Jayson Tatum Finally Breaks Silence On Jaylen Brown's Departure

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Jayson Tatum Finally Breaks Silence On Jaylen Brown's Departure

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated Jul 3, 2026 5:02 PM ET

They entered the league a year apart, played hundreds of games together, appeared in multiple All-Star games together and won an NBA title just two years ago. But earlier this week Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown went their separate ways.

The Boston Celtics traded Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers earlier this week, parting ways with the 2024 NBA Finals MVP in a blockbuster deal.

On Friday, Tatum finally broke his silence with a farewell message to his teammate of nearly a decade.

"9 years!" he wrote in his Instagram Story. "Forever grateful for all that we accomplished together, for pushing me to be a better player. From first round exits to winning a chip together I'm thankful for it all. Nothing but love and respect for you as a player and as a person! Looking forward to see how you attack this next chapter of your career and wish nothing but the best for you! Continue to be special!"

Jayson Tatum’s farewell post to Jaylen Brown pic.twitter.com/2KwEJCOnVu
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 3, 2026

Authentic Pain or Crocodile Tears?

NBA fans had mixed responses to this news. Some lamented that the Celtics split up one of the league's best duos, while others wondered if Tatum was just saving face amid rumors that he pushed for Brown to get traded.

"That kind of bond built over nine years doesn't just disappear with a trade," one user lamented.

"Posted it after the report of his camp wanting JB gone came out," another wrote, adding some laughing emojis.

"Tatum and Brown’s era always felt bigger than just basketball chemistry," wrote a third.

Mar 6, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) shows his jersey to the crowd before taking the court for the first quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images© Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

"Definitely didn’t rock with each other that hard. Coworkers only."

"Strictly business partners. Nothing sentimental about this whatsoever."

"These two were good together, people comparing them drove a rift between them...it started with that NBA finals MVP trophy."

"Tatum’s ‘farewell’ to Jaylen Brown is pure PR. They never actually liked each other that much on the court. Boston trading Brown proves the duo was overrated from the start."

The two will now go from being teammates for the past decade to being rivals vying for Eastern Conference supremacy. And who knows? Maybe one of them will be adding LeBron James as a teammate in the weeks to come.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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