It was not just fans of the Boston Celtics who were taken by surprise by Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens trading star forward Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers. Speakingahead of his Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame induction (h/t Boston Celtics on MassLive), former Boston head coach Doc Rivers weighed in on the move, sharing his initial incredulity over the move.
"I was surprised like everybody else," said Rivers. "I'm being honest. And I was surprised they didn't win (vs.) Philly (in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs). And I'm joking, but the first thing when I heard that trade, I thought of (Celtics legend and broadcaster) Tommy Heinsohn."
"When I was coaching the Celtics, I remember losing, I don't know, we
lost one game to the Sixers," said the former Boston coach.
"I don't know, it was the first time we played them," Rivers continued. "And I always sat by Tommy on the plane, and he looked at me and he said, 'Don't ever lose to the Sixers'."
"And I'm thinking, 'This trade would have drove him crazy'. Having said that, there's a lot of reasons why a trade happens. And I think in Boston's view, they have a plan, and we'll see it play out."
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Doc Rivers shares reaction to Boston Celtics Jaylen Brown trade to Philadelphia 76ers
