The Boston Celtics‘ 2025-26 campaign came to a sudden end, as they were shockingly bounced from the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs after throwing away a 3-1 series lead over the Philadelphia 76ers. As a result, the C’s are set to enter a pivotal offseason, with all eyes turning to general manager Brad Stevens.
The offseason is only a few days old, but Stevens has found himself having to weather a storm of rumors surrounding Jaylen Brown. Less than 24 hours after the Celtics season ended, Brown hosted a controversial stream on his Twitch account, and reports indicate he is “frustrated” with his longtime team. That forced Stevens to step in and address the situation with some eye-opening comments on Wednesday.
Brad Stevens Addresses Jaylen Brown Rumors
The 2025-26 season may not have ultimately gone Boston’s way, but it was a stellar campaign for Brown individually. With Jayson Tatum being forced to miss the majority of the season, Brown stepped up and took his game to another level. He finished the year averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. Simply put, Brown turned himself into a legitimate MVP candidate.
Even with Tatum back, though, the Celtics weren’t able to close out the 76ers in their first-round series. Brown was forced to step back into his superstar role in Game 7 with Tatum missing the action due to a left knee injury, and while he poured in 33 points, the C’s still got eliminated. In the wake of this defeat, Brown’s name has popped up in trade rumors, and he made some eye-opening comments on his aforementioned stream.
Folks everywhere are wondering what the offseason could hold, and recent comments made by Tracy McGrady, who has a close relationship with Brown, only added more fuel to the fire. Stevens attempted to quell the rumors surrounding Brown, though, saying they recently had a positive conversation in the wake of the season coming to a close.
“I talked to Jaylen Monday a little bit … real quickly, and it was nothing but positive,” Stevens said when speaking to reporters. “He has not expressed those frustrations to me. We’ve been here 10 years together. Obviously, I love JB, and everybody around here loves JB.”
What Should the Celtics Do with Jaylen Brown this Offseason?
GettyJaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics looks on during warmups before game four of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 26, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Brown has never been afraid to be outspoken in the media, no matter what the topic of conversation may be. When he speaks about his own team, though, that’s when things get hairy for the Celtics. Saying he enjoyed this season more than when he won Finals MVP in 2024 with Boston, for example, is the sort of thing that will make folks wonder what Brown’s individual agenda may be.
Stevens and the front office almost certainly aren’t going to look to trade Brown unless he tries to force his way out of town. And yet, nothing to this point has really indicated Brown wants to land with a new team this offseason. There’s no doubt his status is worth watching, but as of right now, while there’s a lot of smoke surrounding Brown, it doesn’t seem like there’s an actual fire running ablaze.
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