Boston Celtics
“Hearing Jayson talk, you can hear the disappointment in his voice … I know JT cares about him [Brown].”
Blake Griffin played with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum on the Celtics at the end of his career. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)
The apparent rift between Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown has dominated the first week of the NBA season as the former teammates embark on their first year apart since Tatum came into the league.
Things heated up early in the week when Tatum spoke online about being just as shocked as the public to find out that Brown had been traded. Brown replied to the clip on Instagram with a “cap” emoji, signifying he felt Tatum was untruthful with those comments.
On Friday night, after a gutsy win over the defending champion New York Knicks, Tatum fielded multiple questions about a possible rift with Brown and gave a thoughtful, drama-free answer, hoping he and Brown can talk in private to clear the air.
You can watch his full response here.
Now, a former Celtic who teamed up with both Tatum and Brown is weighing in on the hot topic.
Blake Griffin spent the final years of his career with the Celtics after making a name for himself as a dominant power forward/center with the Los Angeles Clippers. He seemingly loved his time in Boston, largely because he could serve as a semi-mentor to the two younger stars.
Speaking on the NBA on Prime postgame show, Griffin gave his initial impressions on hearing Tatum’s comments in real time.
“I just feel a little bit disappointed. I think watching that clip and hearing Tatum talk, you can hear the disappointment in his voice,” Griffin said. “Being their teammate, being inside the locker room, I know JT cares about him [Brown].”
Former teammate Blake Griffin commented on the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown drama:
“I just feel a little bit disappointed, and I think watching that clip and hearing Jayson talk, you can hear the disappointment in his voice… Being their teammate, being inside the locker room, I… https://t.co/EsYCgwcxlh pic.twitter.com/XXGUQO62Hi
— SleeperCeltics (@SleeperCeltics) October 24, 2026
Griffin has been in a similar situation in the past, seeing success with a fellow All-Star teammate in Chris Paul, before being separated after a few great seasons together. Unlike Brown and Tatum, though, Paul and Griffin weren’t able to achieve the ultimate goal of winning a championship as teammates.
“Both of them should keep in perspective what they’ve accomplished and not be short-sighted about what has happened,” Griffin continued. “Their relationship is special. It’s not often guys have those types of careers and win a championship for a storied franchise like Boston.”
Brown and Tatum were both pivotal pieces to Boston’s NBA championship win in 2024. Brown took home Finals MVP that season, and Tatum was an All-NBA first-team selection. They were able to coexist well, and neither was deprived of opportunities by the other.
Whatever transpired that led to Brad Stevens trading Brown isn’t likely to be known publicly. At least, not for some time. But no matter what the duo’s relationship looked like at the end, one thing both Tatum and Griffin agree on is that it’s a shame there isn’t more positivity surrounding their time together.
“The conversation should be, these two guys were All-NBA, in the playoffs every year, leading a franchise and winning a championship, from 19 on,” Griffin said. “So that’s really disappointing [too].”
Colin McCarthy
Colin McCarthy is a sports producer who covers Boston’s professional teams and national sports news.
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