"It was Tough": Celtics Owner Finally Breaks Silence on Trading Jaylen Brown

Bill Chisholm, a Celtics superfan, paid a record price to buy the franchise and has now admitted that the hardest part of his ownership so far has been watching a cornerstone walk out the door. He opened up about the decision that still stings for Boston fans: describing the trade of Jaylen Brown.

Speaking on the 24th annual WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon, Chisholm made it clear that he did not approve the deal easily.

“I truly believe we have the best front office in the NBA, and I think it’s a source of advantage for us every day. So I definitely have a level of trust in Brad and his team,” he said (h/t) Justin Turpin. “But man, as a fan, that was tough. I really needed to be convinced to take the fan passion out of it, because I’m a super fan, was tough.”

“You have to be a sociopath if you don’t worry a little bit about what other fans are going to think… We’ve got the best brains in basketball, and this was something they had conviction around.” Chisholm added.

He also emphasized the personal affection he holds for Jaylen Brown.

“On a personal level, I really like Jaylen as a person, the role he played in the community and, obviously, the role he played on the court will be sorely missed.”

The comments marked the clearest public statement yet about how the new ownership group handled one of the most controversial deals in recent Celtics history.

Why the Front Office’s Conviction to Trade Brown Outweighed the Fan in Bill Chisholm

Chisholm’s remarks added more information to the narrative that has followed the trade since early July. The decision was driven by Brad Stevens and his staff rather than an ownership mandate to cut costs.

As Celtics reporter Noa Dalzell put it, “It’s very clear that the Jaylen Brown trade was never about ownership wanting to cut costs.”

The Boston Celtics agreed to trade Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in a blockbuster deal. In return, Boston received veteran forward Paul George along with two first-round picks (including a 2028 selection that could convert into a more favorable swap and an unprotected 2031 first-rounder) plus two second-round selections.

The move ended Brown’s decade-long stay in Boston. He helped deliver a championship, made five All-Star teams, and posted career-high averages of 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists last season.

The Celtics reportedly explored using Brown as a centerpiece in a failed pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo earlier in the offseason. Once that deal fell through, the front office shifted their focus and completed the deal with Philadelphia.

They cited the need for greater “optionality” under the current collective bargaining agreement. There was also the desire to avoid locking too much salary into two max contracts alongside Jayson Tatum.

He will now team up with LeBron James and Joel Embiid to form one of the most-stacked rosters in league history.

The news broke suddenly and drew immediate, widespread criticism from fans. They viewed trading Brown to a direct rival as one of the most painful and controversial moves in recent franchise history.