NBA Insider Offers Insight On Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown Relationship: ‘They’re Not Buddies’

With mounting reports of dysfunction inside the Boston Celtics locker room, people seemingly are searching for reasons to believe that Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown don’t like each other, or something.

NBA insider Jeff Goodman fueled that fire Tuesday afternoon.

“No, they’re not buddies, no,” Goodman said when asked about Tatum and Brown during a WEEI appearance. “They like each other but they don’t hang out off the court. … And, I don’t want to say it’s clear watching them on the court, because they’re are plenty of guys — hey … Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, were they buddies? No, but they were buddies on the court.”

Take a listen:

Whatever.

As Goodman himself said, Tatum and Brown don’t have to be inseparable best friends to have good chemistry on the court. Would it help if they like brothers off the court? Sure, but as long as they don’t actively dislike each other, none of this matters.

Now, their relationship with Brad Stevens — that’s a different conversation.