Fans wonder whether Brown comments caused Tatum to put breaks on return

Jayson Tatum was adamant he was returning this season. Chris Haynes was also sure of this... until the past couple days. Chris Haynes won't say what has changed in Tatum's mind, but that hasn't let Celtics fans not theorize. Jaylen Brown who has done a tremendous job stepping up this season does have one Achilles' heel (no pun intended) and that is he always feels he is getting disrespected and not receiving the accolades he deserves, whether that be All-Star starter votes, endorsements, or more praise from the media.

The most important thing to being a Celtic is winning championships and Brown captured one along side Jayson Tatum. Jaylen even took home the Finals MVP. One title should never be enough for Celtics stars and that's why you have seen Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce so often lament not winning a second one in 2010.

While it must be exciting for Brown to show his "haters" wrong (which he admits he has always thrived on) by getting to be the man this regular season, one would have to imagine he would want Jayson Tatum to return this year (assuming he is 100%) so the team would have an actual shot at another title correct? And maybe privately Brown has expressed that to Tatum and the fans' theory that Brown's comments this week are what's giving Tatum pause are incorrect.

Here is what Brown had to say for context:

“I've sacrificed over the years for us to be a championship-caliber team. Now we’re seeing what I was sacrificing. Being at the helm, and us being 2nd in the east, versus last year we finished 2nd in the east. It's almost been no drop off with five players that are essentially gone.”
Reality is both Tatum and Brown have always put up amazing stats when the other was sidelined, not because they are better without the other star, but that's just how things always go with stars in the NBA. There are many stars who never won titles, but put up great numbers. And there are stars who won titles and in the process put up lesser individual numbers doing so. What would be shocking is if Brown didn't have the best individual stats of his career the season that Tatum was out. Same goes for Jayson. If Brown was the star out, Tatum's numbers would also be spiked this season.

Since Haynes didn't say what had changed for Tatum, Celtics fans took to social media to theorize. Here's a sampling:

Reddit:

X: There were also fans that called anyone who dared theorize that Brown was to blame horrible "haters" because it's 2026 and unlike in the past when fans of the same team all got along, a favorite past time in recent years is to bash your fellow team's fan. I call it green on green crime when it comes to the Celtics.

Growing up, if you were a Celtics fan you got along with all your fellow fans. Didn't matter if you were a pessimist or optimist. Didn't matter if you predicted the Celtics to win a title when no else would or you didn't think they were strong enough when they had a very good team. You could talk potential trades and say who you thought deserved to be all-star and who didn't and your fellow Celtics fan would never label you a "hater" for objective opinions and there wasn't social media to fellate ridiculous kool aid statements.

Nowadays when your team makes a trade, comments like "Moses Brown will be much better than the first rounder the Celtics gave up in the deal" will receive thousands of "likes" and the algorithm will reward you with actual money. While if you disagree you are of course called a "hater" and receive scorn from your own fellow fans. Spoiler alert: The first rounder that was included was All-NBA center Alperen Şengün and Moses Brown was quickly dumped and is out of the NBA now.

So with that in mind, most people won't even talk about the theory that Brown's comments may have affected Tatum. Why mention that if you have a following only to get scorn back when you can just post how Neemias Queta will be a future all-star and you will get showered with "likes" and money for the engagement. Fact is calling the fans who wonder whether Brown's comments may have affected Tatum "haters" and not true Celtics fans will actually get all the "likes" and engagement.

Me personally, I think it’s ok to be honest and discuss all the possibilities. While some fans would call you the worst names if you ever put Marcus Smart or Robert Williams in a trade idea, rationale minded people know you always have to give something to get something. And acting like it’s not possible that Brown's comments had an effect on Tatum is some head in the sand stuff right there.

I also am not privy to Tatum's brain so I would never proclaim I'm sure it’s the reason. It is worth discussing though. If Tatum came back this season would Brown need Jayson to now be the 1B star or his Pippen? If the Celtics didn't win after Tatum returned would he be blamed? Brown boasted more or less about how he's carried the team to the same success alone this year, if they don't win more with Tatum once again does Jayson get the blame?

Brown could say publicly that of course he would love Tatum to return this year because its all about titles and this would be a non-story. Tatum is no Jordan, but when MJ returned to the Bulls, Scottie Pippen was excited to have him back. It actually took some time for Pippen to go back to his "Robin" role. Even in the start of the 1995-96 season Pippen was still costarring with Jordan. You could argue the Bulls losing in the 2nd round in 1995 before Jordan regained his place as "the man" on the team helped with the transition back to normal.

People often forget how good Pippen was the year after Jordan first retired and the next two seasons as well. But the Bulls were a dynasty with Jordan and Pippen. Scottie alone wasn't enough. Jaylen alone isn't enough. Neither would Tatum alone be. It's possible that Brown needs to see that to believe that. He needs to go a full season and playoff run to recognize that it's better with Tatum than alone. And maybe Jayson is aware of that.

Tatum is a student of the game and I think he's always been aware that Jaylen needs his ego stroked some. While Brown will complain about not getting respect, Tatum tries to shower praise on Jaylen. Tatum was happy that Brown won Finals MVP. One would hope that Brown would have said the same positive things if Tatum won it, but that's not really clear. Brown himself says he thrives on (feeling) slighted. He still brings up fans booing when he was drafted like there weren't even more that were thrilled he was picked.

I don't believe Tatum is being selfish not returning if he believes that not winning a title this season would cause friction going into next season with Brown using that as validation that Tatum should be his Robin. Long term the team's best chance to win is if they play like they did during the 2023-24 championship season.

Reality is Brown has indeed made sacrifices over the years to win. So has Tatum. So has White and many other players. The key to winning is literally making sacrifices. No better role model for that than the Celtics own Bill Russell. It's not a coincidence that the Celtics have the most titles and have also dominated the 6th Man of the Year award. When you have a winning culture, players will gladly sacrifice some stats (or a starting position) for the team to be more successful. And for his part Brown acknowledged Tatum's sacrifices as well after they won the 2024 title: Personally I'm exhausted with the GOAT debates, who's your all-time top 10 discussions, your Mt. Rushmore talk. It's drivel to get engagement. In an ideal world Brown wouldn't give a rat's arse how high fans and the "experts" rank him in the NBA. He'd read the tens of thousands of tweets telling him how great he is and wouldn't get bent out of shape if someone mentioned his name in a hypothetical Giannis or Durant trade. But if he needs that to fuel him to be as great as he is, then that's a necessary evil one can live with.

The fans who will call you a "hater" if you ever say anything contrary to Brown and Tatum love playing with each other are the same fans who thought Moses Brown was better than Sengun and the same ones who called you not a real fan when you reported that you were hearing that Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo weren't getting along.

Fact is many teammates don't get along. It only matters when it starts effecting the team winning. From what I can tell Tatum and Brown get along just fine. Point is if you are the type of fan that wouldn't even consider that Rondo and Ray didn't get along, you shouldn't be the voice to call anyone who wonders about Brown and Tatum a "hater." Calling fellow fans of your own team "haters" might be the dumbest thing to come about in the past 15 years.

Haynes purposely didn't state the reason Tatum was doing a 180 now. So it's fine for Celtics fans, media, or anyone to speculate. We will have to wait and see if Tatum does return this season and if doesn't maybe will be given the valid reason, maybe we won't. And players, coaches, and GM's aren't idiots. Often what they say may not be 100% factual. No benefit to a player being honest if he doesn't like a teammate for example. Many times we will never find out the truth. In modern times we tend to find out a lot on some random podcast years after players are no longer teammates or are retired.

I am very sure that there is no way that Tatum and Brown don't like each other. Are they best buds like some Celtics fans will force you to agree to? No. Could there be a bit of jealousy on Brown's part to Tatum that Jayson has to massage from time to time? Absolutely. And that might be the reason why Tatum is reportedly reconsidering a return at this moment. Or it might not be. And you are no worse a Celtics fan if you believe one way or another.

The sooner Tatum and Brown are back on the court again, the team's highest ceiling will be back in effect. Spend your time rooting for the Celtics to win and not bashing your fellow Celtics fans. "Likes" and engagement aren't the be all end all. It was actually possible that Sengun would be better than Moses Brown. And it’s actually possible that Jaylen's recent comments had an effect on Tatum.


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