Supporters and donors Todd and Michelle Hein were honored at the Indiana State University Athletic Department's sixth annual Tried and True Gala on Friday night.
The couple received the Max and Jackie Gibson Award, given to supporters making a significant impact on Sycamore athletics via service or philanthropic giving.
More than 200 people attended the event at Hulman Center. Among the guest speakers was former ISU basketball standout Jayson Kent, now in the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers system.
The Heins were lauded also by ISU President Mike Godard and Athletic Director Nathan Christensen, family, friends and community members.
"Todd and Michelle have never treated Indiana State as an institution they simply support from a distance, but they have taken an active, personal role in our success," Godard said, according to an ISU news release. "Their financial generosity has been significant, but their greatest impact is found in relationships. They have invested not merely in an athletics department, but in people."

#Athletic #godard #significant

3 Celtics Franchise Records Players Could Break in 2026-27 Season originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Several rosters and players in Boston have had historic moments over the past few years and decades, and that trend might continue in this upcoming season.
With Jayson Tatum back healthy, he and his teammates will have the chance to chase down a few reachable franchise records.
Let's take a look at a few records you might see broken in Boston this season.
MORE: 3 Celtics With Most to Prove in 2026-27 Season

#season #records #boston #preferred

Jaylen Brown's return game to Boston won't happen on the opening week of the 2026-27 NBA season. One Celtics insider made a claim about the league's level of attention towards that storyline.
Brown represented the Celtics for 10 seasons, having been the longest-serving member as he helped the team win the ******* le in 2024. However, his stint came to an end after Boston sent him to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Paul George and draft compensation.
Some may have anticipated the league to dedicate a game on opening week to having the Celtics face the 76ers. It would have seen Boston star Jayson Tatum take on Brown, his former co-star. Not to mention LeBron James being on the 76ers as well.
However, that game will take place on a later date. And according to Celtics inside John Karalis, he claimed the league didn't place a lot of focus on the return game for Brown.
"The league does not care about the "Jaylen Brown returns to Boston" storyline at all," Karalis wrote on social media.

#league #return

LeBron James is expected to make his debut with the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, October 20, at Madison Square Garden, where the Sixers will face the defending champion New York Knicks on the opening night of the 2026 NBA season.
The four-time NBA champion announced his decision to go to Philadelphia in July, signing a two-year, $8 million deal.
"This is my last decision. I'm not going for money. I'm not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point? I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win, and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship," James said in a thread on X on July 24.
"I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team, and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time."
The 2026 NBA season tips off with a tripleheader on NBC and Peacock, featuring a star-studded lineup. First at 3:00 PM ET, Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics face Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons. Then at 7:00 PM, Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks receive their championship rings before hosting James, Jaylen Brown, and the 76ers at the Garden. At 9:30 PM, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder go head-to-head with Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs in a rematch of the 2026 Western Conference Finals.

#james #want #york

Detroit — The NBA announced on Tuesday morning a tripleheader that will kick off the 2026-27 season on NBC and Peacock. As part of this event, the Detroit Pistons will begin their season and the league's schedule on Oct. 20, facing the Boston Celtics at Little Caesars Arena. The game is scheduled for tip-off at 3 p.m.
The game will feature the top two teams from the Eastern Conference last season. The Pistons finished with the top overall record at 60-22, while the Celtics finished second at 56-26. The Pistons and the Celtics had a close battle for the conference's top seed, but Detroit was able to maintain its distance after winning the four-game regular-season series 3-1.
The game will serve as the official debut for several new players, most notably Isaiah Joe, who was traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder in June. Other newcomers making their debut for the Pistons include John Collins, Elijah Harkless, Gary Harris and Taurean Prince. Additionally, first-round pick Ebuka Okorie — whom the Pistons traded up to select with the No. 16 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft — will also be making his official debut.
With six-time All-Star Jayson Tatum leading the way, the Celtics will debut a new look on the Pistons' home floor, with Paul George making his first appearance for the franchise following the blockbuster trade that sent former Finals MVP Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in July. The 76ers will open their season inside Madison Square Garden, taking on the defending champion New York Knicks with a tip-off at 7 p.m.
After the 76ers-Knicks game, the league's opening day will conclude with a rematch of last year's Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs at the Frost Bank Center at 9:30 p.m.

#season #game #city

The NBA and NBC are bringing the drama this season right from the opening tip.
The NBA season tips-off on NBC on Oct. 20 with a triple-header that includes LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and the new-look Philadelphia 76ers looking to spoil ring night in Madison Square Garden as they face Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and the defending champion New York Knicks. Plus, we get a showdown of Western Conference powerhouses San Antonio and Oklahoma City, and it all starts with a showdown of two of the game's brightest stars, Cade Cunningham and Jayson Tatum.
This will be the first time that a network has ever broadcast three NBA Tip-Off games, and all of them can be seen on NBC and streamed on Peacock. The news was announced live on TODAY this morning.
It's a star-studded opening day lineup that includes 10 All-Stars and eight All-NBA players from a season ago. Among the players opening the season are the reigning MVP (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), Finals MVP (Jalen Brunson), Defensive Player of the Year (Victor Wembanyama) and the Coach of the Year (Joe Mazzulla). The official lineup for the opening night triple-header is:
The NBA season on NBC begins with a matinee, a showdown between stars Jayson Tatum and Cade Cunningham, but also a meeting of the East's top two seeds from a season ago — and two teams expected to be near the top of those standings this year. It's a contrast of styles as Boston under Mazzulla will launch as many 3-pointers as any team in the league, while Detroit, with All-Star center Jalen Duren and the slashing-into-the-paint style of Cunningham, tries to dominate inside and work out from there.

#jalen #year #brunson #jayson

PHILADELPHIA -- All good things must come to an end. Jaylen Brown spent 10 fantastic and successful seasons with the Boston Celtics averaging 20.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.9 ******* ists after the Celtics third overall in 2016.
Brown, alongside 2017 No. 3 overall pick Jayson Tatum, led Boston to a championship in 2024 as they defeated the Dallas Mavericks 4-1. In the end, finals MVP ended up going to Brown as he was able to do just enough to come up with the honors after such a terrific series.
After Brown was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, there have been questions regarding their relationship. Maybe Brown was tired of being in Tatum's shadow. Maybe Tatum felt slighted about Brown winning final MVP. Maybe there was some jealousy between the two of them. ******* ody truly knows, but the 5-time All-Star was asked about his relationship with Tatum on Thursday as he was introduced to the Philadelphia media.
"We won a championship together," said Brown regarding Tatum. "So, anybody that you win a championship, you'd think like that's what a brotherhood or a lifelong legacy would entail. Obviously, there's ups and downs in any type of relationship for sure, but on my end, it's nothing but respect. Obviously, except when he plays the Sixers, I hope he does well. Other than that, everything for me is just based in respect."
When asked if he and Tatum have talked, Brown responded with: "Not really."

#tatum #philadelphia #come

We Now Know if Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum Have Talked Since Celtics-76ers Trade originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
For the first time since being traded from the Boston Celtics to the Philadelphia 76ers, Jaylen Brown spoke with the media on Thursday.
You probably won't be surprised to hear that Brown was asked about his relationship with Jayson Tatum.
Specifically, Brown was asked if he and Tatum wanted to stay together before they learned of the trade.
"We won a championship together," Brown responded. "Anybody that you win a championship with, you think that's what a brotherhood or a lifelong legacy would entail. Obviously, there's ups and downs in any type of relationship, for sure.

#celtics

The fallout from one of the NBA's blockbuster trades of the summer continues to ripple across the Eastern Conference. While the trade that sent Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics to the rival Philadelphia 76ers stunned NBA fans, Philly's new addition has largely kept his thoughts on his former co-star, Jayson Tatum, under wraps—until now.
During his introductory press conference on Thursday, Brown was asked about his relationship with Tatum. After briefly discussing the topic, he was asked if he had talked to Tatum since the trade. The 29-year-old didn't have much to offer other than two words on that topic:
"Not really," Brown responded.
Prior to that, Brown addressed a question about whether he and Tatum wanted to continue their partnership over the past year and gave a straightforward response.
"Um, you know, we won a championship together, so anybody that you win a championship [with], you would think that's what a brotherhood or a lifelong legacy would entail," Brown responded. "Obviously, there's ups and downs in any type of relationship, for sure. But on my end, it's nothing but respect. Besides when he plays the Sixers, I hope he does well. But other than that, everything for me is just based in respect."

#tatum #conference #trade #asked

Ron Harper Jr. Ready to Continue Growth Following Celtics Extension: 'I'm Ready to Put The Work In' originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
As a kid, Ron Harper Jr. spent years being around the league's best. Now, he will have a chance to play with them for as long as he can.
Harper signed a four-year, $14 million extension with the Celtics in the offseason, securing long-term ******* urance for the first time.
Harper only appeared in 11 games between Toronto and the Pistons. After multiple Exhibit 10 contracts, he earned a two-way contract with the Celtics before graduating to a standard one.
Averaging 11 minutes in 29 games with Boston last season, Harper scored 4.2 points per game and had 0.8 ******* ists. With Jayson Tatum out in the beginning due to injury, the Celtics made the playoffs thanks to the efforts of Jaylen Brown.

#harper #nesn #games #Growth

Steph Curry has added further speculation surrounding his future with the Warriors.
Stephen Curry remains the focal point in Golden State as the franchise balances staying competitive during the final years of his contract.
After a quiet offseason, missing out on major trade targets, the front office is banking on team continuity, internal player development, and returning veterans rather than executing a drastic overhaul.
However, Mike Dunleavy is still open to trades that would see the Warriors plan for life after Steph Curry.
And speculation is at an all-time high surrounding Curry after he was spotted golfing on the same course as Jayson Tatum, with rumours of a potential trade to the Celtics.

#speculation #stephen

Steph Curry was golfing at Vineyard Golf Club in Edgartown, Massachusetts, with Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum also on the course.
The Celtics are rumored to be among the frontrunners of potentially interested teams in acquiring Curry if the 38-year-old wants to leave to win more, as the Warriors will not trade future ***** ets for win-now stars.
Naturally, Curry's presence on the same golf course as Tatum just days after the initial trade rumors started emerging is noteworthy.
Curry was part of former U.S. President Barack Obama's 65th birthday celebration while Tatum was playing with his own group a few holes ahead.
"Former United States President Barack Obama celebrated his 65th birthday on Tuesday with a round of golf at Vineyard Golf Club in Edgartown… Teed it up alongside Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors."

#Warriors

Jaylen Brown admits he felt disrespected by people he thought were on his side originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
After playing his entire career to this point with the Boston Celtics, Jaylen Brown seems ecstatic to be playing for the Philadelphia 76ers. It was one of the biggest trades of the offseason, as it saw Brown being traded for Paul George and a haul of draft picks.
From an outside perspective, it looked like a salary dump. Considering he was almost traded for Giannis Antetokounmpo just before that ended up going the Miami Heat's way, it signalled the end of Brown's time in Boston. There was no coming back from that for the Celtics, so they shipped him off to Philly, a city that is a fierce rival of Boston.
Despite the success he had in his 10 years with the Celtics, it seems Brown could not convince the organization that he was there for the long haul. With the contract he had alongside Jayson Tatum, team president Brad Stevens and his front office believed it was the right time to part ways.
Of course, that decision was not easy for Stevens because he has a long-standing relationship with Brown. However, it seems that was not received well by Brown because he is now with the 76ers, and he is motivated by people who apparently disrespected him.

#brown #seems #jaylen #stevens

Ever since he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, Jaylen Brown has received some criticism from just about everywhere. The 5-time All-Star averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 **** ists while shooting 47.7% from the floor and 34.7% from deep and led the Boston Celtics to a 56-26 record in what many was expecting a "gap year" amid the Jayson Tatum injury, but there are some who wonder if he can repeat it.
On his latest stream on Monday evening, Brown sported his Sixers jersey and had a message for those who are doubting him:
I'm more inspired to win than anything. I feel like I've been a little bit disrespected in this process from people that I thought valued me and everything I brought to the team and the city. I found out quickly that may or may not be the case. So, I want to win more than anything. So, I'm looking forward that journey, that approach, the leadership, that sacrifice, and whatever it's gonna take.
Brown will be joined by LeBron James as the two of them will look to help Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe push Philadelphia over the edge. Brown won a **** le with the Celtics in 2024, winning finals MVP in the process, and James, obviously, has the four **** les and four finals MVPs on his resume. They will look to help the Sixers get over the hump in the coming season and get past Round 2 for the first time since 2001.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Jaylen Brown sports Sixers jersey on latest stream, shares a message

#sixers #philadelphia #jaylen #since

Phillies beat trade deadline buzzer with trade for Athletics' 25-year-old outfielder originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Philadelphia Phillies came into MLB trade deadline day without having made a single move yet. But they began the day with two significant trades, one for Luis Arraez and Caleb Kilian, and another for Brooks Raley.
But, they could've used another starting pitcher, another reliever, and most importantly, a right-handed hitting outfielder. Well, it took until the buzzer, but the Phillies did make a trade for an outfielder.
According to Jayson Stark of The Athletic, the Phillies agreed to a trade with the Athletics, sending reliever Seth Johnson to the A's in exchange for 25-year-old outfielder Colby Thomas.
"The Phillies made a minor-league trade at the buzzer," Stark reports. "RHP Seth Johnson to the A's for outfielder Colby Thomas. But ran out of time shopping for one more starter or reliever."

#trade #buzzer #stark

Derrick White question takes center stage in Celtics' early rankings originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
When it comes to the offseason, there was really just one move for the Boston Celtics that took all the headlines. We're talking about, of course, trading Jaylen Brown.
Losing Brown will make a major shift in this organization and completely changes the chemistry of the current Celtics' roster. They still have Jayson Tatum and Derrick White, thankfully. They also added Mitchell Robinson, which can only help.
So, all is not lost, and some of the team's core player are still there. But, there's no getting around that things are going to look different for the Celtics this season.
In a power ranking feature out from John Schuhmann of the NBA's official website, the Celtics are ranked No. 6 in the Eastern Conference. His main question is about whether White can rediscover his shot.

#sporting #brown

This is interesting: Bleacher Report listed their Top 99 NBA shooters of all time, and of those, six are former Blue Devils, and here they are:
#82 – Grayson Allen
#56 – Luke Kennard
#54 – Jayson Tatum
#34 – Seth Curry

#report #allen #LUKE

Veteran shooting guard Bradley Beal has been tied to the Boston Celtics as a potential landing spot this offseason. A childhood friend of star Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, it is no secret that the St. Louis native would not be upset about a chance to play with his fellow Chaminade alum, and Boston does happen to have an open roster spot.
But the fit is not a great one from a stylistic point of view, nor from the age curve of a ball club with a lot of young wings needing run to develop. Add in the fact that the Celtics have almost no cap ***** e to work with while remaining below the tax, and you can see how this might not be the match made in heaven it could seem at first glance.
The hosts of the "How Bout Them Celtics!" podcast, Jack Simone and Sam LaFrance, took a closer look at this rumor on a recent episode of their show. Check it out below!
Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:
Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKp

#below

Should the Boston Celtics sign NBA veteran Bradley Beal? A longtime friend of star Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, it could be a good way to curry favor with the St. Louis native after a tumultuous season that he began on the bench rehabbing an Achilles tendon injury -- and ended with Boston President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens trading away his partner on the wing of nearly a decade.
But the fit and future of Beal with the Celtics is also important, and with so many wing players who need playing time to grow their games coupled with the additions of vets Paul George and Mike Conley to the team this offseason hints that there may be a lot of reasons why it doesn't make sense for Beal to play for Boston this season.
The hosts of the "How Bout Them Celtics!" podcast, Jack Simone and Sam LaFrance, took a closer look on a recent episode of their show. Check it out below!
Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:
Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKp

#wing #achilles

Connections matter in the NBA. It's become commonplace for former teammates and friends to join forces in the **** ociation (just look at the reigning champion New York Knicks). These bonds don't always lead to an NBA reunion, but they have to at least be considered during the offseason, especially in the case of the Boston Celtics and 3-time All-Star Bradley Beal.
On Tuesday, Bleacher Report insider Jake Fischer discussed how Beal's next landing spot could be tied to his friendship with Celtics star Jayson Tatum. Beal, who's about 5 years older than Tatum, was a mentor for the eventual 2024 NBA champion and the two grew up in St. Louis and both attended the same high school, Chaminade. That relationship that began in Missouri continued in the NBA and beyond, as Tatum even attended Beal's wedding last summer.
"Bradley Beal has got several options," Fischer reported. "I do think there is some Miami (Heat) interest...I wouldn't rule out Boston for Beal because of the connection with Jayson Tatum. I even asked about that today and I was told not to rule out Boston."
Beal played in just 6 games for the Los Angeles Clippers last season before opting out of his player option. A season-ending hip injury prevented the 33-year-old from seeing the court much with L.A. and he hasn't played in more than 60 games in a single season since the 2018-19 campaign.
These injury concerns and the Celtics' current financial situation — the front office could only offer Beal a veteran's minimum contract or the bi-annual exception — make a St. Louis get-together less likely.

#star

A new rumor suggests a three-time All-Star is interested in taking his talents to the Boston Celtics because of his friendship with top star Jayson Tatum.
This has been a very interesting offseason for the Celtics, to say the least. Of course, they made the stunning trade that sent MVP contender Jaylen Brown to the same team that beat them in the playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers. However, they also improved their frontcourt by selecting Chris Cenac Jr. in the NBA Draft and poaching Mitchell Robinson from top rival the New York Knicks. They also brought in greybeard guard Mike Conley.
Well, it looks like they could make another notable addition soon because three-time All-Star Bradley Beal could be headed to Boston, according to a new report from Jake Fischer.
"I do think there's some Miami interest there, and I would not rule out Boston for Beal because of the connection with Jayson Tatum."

#celtics #beal

The 2026 ESPYS will gather notable names from the sports and entertainment world to celebrate the year in sports.
The award show, hosted by ESPN, is an annual event that honors and recognizes some of the recent successes and moments created by the stars in their respective sports.
Comedian and "Saturday Night Live" star Marcello Hernández will host the show at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York.
Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza will be in attendance before turning their full attention to training camp in the upcoming weeks.
The NBA will be well represented with Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson in attendance. Brunson helped lead the Knicks to their first NBA Championship in 53 years earlier this year.

Duke basketball members and alumni linked up for a special Brotherhood dinner in Las Vegas as the 2026 NBA Summer League tournament began Thursday. This meeting comes not long after head coach Jon Scheyer was seen at a recent AAU basketball tournament in Vegas.
The event was riddled with current and former members of the university; most notably Scheyer, Jayson Tatum, Paolo Banchero and Cameron Boozer were in attendance. Recent rookie standouts Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel were present as well, with nearly 30 Blue Devils representing the school in total.
The university posted a photo from the get-together on their social media pages.
This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Jon Scheyer gathers Duke alumni for special 'Brotherhood dinner' in Vegas

Victor Wembanyama is the definition of a no-brainer max extension for the Spurs — and the two sides have agreed to just that, a five-year, $252 million extension, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
However, the key for the Spurs is that Wembanyama agreed to no escalators, Charania reports, and that could save the Spurs more than $50 million over the course of this deal. What the sides have agreed to is the 25% of the salary cap max. However, Wembanyama, a First-Team All-NBA selection and reigning unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, would very likely qualify for a Rose rule 30% max contract, estimated to start at $53.5 million and be worth more than $300 million over the course of the five-year contract.
Essentially, Wemby left $50 million on the table to help the Spurs build out the roster around him. Wembanyama hinted about this on social media.
The impact of the current CBA and the punitive tax apron system has become a hot topic around the NBA. The Knicks just won a ***** le in part because Jalen Brunson took $113 million off the max he could have asked for, giving the Knicks' front office some room to bring in other players. Celtics president Brad Stevens said that trading away Jaylen Brown was, in part, because of the challenges of building out their roster with two supermax players (Brown and Jayson Tatum).
Wembanyama and the Spurs worked together to secure a healthy payday for Wembanyama, averaging a little more than $50 million per season, while retaining some flexibility, Charania reports.

LAS VEGAS -- In case one has been living under a rock, the Philadelphia 76ers have acquired Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics in the big blockbuster move of the summer. The Sixers only had to give up Paul George, two first-rounders, and two second-rounders in order to acquire one of the premier players in the game coming off a career season inn 2025-26 season.
With the Celtics expected to be in a "gap year" amidst the Jayson Tatum injury, Brown decided to throw Boston on his back and average 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 **** ists to lead the Cs to a 56-26 record and the No. 2 seed in the East. He was fantastic in Round 1 against Philadelphia as well and his addition changes a lot for the Sixers.
Dominick Barlow, who is going to be a key piece for the Sixers in the coming season, gave his thoughts on the Brown addition while working out in Las Vegas.
"Things happen fast," said Barlow. "I don't know if that's something that you know we expected to happen, but here we are, and I mean it's exciting. Obviously, he's an elite player, MVP candidate this year. His team was really good without Tatum. So I thought he did an excellent job in leading that group, and I'm super excited to have him."
As with any big addition, there will be some adjustments that need to be made. Brown will be joining a team that features high-usage players in Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid along with the budding VJ Edgecombe. The Sixers will have to find a way to help him find his niche, but on the flip side, that shouldn't be hard when considering how smart Brown is and the high IQ he possesses.

Joe Mazzulla addresses the Jaylen Brown trade to Philadelphia for the first time originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla is known for being candid when it comes to answering questions. That did not change in his first public appearance since the trade went down.
Of course, team president Brad Stevens already gave the reasoning behind the trade, which was perfectly understandable based on the team's payroll. However, many people were interested in hearing from the person who actually had to coach him on the court.
Being the Celtics' head coach is not an easy job because they have to meet expectations. Mazzulla has done a great job in the past few years, but the 2025-26 regular season was one of the most impressive campaigns they have had.
With Jayson Tatum missing most of the season due to his ruptured Achilles tendon, Mazzulla had to rely on Brown to be his star player. They worked well together, as they finished the regular season as the second seed despite the low expectations.

Jayson Tatum Breaks Silence on 'Tough' Jaylen Brown Trade to 76ers originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown played together for nine seasons, during which speculation about potentially breaking up the duo ran rampant.
While a championship in 2024 put a pause on those rumors, an early playoff exit brought renewed thought that the end could be near for the Celtics' star tandem.
Boston dangled Brown in Giannis Antetokounmpo trade talks and ultimately traded him even after missing out on the Bucks star, dealing Brown to the rival 76ers for a package headlined by veteran Paul George.
Now, Tatum is breaking his silence about the deal.

Jayson Tatum is pleased to see Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby finally win for the Knicks originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Jayson Tatum is one of the modern era's most successful players, having been the superstar for the Boston Celtics for a long time. Unfortunately for him, the Celtics have not been successful over the past two seasons, largely due to his injury issues. That opened the door for other teams to take over, including the most recent champions, the New York Knicks.
Due to the Knicks being one of the Celtics' primary rivals, it is easy to see why Tatum is unhappy about them winning the championship. He is a competitor first and foremost, but he does show some happiness about some of his peers on the Knicks roster.
It can be quite challenging to see your peers winning a championship while you sit at home. That is what Tatum had to endure over the past two seasons, as he sat at home dealing with an injury in 2025, and he was reeling from blowing a 3-1 lead in the 2026 Playoffs.
Despite the harsh reality settling in during the 2026 postseason, Tatum was still happy that some of his friends were successful. He pointed out how he has known Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby for a long time, so seeing them win a championship was a happy moment.

Celtics make clear Jayson Tatum trade decision after Jaylen Brown deal originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
It would be absolutely insane for the Boston Celtics to move on from Jayson Tatum, but as we've seen over the past few years in the NBA, nothing can be counted out. Ultimately, it feels like the Celtics made their one big move in quite some time in terms of trading star players, sending Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers.
However, because of this situation and all the questions about Philadelphia now, some have pondered whether Tatum might be available.
However, according to the latest report, when teams have called on the Celtics superstar, they have been shut down instantly.
"ESPN's Shams Charania noted that teams were calling the Celtics to gauge a Jayson Tatum trade after the Jaylen Brown deal, but were universally shut down. There will be extra spotlight on Tatum this year, as the team's 1A option no longer has a 1B. The Celtics are still open to making a trade, but they're viewing the ******* ignment as building a roster to support Tatum, not to bring in another star to split shots with him. Forget Trey Murphy, the targets are more likely to be Herb Jones, Keldon Johnson or a player of that range," Sean Deveny wrote.

Was Jayson Tatum out of the loop on the Boston Celtics trade of Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George and draft ***** ets? Based on some of the chatter we have heard from former teammates like Jeff Teague on his "Club 520" podcast, there is a case to be made that the move caught the St. Louis native by surprise as much as it did the rest of us.
Add in the comments from Boston President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens at his post-trade presser with team majority owner Bill Chisholm that he had not been in contact much with Tatum about the trade, and it seems possible that the Duke alum may have only known that no one is safe in today's NBA.
The folks behind the "WEEI Boston Sports Original" YouTube channel put together a clip from their "Greg Hill Show" taking a closer look. Check it out below!
Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:
Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKp