Celtics coach says he is still processing Jaylen Brown trade

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters after a Summer League practice on Thursday that he is still processing the trade of forward Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers. He said the move is not "a black-and-white type of thing" and emphasized the importance of showing respect and gratitude for Brown's ten years with the team.

"When something like that happens, it’s not a black-and-white type of thing. The part that I hope gets talked about more… is really just the respect, the appreciation and the gratitude for what he did for the Celtics for 10 years," Mazzulla said.

Mazzulla added that Brown was with the Celtics longer than he has been coach and was a key factor in the franchise’s recent success, including six conference-final appearances and a 2024 championship. He noted that the organization must now create a new identity after acquiring Paul George, Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley while losing Brown.

"We have a different roster. We have a different identity now. The challenge lies in how do we create that identity? How do we establish that identity?" Mazzulla said.

The coach said he was briefed by Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens before the deal but did not influence the decision.

Brown’s reaction on a livestream with IShowSpeed was markedly different. He described the trade as a sudden, business-driven move.

"I just got traded… They packed me up, bro. It’s a crazy business, bro. Don’t become a basketball player. There’s no loyalty. There’s no love," Brown said.

The Celtics, who posted a 56-win regular season, were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, a result Mazzulla called a difficult moment for the organization.