At the risk of recency bias, in my five years covering Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics, this felt like the most animated I've seen their star forward at the podium. It was completely understandable.
"I don't have any animosity or beef or ill will towards him. And I think the frustrating part is, since he's not with the Celtics anymore, the narrative or the conversations haven't been enough about what we accomplished," he said after leading Boston to a 107-103 win over the New York Knicks in the team's home opener at TD Garden.
A video he recently posted about his summer is what prompted this. In it, the six-time All-Star shared how he found out Jaylen Brown got traded. When Celtics player development coach God Shammgod Jr. told him the news, like when everyone else learned that Brown was headed to the Philadelphia 76ers, the destination shocked Tatum.
When his former teammate commented with a cap emoji, he was telling the world he didn't find that story truthful. However, Tatum never pretended that the trade stunned him. Maybe he got a call from Brad Stevens or whatever his skeptics think. But it's believable that this was the way he found out.
The narrative has always been cruel to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown
When they teamed, it felt like there was a concerted effort to create friction between them. Comments like Brown telling Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes of All The Smoke that his brother would babysit Deuce, Tatum's son, and that their families are close fell on deaf ears.
There were constant calls to break them up. That the two couldn't win together. When they did, the silence spoke volumes. You were hard-pressed to find someone willing to own their take. Instead, the discourse quickly shifted to Brown not making the Olympic team and Tatum's lack of playing time on it.
Then, the focus shifted to the latter not receiving Eastern Conference or NBA Finals MVP during their title run. That has become one of the loudest talking points when discussing any friction between them and why they're no longer in the same locker room. Friday, Tatum said that's not the case.
"There's a conversation to be had. We can definitely have that conversation. I welcome that. I've always wanted the best for him and wished the best for him," voiced the 28-year-old from St. Louis.
What would benefit Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown the most
These two would be happier if they cleared the air. A conversation could put out fires. If Brown's remark about last season, a year Tatum mostly spent rehabbing a torn Achilles, being his favorite bothered the latter, they can and should address it. If the former was always frustrated living in trade rumors, wondering why the other half of this decorated partnership never brought those to a screeching halt, they can hash that out. These are discussions that both sides must be ready to have.
"It's turned into this drama type of thing. That's not really -- I've got two kids, you know what I'm saying? I reached out to him the day he got traded. I called him. I texted him. And I understand; people process things differently," expressed Tatum.
At his introductory press conference with the Sixers, Brown responded "not really" when asked if he's spoken with his former running mate since the trade.
That now comes off as coy. It appears that the five-time All-Star didn't want to hear from Tatum. It's understandable if Brown wasn't and perhaps still isn't ready for that. Hopefully, if that's the case, it changes. This author believes it will happen in time. These two mean too much to each other's journey and have accomplished too much together not to squash this at some point.
They authored one of the most successful eras in Celtics history. Tatum and Brown registered a 332-167 regular-season record. That's a 66.5 winning percentage. They led Boston to a 73-48 playoff record. That's a 60.3 percent win rate. They prevailed in 16 playoff series. None more meaningful than when they raised Banner 18 to the rafters in TD Garden.
As Tatum said Friday night, "Whenever that happens, it'll happen."
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