​It might appear that the NBA is a cold arena where long-standing connections can be discarded the moment it serves a purpose to do so. Yet when the Boston Celtics traded star forward Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla made it clear that he would not only miss Brown’s tenure with the team, but also credit it with shaping him into a better version of himself in a recent interview with New York Times senior reporter Jay King. “There needs to be a grieving process for losing not just a player in Jaylen, but a person in Jaylen,” Mazzulla said. “There needs to be a grieving process because of everything he has done on the court, in the community, and for the city of Boston. There should be a grieving process.”
“But the gray area is that with that loss you’re also gaining,” Mazzulla added, referring to the trade’s return and the flexibility it was designed to create. “We’re getting three guys back. One of them is a champion. So, we can leverage the experience that he had in the current moment and ask, ‘Hey, what worked for you guys? How can we learn from the small things that you did?’”
In Boston, Massachusetts, on November 16, 2025, Jaylen Brown—wearing #7—spoke with head coach Joe Mazzulla during the Celtics’ 121-118 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at TD Garden. The image accompanying these remarks includes a Getty Images disclaimer noting that by downloading or using the photograph, the user agrees to the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Even with the elements Brown brought back to the team, Mazzulla maintained that his time coaching Brown had made him a better coach overall. “I know that for a fact,” he stated. “Something like that is going to be difficult. But I think if you can push through it and act as if nothing happened, that’s when you’re not in it for the right reasons.”
“The biggest thing was just his competitiveness,” Mazzulla continued. “He wasn’t afraid to push you. That was for teammates, that was for me, that was for everyone. He wasn’t afraid to hold you to a higher standard. And when you have the opportunity to coach players like that, it just makes you better.”
For those following the Celtics, the narrative now centers on how the franchise adapts after Brown’s departure, how the returned players’ experiences influence the team’s approach, and how Mazzulla translates those lessons into strategy, culture, and the ongoing push toward championship contention. The exchange between loss and gain, grief and growth, remains a defining thread as the Celtics navigate a season shaped by tough decisions and the potential for renewed resilience.