Photo: Peter Baba

Jayson Tatum said Jaylen Brown’s trade from the Boston Celtics was difficult to process, describing the move as an emotional reminder of the business side of the NBA after years of shared success.

“It’s tough. But it just makes you appreciate the moments and time that we had,” Tatum said, via Noa Dalzell. “Obviously, it came to an abrupt ending, but it doesn’t mean that it wasn’t super successful. Great years, obviously, that he gave to the city and to the organization.”

The Celtics traded Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in a major franchise-altering move, receiving Paul George and multiple draft picks in return. The deal ended one of the longest-running star partnerships in the league, with Brown and Tatum spending years as Boston’s top two players.

Tatum emphasized the personal impact of seeing a longtime teammate leave after building a championship-level core together.

“The NBA is an incredible business; it’s an incredible job, but there are some downsides to the business and moments like this, where you just kind of feel like you’re going to be on the team with somebody, because that’s all you know,” Tatum said. “And then it’s just like, one day you find out that they’re no longer on your team anymore.”

Brown spent the 2025-26 season as Boston’s leading scorer, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 71 games while earning All-Star honors and finishing sixth in MVP voting. He shot 47.7% from the field and 34.7% from three-point range during the regular season.

The Celtics finished the regular season with a 56-26 record, second in the Eastern Conference, but their postseason ended in the first round after Philadelphia defeated Boston 4-3. Brown averaged 25.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in seven playoff games while shooting 45.5% from the field and 40.5% from three-point range.

Tatum’s 2025-26 season was limited by injuries, as he played only 16 regular-season games. He averaged 21.8 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists before returning for the playoffs, where he posted 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game in six appearances.

Following the trade, Boston’s roster direction shifted around Tatum. The Celtics acquired George, signed Mitchell Robinson to a three-year, $47.4 million contract and extended center Neemias Queta on a four-year, $56 million deal.

George’s arrival gives Boston another veteran scorer alongside Tatum after he waived his trade bonus to provide the Celtics additional financial flexibility. His $54.1 million salary for the 2026-27 season remains one of the largest contracts on the roster.

Tatum acknowledged the difficulty of moving forward without a teammate who had been part of his entire NBA career.

“Going into the facility, and knowing that you have different teammates, and somebody that you’ve been to war with, essentially, is on a different team…” Tatum said.