Tracy McGrady Makes Surprising Claim About Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown

The Philadelphia 76ers added Jaylen Brown in a blockbuster trade with the Eastern Conference-rival Boston Celtics, pairing the five-time NBA All-Star alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.

During the most recent episode of the “Cousins” podcast with Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter, McGrady claimed that Brown and Embiid have still yet to talk since the blockbuster trade was made public on July 1.

“I don’t think there’s been a conversation between the two, at least to my knowledge. I haven’t heard anything on it,” McGrady said. “That’s not a good sign. … I don’t like that.

“There hasn’t been any communication as far as my knowledge [goes].”

Embiid and the 76ers took down Brown and the Celtics in the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs, overcoming a 3-1 deficit and winning three consecutive games to close out the series. After Boston’s Game 7 loss, Brown criticized Embiid’s style of play during a livestream.

“Flopping has ruined our game. Joel Embiid is a great player, one of the best bigs in basketball history,” Brown said on Twitch. “He flops.”

Brown called both Maxey and Edgecombe during a Twitch stream after the 76ers-Celtics trade. He did not reach out to Embiid publicly, but the two star players could have had a conversation off camera.

Brown is fresh off the best season of his 10-year NBA career, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.

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This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 11:01 AM.