Jayson Tatum reflected on the “abrupt end” of his longtime partnership with former Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown on Tuesday night, admitting it was “weird” to start next season without him.
Brown was officially traded to the Philadelphia 76ers this week for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks, in a move that stunned many. Speaking publicly about the deal for the first time during a Q&A to promote the upcoming book, Tatum said he appreciated his time partnering with Brown.
“You play on a team with a guy for nine years,” Tatum said, according to CelticsBlog. “I was fortunate enough to go to the NBA Finals with him twice, win a championship and push each other to become the players we are today.
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“…It’s hard. But it just makes us appreciate the moments and time we had. Obviously it ended abruptly, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t super successful. Obviously, great years that he has given to the city and the organization.”
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens explained the reasoning behind the deal, saying Monday that the franchise was seeking an option that was difficult to implement given the combined salaries of Tatum and Brown.
“The NBA is an incredible business; it’s an incredible job, but there are some downsides to this business and those moments where you just feel like you’re going to be on the same team with someone because that’s all you know,” Tatum said. “And then it’s like, one day you find out they’re not on your team anymore. And we are all human. We feel all these emotions.”
Tatum also said he is ready to welcome new players to the Celtics’ roster, namely George and veterans Mike Conley and Mitchell Robinson, and “move forward with them.”