This did, predictably and for good reason. Brown said in so many words that he better enjoyed playing for a 56-win team that played the vast majority of the season without Jayson Tatum than he did for the one that collected the 18th championship banner in franchise history.
He did not walk back that sentiment on another Twitch chat Wednesday, but he did offer some clarity. That came hours after Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens had his exit interview with the media in Brighton and had to address, among other things, a comment by supposed Brown confidant Tracy McGrady that the player had some frustrations with the organization.
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“Me and Brad have a great relationship,” said Brown. “I hate that Brad even had to respond to this. I love Boston. If it was up to me, I’d play in Boston for the next 10 years. I’ll say it again: I hate that Brad even had to respond to this.”
Then he elaborated on his “favorite year” declaration.
“The expectations was the team [would] be nothing, just to give in to and to quit. And this team did the exact opposite. We fought every single day. We fought for everything.
“I got to see Jayson Tatum come back from an injury, mentally overcome what [it] takes … this is a part of the reason why this was my favorite year.”
That’s a good answer. But it doesn’t answer everything, as he acknowledged with “part” of the reason.
And when I think about what thus far has been left unsaid, I find myself wondering if this is the offseason to trade Brown.
I’m not arguing they should trade him. I thought about going that far, stepping out on that ledge, but I can’t. Not yet.
Jaylen Brown had a tough time coming to grips as the seconds ticked off the clock in the fourth quarter of last Saturday’s Game 7 loss to the 76ers.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
Let’s put it this way: The possibility of trading Brown must be thoroughly investigated. And the way the season ended, I’m more intrigued by a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade than I was two weeks ago.
If this is something Celtics fans don’t want to consider, of course, I get it.
There is so much to like about Brown, on the court and off. His appreciation for being a Celtic is 100 percent genuine, as evidenced beautifully in HBO’s “Celtics City” docuseries that came out last year. He cherishes being part of the same storied franchise as Bill Russell. He gives his time and his money to the worthiest of causes in this city.
He’s pretty decent at the basketball part, too. He deserves to be first-team All-NBA this season — even though some metrics make a counterargument. He works maniacally, as does Tatum, to improve from year to year. He is, by all measures, a great Celtic.
He’ll also be 30 in the coming season, and despite his superb work ethic, there’s a logical possibility that this season stands as his peak. He’s not a natural shooter and is not efficient, and once his otherworldly athleticism (even by NBA player standards) begins trickling away, scoring will become more difficult. We got a glimpse of what that looked like in the second-round loss to the Knicks last year, when he had an ailing knee and no lift. It was not encouraging, but it was alarmingly illuminating.
And again, what has remained unsaid? What do you think Tatum tells his confidants about Brown saying this is his favorite year?
What was the major difference between Celtics teams of recent vintage and this one? Tatum’s absence for all but 16 games of the regular season (and six in the postseason), obviously.
The dynamic between Celtics superstars Jayson Tatum (right) and Jaylen Brown has always been intriguing.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
If I’m Tatum, I’m wondering what Brown was implying beyond what was said. Did he think the Celtics would have won the 76ers series had he not come back? Was Brown frustrated with Tatum’s return to his ball-dominating ways after a reentry period in which he briefly played the Scottie Pippen-like role of facilitator?
The dynamic with the Celtics’ two superstars has always been compelling. They’ve won dozens upon dozens of playoff games, and their partnership has always worked well in the composite, even if they play opposite of each other more than with each other.
They’ve also been complicit in multiple postseason departures, and it must be noted that their championship season included at least two “role players” that are going to the Hall of Fame.
I don’t know if that dynamic is changing. But we know this: The season in which Jayson Tatum was largely a bystander was Jaylen Brown’s favorite.
Something tells me it’s not the last thing we’re going to discover this offseason.
Celtics fall to the Sixers: Who is to blame?
Our reporters Ben Volin, Chad Finn, and Gary Washburn breakdown the ending of the Celtics season and who needs to go in order to be successful next year.
Chad Finn can be reached at [email protected].
