Rajon Rondo expects Jaylen Brown to enter his first season with the Philadelphia 76ers motivated by the criticism and perceived disrespect he has received since leaving Boston.
Speaking on the Road Trippin’ Show, Rondo said Brown could use that feeling as fuel after a summer that included his blockbuster move from the Celtics to Philadelphia.
“A pissed off Jaylen Brown… the disrespect he’s had throughout the summer,” Rondo said. “When you get players in that type of mode, or they’re coming off a season like that, he got so much to prove. And come on, man. It’s gonna be scary for the league.”
Brown is coming off the most productive regular season of his career. The 29-year-old averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 71 games for Boston, shooting 47.7% from the field, 34.7% from three-point range and 79.5% from the free-throw line.
His 28.7 points per game ranked as a career high and represented a significant increase from the 22.2 points he averaged in 2024-25. Brown also earned All-NBA Second Team honors and finished sixth in MVP voting.
Despite that production, Boston traded Brown to Philadelphia on July 6 for Paul George, two unprotected first-round picks and two second-round selections. The deal ended Brown’s 10-year run with the Celtics, who drafted him third overall in 2016.
Brown now joins a Philadelphia team that finished 45-37 and seventh in the Eastern Conference last season before being swept by the New York Knicks in the second round.
Philadelphia’s new core gives Brown an offensive environment that differs significantly from Boston. Tyrese Maxey averaged 28.3 points and 6.6 assists while shooting 46.2% from the field and 36.7% from three, while Joel Embiid averaged 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds in 38 games.
The 76ers also added LeBron James during the offseason, giving the roster another high-level creator and veteran presence. Anfernee Simons and Dean Wade were added as supporting pieces, with Simons signing a two-year, $12.3 million contract and Wade agreeing to a four-year, $39 million deal.
Brown has already emphasized that Philadelphia’s success will depend on building chemistry rather than simply relying on its talent. He said the process starts with practices and film sessions because the team’s new group cannot expect immediate results.
“I’m looking forward to every part of the journey, every practice, film session but honestly the journey kind of starts now,” Brown said. “It doesn’t happen overnight where you can just roll the ball out there and guys are gonna be successful. It takes a lot of work.”
Rondo’s comments add another layer to Brown’s transition. After averaging at least 22 points in each of the last four seasons and reaching a career-best 28.7 last season, Brown enters Philadelphia with both a new team and expectations shaped by his departure from Boston.
