Jaylen Brown Returns to Face Celtics Following Offseason Trade to 76ers

Jaylen Brown and the 9-2 Philadelphia 76ers host the 8-2 Boston Celtics on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET.

The Philadelphia 76ers (9-2) host the Boston Celtics (8-2) on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, marking the first regular-season meeting between former teammates Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Brown, who won a title with Boston in 2024, was traded to Philadelphia this offseason after the Celtics unsuccessfully attempted to move him to the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo.

According to a source cited by ESPN, Brown learned of the trade talks while on a monthlong vacation in China, Africa, and Europe. General manager Brad Stevens attributed the move to the difficulty of building a contender around the massive contracts of both Brown and Tatum. Although Brown requested to be involved in the process or receive a heads-up on his destination, he reportedly only learned he was being sent to Philadelphia after the deal was finalized.

Tensions between the former All-Star duo surfaced during an October 10 preseason game when the pair did not acknowledge each other during on-court workouts. Brown later posted a "cap" emoji on social media in response to Tatum’s claim that he was caught off guard by the trade. While Tatum stated he has attempted to call and text his former teammate, Brown told reporters on Sunday that he has no plans to repair the relationship, stating, "He's on his side, I'm on my side."

In Philadelphia, Brown has averaged a season-high 30 points against the Detroit Pistons and recently scored six straight fourth-quarter points to secure a comeback win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Playing alongside LeBron James and Joel Embiid, Brown has publicly deferred to Tyrese Maxey as the team's primary leader. Coach Nick Nurse credited Brown's championship experience and physical toughness for the 76ers' early-season success at the top of the Eastern Conference.