76ers' Jaylen Brown makes blunt feelings toward Celtics, Brad Stevens clear after lackluster trade

Next season, the Boston Celtics looked poised to be one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference with Jayson Tatum expected to play a full season and Jaylen Brown continuing to produce at a high level. Before ultimately moving Brown, the Celtics were reportedly close to trading him in a deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo.

After that, the relationship between Brown and the organization appeared to shift. Boston ultimately traded Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Paul George and draft picks.

“Jaylen Brown has a new home, as the Boston Celtics agreed to send the former NBA Finals MVP to the Philadelphia 76ers in a blockbuster trade Wednesday, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania. The 76ers are sending Paul George, two first-round picks (2028, 2031) and two second-round selections (2028, 2030) to Boston to complete the deal, sources said,” ESPN wrote.

Just a day after the trade, Brown went public with a message to Celtics fans. He admitted he was experiencing mixed emotions about the move.

“I'm still processing how this all went down. I'm excited and disappointed at the same time," Brown posted on Thursday. "I earned my respect from this city. I never asked for shortcuts or special treatment. I simply showed up every day, put my head down, and accepted every challenge."

During a livestream on Thursday, Brown went into much greater detail about how he felt. He said he believed the organization had shown him a lack of respect throughout the process.

“I wasn’t thrilled with how the conversation was facilitated. I did feel like it was a lack of respect. At one point it was fine, and then out of nowhere it just went left. I definitely think there’s more to it. There definitely is more to it. I know Brad is getting a lot of criticism, but I just wish more of it could have been explained. I just wish they had the respect to tell me exactly what it was, and I would have understood and respected that,” Brown said.

The way it all ended for Brown was surprising, considering he played a major role in helping bring a championship to Boston. It is possible Brad Stevens kept Brown informed early in the process but left him in the dark as the situation unfolded.

Ultimately, it appears the relationship ended in the worst possible way, both in terms of how the organization handled the trade and how Brown now feels about the franchise. Brown made his feelings toward Boston clear and did not hold back.

More NBA news: