In the fallout of the Celtics’ failed pursuit of Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaylen Brown’s tenure in Boston appeared to be done. Even so, few predicted that he’d be heading to the Celtics’ Eastern Conference rival, the 76ers, in a deal that looks extremely lopsided on paper.Brown is coming off of a season in which he kept Boston not only afloat, but extremely competitive, with Jayson Tatum missing much of the season as he recovered from a torn Achilles. Brown put together his best individual season—28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists per game—and finished as a second-team All-NBA player and sixth in MVP voting.The C’s earned the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference but were stunned by Philadelphia in the first round of the playoffs, falling in seven games after going up 3–1 in the series. And now Boston is sending its second-best player to that same 76ers team, which already has one of the NBA’s most electrifying backcourts in Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, and a former MVP in Joel Embiid. Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix reports that Brown, while frustrated by years of trade rumors leading up to this year’s Giannis flirtation, never asked out of Boston. And Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe reports that ownership did not direct the move for financial reasons; Brown and the player the Celtics got in return (along with four future draft picks), veteran forward Paul George, make similar annual salaries though Brown’s deal is one year longer.And so, it appears that team president Brad Stevens and his braintrust truly believe this is the right basketball move for a team that won an NBA title two years ago and appeared ready to contend with the Jays for the foreseeable future. For his part, Brown is ready to move forward. The now-former Celtics star and 2024 NBA Finals MVP inked a letter to both his former and new teams, his first public statement since the trade was reported Wednesday.Jaylen Brown’s statement on the Celtics trading him to the 76ers“First and foremost, thank you to the Most High, even in the midst of adversity. I'm here with gratitude. “I’m still processing how this all went down. I’m excited and disappointed at the same time. 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.“I’m big on respect and actions speak louder than words. To the people of Boston, thank you. To the community I built here I love you, and to the shiftaz we are locked in for life.“As one chapter closes, another begins.“I’m excited for what’s ahead and grateful for the opportunity to join Philadelphia. Every city has its own identity, its own passion, and its own expectation. I respect that, and I’m looking forward to earning that respect the only way I know how.. through the work. “Philly #throwtheballup let’s get it!”Philly #throwtheballup let’s get it pic.twitter.com/zdC6g1dTyM— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) July 2, 2026Live: NBA Free Agency 2026 Tracker—Updates and Analysis of Every Big MoveThe 76ers have had a huge offseasonTyrese Maxey and the 76ers knocked off Jaylen Brown and the Celtics in the 2026 playoffs. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThe Sixers’ win over the Celtics in the first round signaled that Philly was ready to take the next step and make this Maxey’s team, one that would welcome Embiid’s contributions as long as he could make them (barring them finding a way to move his nearly $188 million salary over the next three years). Edgecombe had an incredible debut season and locked himself in as a quality second option alongside Maxey in the backcourt. The team drafted yet another explosive guard, Labaron Philon, in the first round of this year’s draft, a move that could in part make up for the unpopular trade of Jared McCain to the Thunder during the season. They’ve also added depth pieces in Cavaliers three-and-D wing Dean Wade and New York reserve center Ariel Hukporti. On Thursday, it was reported that they are signing yet another explosive guard in his prime, Anfernee Simons.The Brown trade, which offloads the costly and oft-injured George and some draft picks that may or may not be significant in the future, brings them an instant upgrade on the wings. There are plenty of ifs around Embiid’s health, but if everyone remains largely healthy, a starting five of Maxey, Edgecombe, Brown, Wade and Embiid with a few quality bench pieces should be very competitive in the East.That’s a huge change from the pesky mid-tier roster that Philadelphia appeared to have a few days ago.More NBA from Sports IllustratedListen to SI’s NBA podcast, Open Floor, below or on Apple and Spotify. Watch the show on SI’s YouTube channel.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow