Stephen A. Smith did not blame the defense. Rather, he pointed at Jayson Tatum a little after the Celtics lost their season opener 121-113 to the Pistons. Ever since Boston traded Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia, some fans have been looking for someone to blame. The sour opening night just gave them another reason to say it.
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“There is no way in hell that Jaylen Brown is gone, let alone traded within the division to the Philadelphia 76ers, if Jayson Tatum cares for that not to happen,” Smith said on ESPN’s First Take broadcast.
Jaylen Brown’s move to Philadelphia reportedly came without Jayson Tatum’s input. As per reports, Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens did not consult Tatum or keep him in the loop before trading Brown to the 76ers in July 2026. That left the franchise star on the sidelines as Boston pulled the trigger.
“If Jayson Tatum stands up, ‘I don’t want to lose him. What do you mean you traded him? He ain’t going nowhere,” the reporter added. “I want my man here.’ Jaylen Brown is still a Boston Celtic.”
Why did Jayson Tatum specifically land in Stephen A. Smith’s crosshairs? It’s not only because he’s the Boston Celtics’ star forward. It’s also because of his performance against the Pistons.
If you’re a Celtics fan watching your favorite team play in the season opener against their rivals, you have some unsaid expectations. Expectations like seeing Jayson Tatum, the team’s star, absolutely pop off and score one basket after the next.
This did not happen on October 20, 2026. Jayson Tatum scored 13 points for the team, shooting 6-for-23 from the field. Moreover, he had a rather poor shooting session from the three-point line, shooting 0-for-7.
Was this devastating? No, but was it what fans may have expected? Also no. The saving grace in his stat line was the beautiful 11 assists that helped the team come forward, but that’s about where it ends.
On the other hand, Paul George shined like a star. He scored 38 points, shooting 12-for-21 from the field and 7-for-12 from the three-point line. The game still came close, but it wasn’t nearly close enough.
Some, like Smith, may be feeling the absence of Jaylen Brown on the floor wearing the Celtics jersey. In the 2025-26 season, he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists.
He was the other star shining brightly on the Boston Celtics roster. He’s helped push the team to two NBA Finals and even won the 2024 Championship. When the team lifted the trophy after defeating the Dallas Mavericks, Brown was their biggest star.
Not only did he win the NBA Finals MVP award, but Brown also won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP title. He was instrumental to the team’s efforts, so naturally, when he left, many were surprised. After all, he’d played with the team for just about a decade.
Despite Tatum reportedly not being involved in the decision, Stephen A. Smith believes that the Celtics were trying to send a message.
“The fact that he is gone is because they wanted to make it clear it was Jayson Tatum’s team, and Jayson Tatum clearly did not mind.”
When Tatum got sidelined in the 2025 season, Jaylen Brown became the team’s primary offensive player. He became the first play-by-play era player to record 27 points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals while playing against the Minnesota Timberwolves in a single first half.
The team ended the season with a 56-26. They were ultimately eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the 76ers, Jaylen Brown’s new team.