Blake Griffin resonates with Jayson Tatum after he dropped a locker-room perspective. JT and Jaylen Brown’s separation has turned into a public debate over what happened behind the scenes. All because of a single social media emoji (CAP), fueling the speculation. Amid this situation, former teammate Griffin believes Tatum has a point.
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But Brown’s own experience with the franchise helps explain why the situation remains complicated.
“I think as far as where things stand, I just feel a little bit disappointed. And I think watching that clip and hearing Jayson talk, you can hear the disappointment in his voice, because he’s exactly right,” Griffin said, appearing on NBA on Prime.
It was Griffin’s instant reaction to Jayson Tatum’s address on the issue following Boston’s 107-103 win over the Knicks.
Clearly, Griffin backed his former teammate’s response.
“The narrative, the conversation should be that these two guys were All-NBA. They were in the playoffs every year, leading a franchise, winning a championship, you know, from 19 on. They were both 19 when they got drafted. So, I don’t know. Really disappointing.”
Griffin played for Boston during the 2022-23 season, sharing the locker room with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The veteran’s final season in the league. His perspective carries added weight. He wasn’t just an outsider.
“Being their teammate, being inside the locker room, like, I know JT cares about him,” Griffin said. “And I thought he said the right thing. You know, he said he reached out to him after he got traded, called him, texted him, and everybody processes in their own time.”
Tatum had made his position clear after the Knicks game.
“This ain’t no f***ing Shaq and Kobe. There’s no beef. It’s not about that. It should be more praise,” he said, frustrated that discussion of their partnership had shifted toward drama rather than what they accomplished together.
Griffin went further than defending Tatum’s comments.
“It doesn’t mean they have to have this conversation if JB’s not ready for it yet or whatever it is. But, you know, both of them should keep in perspective what they’ve accomplished, and not be short-sighted about what has happened, what has transpired over the offseason. Because that relationship and that team, their relationship is special. I mean, it’s not often guys have that type of career and win a championship for a storied franchise like Boston.”
That last point matters.
Jaylen Brown has not publicly embraced Jayson Tatum’s version of events. After Tatum said that the trade caught him off guard, Brown responded to a clip of the interview on Instagram with a cap emoji. People commonly use the emoji to call someone a liar. The brief reaction reignited speculation about whether the two stars were on different pages regarding how the deal unfolded.
Brown’s frustration also extends beyond his relationship with Tatum.
Following the trade to Philadelphia, he said he felt there had been a “lack of respect” from Boston president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens, during the process. Brown also recounted visiting the Celtics’ practice facility after learning of the deal, only to discover that his key card no longer worked.
Those details provide context for why Brown might view the trade differently from his former teammate.
Jayson Tatum’s insistence that he called and texted Brown addresses their personal communication. But it does not necessarily resolve Brown’s concerns about how the organization handled his departure.
The Celtics and 76ers now have a new rivalry to build, but Griffin does not want the trade to erase what came before it. At the same time, Griffin doesn’t want them to go easy on each other on the court.
“When they play each other, it can be an all-out war. It can. They can go at it. It’s basketball, right? We step on the court, and we want to compete.”
Jayson Tatum has left the door open for a conversation. Meanwhile, Brown will process his exit on his own terms. Griffin’s message is that their championship legacy deserves more attention than the drama surrounding their split.