Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens denied reports Wednesday suggesting Jaylen Brown is unhappy with the organization following the team’s playoff elimination against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Stevens addressed the speculation after Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady claimed on his “Cousins” podcast that Brown could be dealing with frustrations involving the franchise.
“He has not expressed those frustrations to me,” Stevens said, adding that he spoke directly with Brown on Monday.
McGrady, who has been a longtime mentor to Brown, suggested the Celtics star may feel underappreciated after taking on a larger role this season while Jayson Tatum recovered from Achilles surgery.
“I think his frustration lies deeply within the organization and other things that we don’t really have the details to,” McGrady said.
“I think part of him is like, ‘I showed you guys more of who I am as a basketball player. Not only just what I did on the basketball court, but the leadership that I displayed within this team.’”
Despite outside speculation, Stevens emphasized that his relationship with Brown remains strong after spending the past decade together within the organization.
“We’ve been here 10 years together, and I do think – obviously I love JB,” Stevens said. “Everybody around here loves JB. I’ll be here, and my door is always open.”
Brad Stevens Pushes Back On Reports Of Jaylen Brown Rift With Celtics https://t.co/KjKsem2JuD
— RealGM (@RealGM) May 6, 2026
