After a report emerged that the Celtics were having “conversations” with the 76ers about potentially trading for Ben Simmons — and that the deal would “have to” include Jaylen Brown — president of basketball operations Brad Stevens appeared to dismiss the rumor Thursday morning.
“I laugh,” Stevens said during an appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub. “I’ve just been through it so much over the last however many years. It’s not necessarily that — I know everybody has their own thing and has to react to everything — but the way things are written, the way that stories take hold, the way that rumors catch fire, I’ve just been through it too much over the last however many years to pay much attention.
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“Obviously, if there is something that gains enough steam or gains enough media attention, then you want to have conversations with the people in your building just to make sure that they know what’s real.”
So, what did he say to Brown about the report?
“I just walked up to Jaylen and said, ‘Hey, your name’s all over the place, as you know,’ ” Stevens recalled. “ ‘Obviously, from our standpoint, you’re a Celtic and a guy that we obviously we think exceptionally high of, and, you know, nothing doing.’ I just wanted to make sure he had that peace of mind.”
Stevens said that Brown was unaffected by his name appearing in the rumors.
“I don’t think he thought twice about it.”
Brown missed his second straight game Wednesday because of a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out 1-2 weeks.