Jaylen Brown Calls Celtics Trade To Rival 76ers Weird

Finals MVP Shipped to the Enemy

Jaylen Brown still cannot fully process what happened. The 2024 Finals MVP was traded from the Boston Celtics to their bitter rival, the Philadelphia 76ers, in one of the most shocking trades in recent NBA history. And in a new video released this week, he finally put words to how it feels.

"It's still weird now. My brain is like, Philly? Of all places. Like why would you do that?"

That is the question the entire basketball world has been asking since the deal went down last Wednesday night.

What Boston Got Back

The Celtics received 36-year-old Paul George, two first-round draft picks, and two second-round picks in exchange for Brown. By almost every measure, the return was widely considered to be lopsided in Philadelphia's favor.

Brown had a career year in 2025-26, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. He is 29 years old and entering his prime. George is 36 and coming off an injury-shortened season.

NBA executives across the league reacted with disbelief. One Eastern Conference executive told reporters, "Nobody was flabbergasted that they traded him. But to a bitter rival for that return? Eyebrows raised and jaws dropped."

The Financial Explanation

Celtics president Brad Stevens addressed the trade on Monday, framing it as a financial decision.

"The path looked a little bit more challenging with 70 percent of our cap and such a high percent of our usage tied into two players," he said, referring to the combined cost of Brown and Jayson Tatum.

In other words, Boston decided it could not afford to keep both stars long-term. But choosing to send Brown to the team that eliminated them in the 2026 playoffs, beating the Celtics in a Game 7 at TD Garden, made the decision sting even more for fans.

Tatum Reacts

Jayson Tatum also spoke publicly for the first time about losing his co-star.

"It's tough to see him go," Tatum said. "But I'm proud of what we built together and those were great years."

The two had been teammates since 2017 and won a championship together in 2024. Their partnership defined an era of Celtics basketball, and now it is officially over.

What Philly Looks Like Now

The 76ers now have a core of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown. On paper, that is one of the most talented trios in the Eastern Conference. Whether they can build chemistry quickly enough to compete with the Knicks and a retooled Celtics squad remains the biggest question heading into next season.

Brown reportedly will wear No. 7 in Philadelphia, a fresh start in every sense.

The Bottom Line

The Celtics traded a Finals MVP in his prime to a division rival for a 36-year-old and some picks. Jaylen Brown thinks it is weird. Most of the NBA agrees. Now we wait to see if Boston regrets this for years to come.