Jaylen Brown hasn’t expressed disappointment with the Celtics, Brad Stevens says

Brad Stevens has denied rumors of a growing rift between them Jaylen Brown And Boston Celticsreveals that the veteran star did not express any frustration with his role in the organization during a recent conversation.

Stevens answered questions about Brown on Wednesday, four days after the Celtics’ season ended in stunning fashion with a first-round playoff loss. Philadelphia 76ers.

Speculation about Brown’s future in Boston began Wednesday morning thanks to recent comments from Basketball Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady, who said the five-time All-Star’s “frustration runs deep within the (Celtics) organization.”

Stevens said he spoke with Brown on Monday and described the conversation as “nothing but positive.”

“He didn’t express that frustration to me,” said Stevens, the Celtics’ president of basketball operations.

Brown made headlines earlier this week with his comments during an appearance on his Twitch stream, when he criticized the officiating and called out the Sixers star. Joel Embiid to flop throughout the seven-game series between Boston and Philadelphia.

The comments came a day after Brown and the Celtics lost Game 7 at home, becoming the 14th team in NBA history to blow a 3-1 post series lead. But Stevens voiced his support for Brown on Wednesday, adding that he was open to ongoing conversations with the 2024 NBA Finals MVP.

“We’ve been here 10 years together, and I think — obviously I love JB,” Stevens said. “Everybody around here loves JB, and I think — just like our other guys, as we get to the end of the season — I’ll be here, and my door is always open.”

McGrady, a longtime mentor to Brown, speculated on his “Cousins” podcast that Brown has issues stemming from his position in the organization, especially after his performance this season while a co-star. Jason Tatum Recovering from Achilles surgery.

“I think his frustration is deeply rooted in the organization and other things that we don’t really have the details on,” McGrady said on the podcast. “It’s a lot of things that I’ve heard are going on with the Boston organization with JB

“I think part of it is like, ‘I’ve shown you more as a basketball player. Not just, you know, what I’ve done on the basketball court, but the leadership I’ve shown within this team, and you see (Tatum) is not our best player.’ So, all these things, I think just played into him and his frustration.”

Brown, 29, took on an enhanced role in Tatum’s absence and delivered the most productive season of his career, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists — all career highs — while leading the Celtics to a 56-26 record and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

But the Celtics’ season ended abruptly with Saturday’s 109-100 Game 7 loss to the rival Sixers. Philadelphia defeated Boston in the playoffs for the first time since 1982, snapping a six-game losing streak. The Celtics were 32-0 all-time while leading the series 3-1.

“If anybody ever wants to come in and talk about it, and their team, their place, whatever, I’d love to hear,” Stevens said. “And it will be 1 through 16 (on the roster), not just Jaylen, not just Jason, not just the guys that are here.

“I think it’s really important that it’s available. So I definitely am, and none of that (Brown’s frustration) has been expressed to me.”