Sixers Sit Jaylen Brown for Celtics Preseason Return

Jaylen Brown's first preseason opportunity to face his former teammates ended before tipoff Saturday, October 10, 2026, when the Philadelphia 76ers ruled him out against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Philadelphia also sidelined Joel Embiid and LeBron James, leaving the anticipated reunion without three of its prominent players.

The Sixers entered the matchup with a 1-1 preseason record after losing 114-108 to the Brooklyn Nets. According to NBC Philadelphia, Brown, Embiid and James would not participate in the Boston game, which marked the Celtics' first home preseason appearance.

Brown's absence followed a summer trade that sent the longtime Boston forward to Philadelphia in exchange for veteran forward Paul George, two future first-round draft picks and two second-round picks. The transaction ended Brown's decade-long association with the Celtics, the franchise that selected him third overall in the 2016 NBA Draft.

During his time in Boston, Brown became a five-time All-Star, earned two All-NBA selections and won the 2024 NBA Finals MVP award. His departure also marked a significant change for a Celtics team preparing to build around Jayson Tatum and integrate new players.

Brown addressed the emotional side of the separation during a Twitch livestream Friday. He compared encountering his former team to unexpectedly seeing a former romantic partner, acknowledging their shared history while recognizing that their paths had diverged.

“It’s like running into your ex out in public. Like, damn, we used to go together,” Brown said. “You just look at them and just be like, damn. And then you just gotta go about your business.”

Despite the comparison, Brown expressed enthusiasm about beginning the next chapter of his career with Philadelphia.

“It is what it is, man. But no, I’m super excited,” Brown said.

Boston's players and coaching staff had previously spoken about Brown's contributions both on and off the court. Celtics forward Sam Hauser emphasized the former teammate's importance to the franchise and the wider Boston community.

“I think he should be remembered as one of the greatest Celtics there’s ever been,” Hauser said. “He accomplished a lot here, had a lot of success, a lot of winning, got to the mountaintop. Then I think his impact off the court is honestly bigger than what he did on the court. I think overall nobody should view him in any other light than a very impactful one, for the city of Boston and the Celtics.”

Head coach Joe Mazzulla also highlighted Brown's leadership and community involvement, pointing to his willingness to accept the responsibilities associated with being a prominent athlete.

“I think in his 10 years, it’s what he did as a player, but to me, you saw this over the summer, was the impact he had on the community and the impact he had on people,” Mazzulla said. “He took on the pressure, the expectation, and the responsibility of what it means to be a role model, to take on things like injustices. He just grew into that. So, his playing career speaks for itself, Finals MVP and everything he did for us there. But I think just taking on the dual role of being just as impactful off the floor as he was on the floor was the biggest thing.”

Center Luka Garza similarly praised Brown's professionalism and influence during their time together in Boston.

“He always carried himself in the right way, came to play every single night,” Garza said. “He was an awesome teammate, a fun guy to go out there to go to battle with, and so I really, really enjoyed my experience playing with him. I feel like I learned so much from him, and yeah, I think will be remembered in high honor, as he should be.”

Hauser also anticipated a different atmosphere when Brown eventually returns to Boston for a regular-season game. Philadelphia's next scheduled regular-season visit to the Celtics was January 21.

“I think it’ll be different, for sure,” Hauser said. “I have a feeling he’s got that one circled in bright marker. But it’ll be good. It’ll be fun. It’ll be interesting to be on the other side going against him for once.”

Philadelphia had split its opening two preseason games, winning its first contest before falling to Brooklyn. The Sixers were scheduled to finish their exhibition slate at home against Boston the following Friday, while the Celtics had additional preseason games against Charlotte and Philadelphia.