I posted a version of this in the Celtics News thread a few days ago, and Muzzy66 explained it pretty well as well. I don't think there is any beef from JT's point of view, but I can understand why JB would feel resentment. Not necessarily at anything JT did, but resentment at the situation, and resentment at JT because JT was "picked" over him.
From JT's point of view, since his second season in the NBA he's always been "the guy" over JB. The only time this wasn't the case was last season, when he was hurt and when he came back he was feeling his way back in, deferring to JB, and JB was "the guy". He started to come into his own in the playoffs, and his expectation was probably that this season he would be "the guy" again.
As for JB, I can understand why he would always have "little brother syndrome":
- he was drafted a year earlier, and probably felt he was the "senior player";
- by year 2 Tatum had surpassed him and grabbed the limelight during that disastrous 2019-20 season when nobody was in charge of the team and he became by default "the guy" for the Cs
- Mainly because Tatum's numbers were better, and he ended up becoming the focal point of the team for both Brad, Ime and Joe, Brown swallowed his pride and played his Robin role even after he won Finals MVP in 2024. The team rewarded him with a supermax where he was briefly the NBA's highest paid player, despite furious debate (here and elsewhere) as to whether he was worth it
- Tatum got hurt and missed virtually the whole season last season, where Brown stepped up, finished 6th in MVP voting, had career highs in PPG, and said it was his most enjoyable season (unspoken was because he became "the guy".
Despite his performance last season, the team traded him, implying the reason was because they weren't willing to pay him a supermax extension. Brad said he wanted "optionality" and you couldn't have optionality if you had 2 players taking up 70% of the cap, like they had in the past. Unspoken in that was "we're prepared to give Jayson a supermax extension despite his injury, but we're not prepared to do the same for Jaylen, despite his career, most enjoyable season".
So in Jaylen's mind he felt dissed and passed over for a guy he felt he's just as good as, if not better then. He's really butthurt and finding it very difficult to accept. And Jaylen is the type of guy who broods over these injustices. And when he feels insecure, Jaylen goes to social media or his podcast and posts passive aggressive comments.
I don't think he's necessarily mad at JT for anything JT did to him, since it was Brad that traded him, but JT has become the focus of his resentment, because he probably really loves Boston, he feels he should be the one there and JT the one traded. Kind of like if you were working for a company, they hire a guy a year after you, you rise thru the ranks together but the other guy gets promoted before you, gets the plum projects, then the guy gets sick for a year, they promote you to his place, you feel like you did an awesome job, the staff love you, then the guy comes back and the company says "sorry we don't have enough money to pay you both so we're going to move you on and stick with him".
So he probably felt major dissed. He's mad at the situation, being made to feel second-best, and JT is the manifestation of his unhappiness. Like JT is Prince William, the heir to the throne, he gets all the titles, the spotlight, and JB is Prince Harry, the spare.
Now did Tatum know JB was being traded? If we had an inkling, he probably had an inkling. Players talk, they gossip, their agents talk, they probably have some idea of who is on the move. Especially once there was word that JB was part of a failed deal to bring Giannis in, he probably had an idea that he was on the market. I'm sure JB himself knew he was on the market.
But did JT sign off on it, or know before it happened? I would be amazed if he did. Contrary to what most people think, I think most (good) GMs don't involve players in roster decisions because of the awkwardness, they don't want to put players in that position. They don't want to cede authority to a player when it comes to something like that, because then you end up with a "Lebum as GM" type situation. I don't think Brad and Co even knew for sure themselves the trade would happen until it did and they certainly wouldn't have told Tatum "maybe we might trade Jaylen but we're not sure yet." That's not how it happens in professional organizations, sporting or otherwise.
Especially if it's an "optionality" trade to free up space, and not because the player was bad. Does your boss keep you informed on moves to fire your co-workers? How will that make your co-workers feel if they think you have a role in them getting fired or traded? That's why a lot of teams that LeBum has played for end up with toxic environments, because the front office starts to involve players in contract decision making. And since it's an either/or decision, because it's to do with cap space management, why would Brad ask JT for his opinion, when the choice is between him or JB for who the org will extend with a supermax extension? If he did, JT has no cap management responsibility, of course he would say "keep JB". So why ask him knowing the answer?
Obviously the media has a huge interest in it, because they can weave this narrative throughout the entire NBA season. It's like a jilted lover story, a lover scorned and seeking revenge. And if JB needs it to fuel himself then he'll just keep posting his little passive aggressive comments. Obviously the Sixers fans will love it. And I think Jaylen is enjoying the attention, and enjoying trolling JT and trying to get under his skin with all the passive aggressive stuff
