Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics finally part ways after months of speculation about an imminent divorce. Jaylen Brown was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in one of the biggest moves of the 2026 offseason. While nobody saw it coming, Brown has decided to move on and had words to share.

Brown on X on Thursday penned a heartfelt message to the Celtics fans.

“FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU TO THE MOST HIGH, EVEN IN THE MIDST OF ADVERSITY. I’M HERE WITH GRATITUDE,” the tweet started. “I’m still processing how this all went down. I’m excited and disappointed at the same time. I earned my respect from this city. I never asked for shortcuts or special treatment. I simply showed up every day, put my head down, and accepted every challenge.”

“The relationships I built here, the battles we fought together, the championship we brought to this city, and the connection I shared with the fans, I’ll carry on with me,” the 2024 NBA Finals MVP added. “Saying goodbye isn’t easy when you’ve invested your heart into something. I’m big on respect and actions speak louder than words. To the people of Boston, thank you.”

According to Shams Charania, the deal saw Boston receive Paul George, a 2028 first-round pick, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2030 second-round pick.

Several insiders believe the C’s had reached a point where it simply wanted to move on. Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix said that Boston “wanted to move Jaylen Brown … and they did not care what the return was because this was not dollar-for-dollar value… It’s not 75 cents on the dollar. This is at best 50 cents on the dollar.”

Although Jaylen Brown was coming off another excellent season, criticism surrounding him was high in the weeks leading up to the deal. The biggest story involved comments by ESPN insider Bobby Marks, who cited an anonymous analytics staffer claiming Brown was only “the seventh-best player on a championship team.”

Sixers Owner Opens Up About Jaylen Brown Trade

The deal indeed took everyone by surprise, and one of the Philadelphia Sixers owners wasn’t left out. “One of the 76ers owners was at Michael Rubin’s ‘the white party’ yesterday and was asked about the Jaylen Brown trade… He responded, ‘We couldn’t believe it either!’ Basically saying ‘We can’t believe we were able to get Jaylen Brown for what we gave up,’” the owner said via Bill Simmons.

Brown will team up with Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid to form one of the league’s deadliest offensive sides. “I’m excited for what’s ahead and grateful for the opportunity to join Philadelphia,” JB added in his farewell message.”