Boston Celtics
“Please stay away from talking about the PERSON and his character!!!! He’s real as they come!”
Jaylen Brown and Isaiah Thomas were teammates in Boston for one season. Barry Chin/The Boston Globe
July 2, 2026 | 7:19 PM
2 minutes to read
Beyond the shock of getting traded by the Celtics to an Atlantic Division rival in the 76ers, Jaylen Brown’s reputation and standing across the league have been questioned over the last few weeks.
That discourse has only grown since Wednesday’s stunning trade between Boston and Philly, especially with a legitimate MVP candidate in Brown seemingly netting an underwhelming return from the Sixers.
After being deemed the centerpiece of a blockbuster potential deal for two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brown was ultimately dealt to Philly in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks.
After former Nets assistant GM Bobby Marks — citing an “analytics” individual in the NBA — said that Brown was the “seventh-best player on an NBA team” — ESPN’s Brian Windhorst dropped a bombshell on Thursday about how the Celtics reportedly perceived Brown in the midst of the best season of his career.
“I just know that the Celtics felt that even though Jaylen Brown was talking about himself for MVP, or there was this MVP campaign for Jaylen Brown, the Celtics did not feel that Jaylen had the best season on their team — and I don’t mean Jayson Tatum,” Windhorst said. “They felt that Derrick White had a better season. The statistics that people use to analyze said that.”
Amid all of the flak that Brown has received in the last few days, former Celtics great Isaiah Thomas took to social media to defend his former teammate.
“It’s so nasty all the NEGATIVE things I’m seeing people say about Jaylen Brown!!! I don’t care how yall talk about bros game, it’s all opinion based anyway!,” Thomas posted on X. “Please stay away from talking about the PERSON and his character!!!! He’s real as they come! Don’t get it twisted people”
It’s so nasty all the NEGATIVE things I’m seeing people say about Jaylen Brown!!! I don’t care how yall talk about bros game, it’s all opinion based anyway! Please stay away from talking about the PERSON and his character!!!! He’s real as they come! Don’t get it twisted people
— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) July 2, 2026
Thomas was Brown’s teammate for just one season in Boston in 2016-17, with the 5-foot-9 point guard finishing fifth in NBA MVP voting during Brown’s rookie year with the club.
Similar to Brown, Thomas’ best season of his professional career was capped with the Celtics trading him away, with Boston dealing him to Cleveland as part of a sizable return for Kyrie Irving. Thomas ultimately rejoined the Celtics as a college and pro scout in May.
Brown broke his silence on the trade Thursday, thanking Celtics fans and the city of Boston while candidly admitting his shock at Wednesday’s trade.
“I’m still processing how this all went down. I’m excited and disappointed at the same time,” Brown said. “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.
“The relationships I built here, the battles we fought together, the championship we brought to this city, and the connection I shared with the fans, I’ll carry on with me. Saying goodbye isn’t easy when you’ve invested your heart into something.”
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
