Jaylen Brown heats up his reunion with Jayson Tatum: "He's on his side and I'm on mine"

The reunion between Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum promises to be one of the major focal points of the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics. However, it seems that the two former teammates are not particularly eager to share anything beyond the basketball minutes they have to play on the court.

Brown, who spent a decade in Boston and shared nine seasons in the locker room with Tatum, has made it clear that their relationship has changed after the controversial trade that sent the forward to Philadelphia last summer. The move also marked the arrival of Paul George to the Celtics.

When asked about the possibility of speaking with Tatum before or after Tuesday's game, Brown was quite emphatic in his statements to ESPN, through Kris Rhim.

"There's nothing to talk about. I mean, he's on his side and I'm on mine. Just play basketball. We're both trying to win, so there's nothing to talk about. Just let the game begin," explained the Sixers player.

Brown's representatives also insisted that the player never requested to leave Boston, despite the speculation that arose after the trade was announced. His departure marked the end of a ten-year stint with the franchise, during which he won a championship alongside Tatum.

Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, a strained relationship after the trade

Although they seemed to maintain a good relationship during their years sharing a team, the outcome of their time together has left a rather different situation. Speculation about a possible personal clash resurfaced last month when Brown posted a blue cap emoji on Instagram in response to a video of Tatum.

In that post, the Boston player claimed that he was also surprised by Brown's trade to Philadelphia. The response from the new Sixers forward was interpreted as an insinuation that Tatum was not telling the truth.

Subsequently, Tatum tried to downplay the situation and denied that there was any rivalry comparable to that of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. Brown replied the next day with comments that mixed praise and a bit of irony.

"We've done great things. He's a fantastic basketball player. He has a great public relations team. There's no rivalry, but maybe there are some small lamb chops with sauce. He should always be prepared," commented Brown.

Therefore, Tuesday's game will have a special component, although the Philadelphia player insists that he is not thinking too much about the reunion.

"We'll see how I feel when we step on the court, but right now I don't have any emotions about anything. I'm just ready to play," he added.

The Sixers and Celtics arrive in great form

Beyond the personal situation between the two players, the matchup features two teams that have started the 2026-27 season with excellent results.

Philadelphia arrives with a record of 9-2 after defeating the Chicago Bulls 127-121. Brown had a standout role in that victory, with 29 points and seven rebounds.

Meanwhile, Boston boasts a record of 8-2 and has Tatum as its primary offensive reference. The forward has posted impressive numbers during this start of the campaign, establishing himself as one of the major players in the NBA.

Statistics for Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum in the 2026-27 season:

The first matchup between these teams this season will serve to see how the relationship between two players who shared one of the most important stages of their respective careers develops. Now they wear different jerseys, and Brown does not seem willing to rebuild a relationship that, at least publicly, has been significantly strained.