown and 76ers star Joel Embiid.
Brown previously called out Embiid’s flopping on a livestream after the two had been cagey throughout the Celtics-Sixers first-round playoff series this past season.
Then, two weeks after the trade, it was reported that the two had not talked since the playoffs, leading Brown to clear the air.
“It’s been good,” Brown said about his relationship with Embiid. “Me and Joel been friends throughout the years, have mutual respect. I know he loves soccer, I love soccer, so we talk about that a lot.”
