Isaiah Thomas isn’t here for the Jaylen Brown slander. Not the basketball kind, anyway.
The former Celtics guard took to X on Tuesday to call out people who’ve been going after Brown’s character in the wake of Boston’s trade sending him to Philadelphia. The deal, which brought Paul George and draft picks back to the Celtics, has sparked plenty of debate. But Thomas drew a hard line between criticizing someone’s game and attacking who they are as a person.
“It’s so nasty all the NEGATIVE things I’m seeing people say about Jaylen Brown!!!” Thomas wrote. “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.”
A Bond That Goes Back
Thomas and Brown only shared a locker room for one season. That was 2016-17, Brown’s rookie year, when the Celtics made a surprising run to the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to LeBron James and the Cavaliers. But apparently that was enough for Thomas to see what kind of guy Brown is.
Since then, Brown has developed into a two-way star. He won Finals MVP in 2024 after torching the Mavericks. But two straight early playoff exits created tension around the franchise. Reports suggested the front office had already dangled Brown in trade talks for Giannis Antetokounmpo, which only made things more awkward.
What the Trade Actually Says
The Celtics didn’t get close to what most people thought Brown was worth. George is still an elite scorer, but he’s 34 and has his own injury history. The draft compensation helps, but it’s not the kind of haul you’d expect for a 28-year-old who was the second-best player on a title team.
According to league sources, Brown’s camp had grown frustrated with how the organization handled things. There were whispers about his efficiency dropping in certain playoff series. Some questioned his focus. But Thomas clearly thinks that narrative has crossed a line into personal attacks that have nothing to do with basketball.
Brown hasn’t publicly responded to the trade or the criticism yet. But he’s got at least one former teammate willing to go to bat for him. And considering what Isaiah Thomas gave to that franchise — playing through a hip injury that essentially ended his prime — his voice still carries weight in Boston.
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