⋅ Tweet Nike “Is this what we are doing?” after teammate Derrick White was added to the US Olympic men’s basketball team, sponsored by the apparel company Brown has feuded with, for him in July 2024.⋅ Sharing and acknowledging multiple posts on social media last season, while running mate Jayson Tatum endured the physical and mental agony of rehabbing his Achilles tendon, it indicated the Celtics were as good without Tatum as they were with him. previous year. SenseStay up to date on all things Celtics with news, commentary and analysis from the Globe’s all-star team. It arrives twice a week.⋅ Most notably, he called last season the favorite of his career hours after the Celtics took a 3-1 lead and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the 76ers. Brown is also addicted to being cryptic, to casually stoking controversy and then acting as if everyone else is making a big deal out of something he provoked. Again…tolerable when he’s losing 29 points a night for the very good basketball team you care about. But when he’s no longer on your team? It gets annoying quickly. And potentially damaging to his perception, if not his Boston legacy. Brown, of course, is no longer in the green, having been traded to the rival 76ers on July 1 in a seismic move that brought 36-year-old Paul George and four draft picks to the Celtics. The deal, especially the seemingly small return, shook fans. George’s strong, selfless play (hey, he’s a nine-time All-Star) during the Celtics’ 2-1 start has helped a sizable portion of fans overcome any lingering stages of grief over the deal. Brown’s behavior is accelerating that process. Brown has acted since the trade as if he were the only great player in NBA history to be traded. That has led to several (there’s that word again) cryptic and not-so-cryptic criticism of the Celtics in recent months. They include the suggestion that president of basketball operations Brad Stevens was not forthcoming with him when trade rumors began to leak, including the initial one that indicated the Celtics were willing to trade Brown for superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. What did Brown want, to listen to every business negotiation? We’ll spare you the entire rehash of Brown’s recent pettiness toward Tatum, since it’s no longer boring. Reader’s Digest Condensed Version: In video clips detailing his summer that dropped last week, Tatum said he was surprised by the exchange. Brown responded on Instagram with a hat emoji, essentially calling Tatum a liar and indicating that Brown believes Tatum knew. It also indirectly suggests Stevens is being dishonest, given that he said earlier this month that he has a strict rule against asking players about trading their teammates, explaining, “I don’t want to put them in that position.” Tatum responded thoughtfully after the Celtics’ victory over the champion Knicks on Friday night, essentially saying he wishes for everything they accomplished together in nine seasons as teammates. should be the focus. “We should be celebrated. Do you know how many people played in this league and never made it to the finals? We went twice and won a championship, so it should be more about that,” he said. “This is nothing. [expletive] Shaq and Kobe. There’s no beef.” Jayson Tatum (left) and Jaylen Brown led the Celtics to the NBA championship in 2024. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe StaffBrown, following the 76ers’ win over the Bucks last Saturday night, kept the story alive in his own unique and predictable way. He said some nice things about Tatum, noted that for some reason he has a good PR team, and then said, “There’s no beef, but he could be a little lamb.” “chops and some gravy,” a phrase he liked so much he repeated it. Brown will continue to use those slights as fuel, whether they’re real or not. His stubbornness — that pride, that confidence — has helped him reach extraordinary heights. But it will keep him from acknowledging, much less acknowledging, reality. The Celtics traded him in large part because the collective bargaining agreement makes it virtually impossible to build a true contender when two players are on max contracts, especially when one of those players isn’t worthy of such treatment. I don’t know if Brown, vice president of the players’ association, had any idea that the second punitive apron in the CBA could lead to him and Tatum parting ways, but it’s clear he thinks he’s the superior player, and he’s not the one the Celtics should have kept. He’s shorter, older, has a less diverse offensive game, and doesn’t rebound, defend, or pass as well. I guess he’s better at one thing: those stingy games. and cryptic social media. However, if you ask me, his little attacks on the Celtics are a pretty silly way to follow your favorite season. You can reach Chad Finn at chad.finn@globe.com.
