Paul Pierce Pushes Back on Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown Report

The Boston Celtics just broke up the long-time on-court duo of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, trading Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in a blockbuster move.

Tatum and Brown were effective as teammates for nine years in Boston, winning a championship together in 2024. But according to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, their off-court relationship was “non-existent.”

“On the court, they were great. But over the last year or so, that personal relationship, it was as close to not existent as you could have,” Charania reported.

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Celtics legend Paul Pierce pushed back against Charania’s reporting, downplaying the importance of teammates having an off-court relationship.

“Did [Shaquille O’Neal] and Kobe [Bryant] hang out, get along? Did [Michael Jordan] and Scottie [Pippen]? Man, people live different lifestyles. That's what you got to understand,” Pierce said on the “No Fouls Given” podcast. “Everybody just because they look like they got the best relationship and the chemistry on the court, don't mean that's what it's gonna equal off the court.”

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Brown now joins a 76ers team featuring Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Tatum is now the clear No. 1 option on a Celtics team that added NBA veteran Paul George as part of the Brown trade.

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This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 12:54 PM.