Jaylen Brown’s run with the Boston Celtics officially came to an end on Wednesday when the franchise traded the five-time All-Star to the Philadelphia 76ers in one of the most shocking moves of the NBA offseason. Brown, who spent 10 seasons in Boston after being selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, was dealt to the Celtics’ longtime Atlantic Division rivals in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks.
The blockbuster trade sparked an emotional reaction across New England. Celtics fans flooded social media with messages of disbelief, with many questioning the decision to trade one of the franchise’s best players to a direct rival. Brown had become one of the faces of Boston basketball over the past decade, and his departure left many supporters heartbroken after months of speculation finally became reality.
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One post, however, stood out to Brown. A viral Instagram video showed six-year-old Celtics fan Giovanni Rubin wearing Brown’s No. 7 jersey while crying over the trade. The young fan sent his love to Brown and called him his favorite player in the NBA. Brown saw the post and responded in the comments with a heartfelt message:
“It’s ok lil bro ❤️ we will always be friends.”
Brown leaves Boston as one of the most accomplished players in franchise history. During his time with the Celtics, he helped the organization capture the 2024 NBA championship, earning NBA Finals MVP honors while making five All-Star teams. Beyond basketball, Brown became deeply connected to the city through his community work, making him one of the most respected athletes in Boston throughout his tenure.
Now, Brown begins a new chapter in Philadelphia after the finest individual season of his career. The 29-year-old averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists across 71 games in 2025-26.
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Brown finished as the NBA’s fourth-leading scorer and sixth in MVP voting while carrying Boston’s offense for much of the season as Jayson Tatum recovered from a ruptured Achilles.
He joins a 76ers roster led by Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe, giving Philadelphia one of the Eastern Conference’s most talented cores as Brown looks to write the next chapter of his career.
