As Jaylen Brown Embraces His Future in Philadelphia, He's Still Closing the Book on His Past

Jaylen Brown likes to say that the start of something new must mean the end of something else. But as much as he wants to embrace his new chapter in Philadelphia, there are still faint traces of sadness.

Aug 6, 2026; Camden, NJ, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Jaylen Brown speaks with the media during his introductory press conference at the Francis J. Myers Recreation Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

PHILADELPHIA — Jaylen Brown likes to say that the start of something new must mean the end of something else. But as much as he wants to embrace his new chapter in Philadelphia, there are still faint traces of sadness.

Perhaps that'll fade as he starts life in a new city, where the community isn't yet used to the philanthropic efforts that Boston grew accustomed to during Brown's time there. Perhaps that sadness will convert into euphoria or even adrenaline as Brown is wrapped up in the warm embrace of a fanbase that is starving for the success that Boston had come to expect.

"I'm focused on what's in front of me," Brown told media at his introductory press conference on Thursday afternoon.

"To be honest, I'm moving on."

What was in front of him was a packed gymnasium at the Francis J. Myers Recreation Center at 58th Street and Kingsessing Avenue in Philadelphia. What was in front of him was a crowd greeting Brown as he entered the gymnasium in search of high fives from innumerable children in shirts with his name on them.

What was behind him?

The memory of throwing his phone across the room when he first learned he'd been traded to a long-time rival.

The perceived disrespect that chewed at Brown as his time in Boston came to an end.

Brown said the word 'respect' 10 times in his introductory press conference. It is clearly a tenet central to his being.

And even if the organization that drafted and raised Brown violated that principle in his final weeks as a Boston Celtic, you can still see glimpses of the pain in his eyes.

“I don’t know. I feel like I’ve dealt with that for a while. Internally, externally. I just choose to not focus on…I choose to focus on what I focus on," Brown said of the difficulty of the last six weeks.

"Obviously it got to a threshold this offseason that was a little bit higher than it’s been in the past where I think people attacked my character. Someone even went as far as to say I had a disease. So it’s been a crazy transition, to be honest. But none of it is completely surprising."

Brown carries himself with the maturity necessary to understand that being involved in trade rumors is part of the business of basketball. He's been around long enough to deal with pundits dissecting the merits and demerits of his game. But this summer brought criticisms of his personality. Of his character.

But Boston was still a welcoming home to a kid from Marietta, Georgia for the first 10 years of his professional life.

It's all still raw.

"To answer your question, it’s been a lot of emotions. It’s been a process. To be honest, I’m still processing to some degree—one, the excitement of coming to a new city, a new place, new expectations, new energy; then also leaving somewhere that you’ve been for a very, very long time," Brown explained.

"Like, I’ve been in Boston for 10 years. I’m 29 years old. So I was there a third of my life. I met some people, some life-long friends who I’ll still be connected to. But in anything that you’re starting something new, it’s an end of something else."

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