Jaylen Brown's big shots at Joel Embiid resurface after 76ers trade

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown will now be teammates following the Celtics' stunning trade. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jaylen Brown's big shots at Joel Embiid resurface after 76ers trade

By Ernesto Cova | Last updated Jul 1, 2026 8:13 PM ET

Add us as a preferred source on Google

In one of the most unexpected moves in recent NBA history, the Philadelphia 76ers have acquired Jaylen Brown.

The 76ers sent two first-round picks, two second-round picks and Paul George to get the Boston Celtics star at tremendous value.

Now, with a projected starting lineup of Tyrese Maxey, V.J Edgecombe, Brown, Dean Wade and Joel Embiid, Nick Nurse's team looks like a driving force in the Eastern Conference.

However, it seems the team's new star will have to have an awkward chat with the former franchise player, as Brown has said some unflattering things about Embiid in the past.

Of course, it didn't take long for internet detectives to dig up the dirt.

Jaylen Brown called Joel Embiid a flopper

“Argue with your grandma, flopping has ruined our game,” Brown said earlier this season. “Joel Embiid is a great player, one of the best bigs in (expletive) basketball history, flops. He knows it. This ain’t breaking news.”

"Flopping has ruined our game."

Now Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid are teammates

(via fchwpo/Twitch) pic.twitter.com/ctIl1dmzwJ
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 1, 2026

To be fair, he did give Embiid his flowers as a generational big man, so he must like the fit from a basketball perspective.

Also, while he won't get to have his own team and will continue to share the spotlight with other All-Stars and bigger names, he'll have a much better shot at another ring in Philadelphia than with the new-look Celtics.

Still, as much as he likes Embiid's game, he might have some pointers on how to maximize his new team's chances, as that wasn't his only shot at his new teammate.

This wasn't his only shot at Embiid

“I think, personally, they may be a little better without Embiid,” Brown said before the series, per The Athletic. “I’m not sure, but I know they’re doing all this. They’ve been playing well, finding the identity. … We’ll see if the big fella comes back; they’ve been doing their job.”

Embiid doesn't take himself too seriously, so chances are he'll just laugh it up and get to work.

Even if he didn't appreciate the comments at first, he's running out of time to win an NBA championship, given how much he's struggled with injuries.

At the end of the day, they're both pros and will figure things out. Also, winning cures everything.

Ernesto Cova

Ernesto is a bilingual (English-Spanish) sports writer with over eight years of experience covering major leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Ernesto’s work focuses on providing insightful, up-to-date coverage of sports, blending his expertise in sports psychology with a passion for analyzing player performance, team dynamics, and trade developments across various sports leagues

More must-reads: