Jaylen Brown: Celtics Culture Changed With Isaiah Thomas Trade

Jaylen Brown was thrown for a loop this summer when Boston dealt Isaiah Thomas to Cleveland in exchange for Kyrie Irving.

Brown, 20, says it’s not clear yet if the Celtics’ team culture has changed for better or worse.

The second-year stud says he’ll miss playing with iT.

Per Complex:

“It changes the whole dynamic, the whole culture. We’ll see if it’s for good or bad, time will tell. But it’s still a little weird to me, to be honest, because when I came in everything they stressed was culture, environment, Celtic basketball. Now, it’s like what is the environment, the culture, what is Celtic basketball? I think it’s a great opportunity for me, great opportunity for the Celtics, great opportunity for Kyrie. Obviously, I loved Isaiah. He was like a big brother to me. I watched him, admired him, the chip he carried on his shoulder I love him. I still do. I’ve kept in contact with him. Congratulated him when he got traded to the Cavs. It’s tough because it’s the business we live in. Do I agree with it? Not necessarily. I think Isaiah definitely tried to plant his flag in Boston. He will definitely be missed—he and Jae [Crowder] both. And Avery [Bradley], too. Those three guys are truly going to be missed. I love them and I thanked all of them for helping me out and said I’d see them down the line.”

 

What are you going to miss most about IT?

 

“I loved how he carried himself. You don’t normally tell guys what you’re going to miss about them, it’s kind of a weird conversation, but IT says he’s 5’8”, 5’9”, but he’s more like 5’7”, 5’8”, but it don’t matter. He’s a dog. He’s got that chip on his shoulder. He’s thinking there’s not one person is going to stop me from getting where I need to. The mindset, the focus, and the route. He had one of the hardest routes ever. People writing him off left and right and being an MVP candidate this past year, that was special.”