Jaylen Brown officially introduced by the 76ers! Looks forward to learning everything from LeBron, and has no communication with Tatum but only respect.

On August 7th, the Philadelphia 76ers hosted a press conference for the signing of All-Star forward Jaylen Brown. Upon hearing that the Celtics had traded him to the rival 76ers, Brown stated that he was "not overly shocked." Over the course of a decade with Boston, he was often caught up in trade speculation. Still, he was dissatisfied with how the Celtics handled the entire trade and their communication.

"The moment I found out I was traded, I tossed my phone across the room," Brown said at the press conference. Shortly after, 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey reached out to him: "I know there's a lot going on, but we're thrilled to have you."

"I think everyone understands what a rare opportunity we have, but we also have to stay grounded and put in the work. So my focus is right here—working hard, earning the respect of this city, the coaching staff, and everyone."

Throughout the 25-minute press conference, Brown repeatedly steered the conversation toward the future and the opportunities ahead for the 76ers. This offseason, the 76ers also signed NBA all-time leading scorer LeBron James in free agency. He hopes to let go of all past grievances and conflicts with the Celtics.

Regarding the Celtics putting him on the trade block in an attempt to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo, ultimately trading him to the division rival that eliminated them in the first round of last season's playoffs, Brown said: "I choose to focus on what I care about. Obviously this offseason, things escalated far beyond what they had before. People started attacking my character, and some even spread rumors that I had some kind of disease."

"To be honest, this change is earth-shattering, but not completely unexpected. Although a lot of the talk came from outside, there were also many communications within the team and management. ... And being traded to the 76ers, a team that has been our archrival for the past decade, is also something that needs to be processed."

"It's definitely a big shock, but ordinary people face similar situations every day. People have to make changes, move houses, go to new places. I'm not complaining here, but since it's happened, I'll just look forward and work hard."

Brown said that after the trade, he has been chatting and texting with his new teammates every day. He specifically mentioned Maxey, second-year guard VJ Edgecombe, former MVP center Joel Embiid, and LeBron James, all of whom reached out to him and are very active in the team group chat, making him feel welcomed.

He also acknowledged that the road ahead is full of challenges.

"The team is full of talent, and everyone has their own ambitions. But to win, we must learn to sacrifice, trust each other, and communicate," Brown said. "I want to come to this team with an open heart and put my intentions out there. I'm here to do these things, and my goal is to win. We can definitely find a way to mesh and coexist with mutual respect."

"Be the first to get to the gym, spend time in the film room. I look forward to learning from LeBron, learning everything he has experienced in his career both on and off the court. One of my biggest hobbies is learning, and I can't wait to absorb as much as possible and apply it to myself."

In February of this year, Brown led the Celtics to a victory over LeBron's Lakers in Los Angeles. At that time, Tatum was out with an Achilles injury, so Brown carried the team during the regular season. James publicly campaigned for Brown, supporting him in the MVP race.

"Nobody gave them a chance at the start of the season, and he was averaging nearly 30 points, almost 30, right?" James said at the time. "Sometimes MVP voting feels more like a popularity contest."

The Celtics ended up with a surprising second-place finish in the East, and Brown finished sixth in MVP voting.

James commented then: "I think he turned all the talk of people doubting the team and predicting they would decline into motivation."

Now James and Brown are teammates, and both will have new goals to pursue in Philadelphia.

Earlier, Brown mentioned on a Twitch stream that during the trade negotiations, the Celtics' communication style made him feel disrespected. When pressed by reporters for more details, Brown responded: "To be honest, I've moved on. Maybe one day in the future, everyone will know the full story and all the complicated factors behind it. Right now there are a lot of rumors flying around, but I don't think it's necessary to say much. My focus is on the present."

Regarding his former teammate Jayson Tatum, Brown said that the two have had "no communication" since the trade, but "from my side, I have nothing but respect for him."

"We won a championship together," Brown said. "Teammates who win a title together should forge a brotherhood and a lifelong bond. Of course, any relationship has its ups and downs. But for me, there's only respect. Except when he's playing against the 76ers, I wish him all the best. Other than that, I've always held him in high regard."