Inside The Celtics

Jayson Tatum Provides Insight on Summer Conference Call with Jaylen Brown and Brad Stevens Amid Kevin Durant Trade Rumors

With his name again in trade rumors, Jaylen Brown organized a conference call with Jayson Tatum and Brad Stevens.

Bobby Krivitsky

Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
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Friday night at TD Garden, the Celtics strung together their fourth win in five games and second-straight victory over 20 points.

In Boston's 120-95 victory vs. the Pacers, Jayson Tatum registered 34 points, leading all scorers. It's his 40th game of the 2022-23 campaign with at least 30 points, a new record for the most in franchise history in a single season.

Jaylen Brown finished with 27 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. The two-time All-Star's been the center of attention in Celtics nation this week, not just for his on-court abilities, but for the publishing of two interviews with him.

Between the two pieces, Brown discussed everything from his future with the Celtics to the process of starting a business and buying a house in Boston not moving as fluidly as he anticipated.

After Friday's win, Brown said he plans to expand on topics like the latter at some point, but right now, he's focused on making sure the Celtics are at their best for the playoffs.

In his interview with Logan Murdock of The Ringer, Brown shared that after seeing photos of Kevin Durant working out with Jayson Tatum amid trade rumors of him possibly going to Brooklyn as the centerpiece of a trade package that would bring Durant to Boston, he organized a conference call with Tatum and Celtics' president of basketball operations Brad Stevens.

“(Kevin Durant) and (Jayson Tatum) are friends," Brown said to Murdock. "They was working out together and whatnot. So, I wasn’t sure what the energy was. I wasn’t sure what the direction of the organization was."

"You just have to have a direct conversation," Stevens said to Murdock, conveying that he assured Brown he wasn't getting traded.

"And you just have to be able to say, 'this is what’s real; this is where we are. Obviously, you and Jayson are the two guys that we’ve built the whole roster around. And our every expectation is for us to come and compete together and try to be two games better than we were last year.'"

Tatum expressed the following on the heels of Boston's victory vs. Indiana when asked about easing Brown's concerns on their summer conference call.

"Without him, we can't reach our goals. You guys know that. The world knows that. The team knows that. We need him to be the best version of ourselves."

Further Reading

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Pacers: Boston's Pace, Ball Movement, and Three-Point Defense Fuel Blowout Victory

Former Warriors' Director of Performance Keke Lyles Shares His Perspective on Load Management, Changing Stephen Curry's Movement Patterns, And What's Helped Jayson Tatum's Durability

Devin McCourty Expresses Admiration for Jaylen Brown: 'I'm Excited to See What His Growth Looks Like and How He's Able to Impact the Community'

Jaylen Brown Addresses Non-Committal Comments About Celtics' Future: 'I'm Focused on Helping Lead My Team for Another Playoff Run'

Jayson Tatum on Robert Williams' Impact on the Celtics: 'We’re Just a Different Team'

Celtics Discuss Capping Road Trip with Convincing Win vs. Kings: 'That Looks Like the Team I Recognize'

Jaylen Brown Wants the Celtics to Get Back to the Defensive Identity that Helped them Reach the Finals

Published
Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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