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With trade rumors swirling around him and the Celtics, Jaylen Brown has reignited his beef with Stephen A. Smith

The Boston Celtics have found themselves in a strange spot as the offseason gets underway. After missing out on a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, the C’s now have to deal with the backlash that has come after they publicly included Jaylen Brown in their offer for Antetokounmpo. Trade rumors have continued to swirl around Brown, and he very well could be on the move in a separate deal over the next few months.

It’s clear that, at this stage of the game, the Celtics best path forward involves trying to mend fences with Brown. Whether or not that’s possible, though, will largely depend on his view of the situation. In his first public comments since the Antetokounmpo trade went down, Brown instead opted to shift the focus back to his ongoing beef with Stephen A. Smith by calling him out again.

Jaylen Brown Reignites Stephen A. Smith Beef

Brown is fresh off the best season of his career for the Celtics, as he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. With Jayson Tatum missing the majority of the year recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, Brown ensured that Boston didn’t miss a step, as he led the team to a second-place finish in the Eastern Conference.

And yet, Brown’s name has popped up in trade rumors more than ever this offseason. Questions about his fit alongside Tatum have popped up now that he has proven himself to be capable of being a No. 1 option for a playoff-caliber team, and he’s turned heads with some of his comments since the team’s playoff elimination.

Smith took issue with Brown saying that the 2025-26 campaign was the favorite season of his career, even though he won Finals MVP in 2024 as part of the Celtics’ championship-winning team. This has sparked a back-and-forth between the two, with Brown once again piling on Smith, labeling both him and ESPN as “unethical.”

“ESPN is unethical, and Stephen A. Smith is the head face of that,” Brown said when speaking at an event in France. “The organization, the players, they were all in agreeance. They all knew what I meant by that. Our team was basically salary dumped. We lost a lot of players.”

Celtics Have Big Questions to Answer About Jaylen Brown’s Future

GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 07: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics reacts during the second quarter against the New York Knicks in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on May 07, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

This isn’t the first time Brown’s name has popped up in trade rumors, but this is the first time it’s felt like there’s a real shot he will get traded. It seemed like both he and the team were ready to part ways with the Antetokounmpo trade, but instead, the front office came up short in the bidding for the former Milwaukee Bucks superstar.

Boston has reportedly continued listening to offers for Brown, and while that doesn’t mean he will get traded, it’s clear that he still could land with a new team this offseason. Continuing to engage in this beef with Smith likely isn’t doing him any favors, and with free agency drawing near, Brown’s status is one of the biggest storylines in the NBA.