"Lamest Sh*t of an Excuse": Paul Pierce Fires Back at Colin Cowherd's 'Disease' Comment on Jaylen Brown

The full extent of why the Boston Celtics traded Jaylen Brown to the 76ers after his best individual season has yet to be revealed. Some believe it was because of a fractured relationship with the organization following its first-round playoff exit. Others feel he had been a problem in the locker room for years. Journalist Colin Cowherd shared information from people who fall into the latter category.

According to Cowherd, anonymous sources told him Brown tended to act like the smartest person in the room. He then said that Brown’s behavior could be like a "disease", reasoning that a former Celtics champion took issue with.

Paul Pierce, who won a title with Boston in 2008, said, "This has got to be the lamest s*** of an excuse for somebody to get traded," Pierce said. "When Luka [Doncic] got traded, I understood it," on the No Fouls Given podcast.

"You know, when big names get traded, there's always something that comes out," Pierce continued. "You're the smartest guy in the room, he believes that. And his analytics didn't add up?"

Pierce said that despite those criticisms, the Celtics still won over 50 games and finished second in the Eastern Conference, thanks in large part to Brown, who averaged 28 points per game while carrying the team in the absence of Jayson Tatum, who missed almost the entirety of the regular season while recovering from an Achilles injury.

"These are the reasons he supposedly left a sour taste in the organization's mouth to get traded? I can't believe this," Pierce added.

Pierce later also offered his support for Brown, wishing him the best despite him now playing for a Celtics rival. And considering the details of the trade, Brown might get the last laugh.

Why the Jaylen Brown trade was won by the 76ers

In return for Jaylen Brown, the Boston Celtics get Paul George, first-round picks in 2028 and 2031, and second-round picks in 2028 and 2030.

Now, Paul George, during his peak, had all the makings of a go-to guy. On offense, he regularly averaged over 20 points per game over several seasons. Defensively, he was one of the league's most lethal ball-hawks, and in 2018-19, even led the league in steals with 2.2 per game.

However, that version of Paul George has been rarely seen in practice over the last two seasons. In 2024-25, he played only 41 games, and in 2025-26, he played even fewer, suiting up for only 37 contests.

In 2024-25, he averaged only 16.2 points per game, which is his lowest output since 2014-15, the year in which he came back from a gruesome leg injury and was limited to only six games.

Last season was marginally better. While he played fewer games, he averaged 17.3 points per game. Still, he wasn’t available often enough for it to matter.

Jaylen Brown, on the other hand, played 71 games last season, averaging a career-best 28.7 points per game. He also brings championship experience, having won a title with the Celtics just two years ago, when he was also named Finals MVP. He may only be entering his prime after the season he just had, yet he was traded for someone whose career has been trending in the opposite direction due to injuries.

Taking all of that into consideration, it’s easy to see why many believe the Boston Celtics got fleeced.