Philadelphia 76ers swingman Jaylen Brown spent a full decade playing for the Boston Celtics. Brown helped author the most recent championship in team history, earning Finals MVP in the process. In the offseason, Boston shipped him to their division rival in exchange for draft capital and veteran Paul George. Since then, speculation has surrounded why the Celtics took a perceived lesser deal.

Despite the 76ers enjoying a 3-1 start to the season, the subject of Brown’s departure remains a hot topic of conversation. Now, an exchange between a former Celtics player and people close to Brown could provide context into a situation that still appears nebulous.

76ers G Jaylen Brown’s Inner Circle Calls Out Celtics Analyst Brian Scalabrine

After a tumultuous ending to his career in Boston, Jaylen Brown finds himself in a familiar spot: averaging at least 20 points per game for an Eastern Conference contender. Yet, not all of the headlines are based on his on-court exploits. Brian Scalabrine, a member of the 2008 Celtics championship team, now an analyst, declared that Brown forced a trade out of Boston. Brown’s representation responded.

The report said: “A representative from Jaylen Brown’s team told ESPN that reports that he demanded a trade or presented the Celtics with a list of demands are ‘10000% a lie.’ Brown never requested a trade to Milwaukee, the representative said. After the deal fell through and Boston informed him he’d be traded, his only request was to have input on his destination.”

For context, Scalabrine said on his SiriusXM NBA Radio show that Brown had demanded a trade. Subsequently, he appeared to backtrack, stating that he was summarizing what he heard and that it may not have included anything regarding a trade. The entire incident dovetails nicely into the messiness of Brown’s exit from the Celtics.

For months, speculation has circulated about tension between Brown and forward Jayson Tatum that seemed to deteriorate over time. Moreover, Brown commented that last season was his most enjoyable, a year in which Tatum missed significant time and became the main focus of the offense. Apparently, that did not sit well with many. Boston traded Brown away for what many believe signaled the organization’s choice to build the franchise around Tatum.

As for Scalabrine, he doesn’t seem to have suffered any loss or issue. Scalabrine remains an NBC Sports Boston Celtics analyst and also co-hosts a national show on SiriusXM NBA Radio. As a former player, Scalabrine has ties to the Celtics staff, as he hosts Boston’s NBA broadcasts.

Many have accused him of toeing the company line and trying to paint the front office in the best way possible.

Meanwhile, Brown leaves town, plays alongside LeBron James, and will see the Celtics multiple times during the season. On Tuesday, November 10, the 76ers will welcome the Celtics to Philadelphia as Brown reacquaints himself with his former team.