PHILADELPHIA — Jaylen Brown is treating his blockbuster offseason trade from the Boston Celtics to the Philadelphia 76ers as a fresh start, telling reporters at Philadelphia's media day on Monday he is approaching the transition with an empty slate. The 29-year-old said he is still adjusting to a new team and city one day at a time after the strongest statistical regular season of his career in 2025-26, when he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 71 games to earn All-Star and All-NBA Second Team honors.
“It’s phases for sure. It’s a mental side, it’s an emotional side, it’s a physical side. It’s a bunch of phases to just getting comfortable, getting set up, and it’s an adjustment. It’s new,” Brown said. “So, I’m still every day is a day four. So, I’m just putting my best foot forward.” Expected to have a significant role alongside LeBron James, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, Brown said defense must define the new group. “I think anchoring defense is important for all of us. I think that should be where we should hang our hats as a team,” he said. “I think, you know, offensively, we got a lot of firepower, but we got to all hold each other accountable on defense.”
Brown agreed with James, who said earlier during media day that sacrifice can be beneficial when a team is pursuing major goals. “100%. That’s what’s needed,” Brown said. “Anytime you going for, you know, something great, something of high, you know, high metric, it’s going to take a level of sacrifice.” He said he is not leaning heavily on his Boston experience. “I’m approaching this with an empty slate,” Brown said. “Just coming in every single day and just trying to maximize every opportunity. I’m not taking anything for granted.” He noted his previous experience could help in some areas, but the new team will require different approaches and time to learn Philadelphia’s defensive systems and calls.
Brown also addressed the human side of being traded, saying that while the NBA is a business he values the connections players build with teammates, fans and communities. “I think what I value about this game is the human connection,” he said. “To be able to bring people together, to be able to uplift your community, inspire people.” He called some reports about him during the summer “concerning” and “a little bizarre,” arguing anonymous sourcing requires balance to maintain integrity. Looking ahead, Brown said his favorite part of last season was leading and bringing teammates together, adding, “This group looks different. So just got to be ready for any and everything.”