Two months ago, the Celtics reached the NBA mountain top, silencing the perennially absurd and clickbait-driven questions about whether Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown could win a championship together.

While the nature of how critics and talking heads work isn’t to turn around and admit they were wrong after the star tandem led Boston to Banner 18 in their first season playing together in their primes, one would have anticipated calmer waters for Tatum and Brown this summer.

Instead, the latter was an Olympic snub, and the former sat out multiple matchups against Serbia while in Paris, where he had a limited role.

On Gilbert Arenas’ podcast, Gil’s Arena, the three-time All-NBA selection fed into the notion that the motive behind the contrived narratives that Joe Mazzulla took aim at during the playoffs and what has ensued this summer is that there are people who want to break up a tandem that has reached the Eastern Conference Finals in five of their first seven years together, the NBA Finals twice, and won a championship.

“They (are) breaking this team up, man,” said Arenas. “Have you ever seen a championship team be dissected the way this has? The best player, if you’re it or he’s it, you got the world doing that. Then, one doesn’t make the (Olympic) team. He didn’t get invited.”

The former All-Star also noted the U.S. men’s basketball team picking teammate Derrick White — who repeatedly excelled at the Olympics — over Brown, Tatum’s benchings, and even mentioned Brown sitting courtside at the Celtics-Lakers Summer League game, where cameras captured him saying he doesn’t believe Bronny James is an NBA player.

“Boom, now Bron (is) mad at you,” said Arenas.

However, Jaylen Brown, who told this author that night in Las Vegas that he’s already turned the page to Banner 19, stating, “You get more motivation to follow it,” also said his Olympic snub has him “Super fired up. I’ve got all the motivation in the world,” adding, “I love that, honestly.”

Tatum, who described his experience with Team USA as “challenging and humbling,” could also use it as fuel as a 26-year-old star entering the peak of his powers builds his legacy.

So, regardless of whether the hope of separating them inspired past criticisms of what the duo can accomplish together or if the same motive played a role in what happened between them and Team USA, despite the headaches those outside noises cause, this may bring them closer together. It could also benefit them individually and do the same for the Celtics.

Warning: The following is a link to the Gil’s Arena podcast, which includes the use of profanity.

Further Reading

There’s Jeff Bezos Buzz Surrounding Sale of Celtics

Sam Cassell Compares Joe Mazzulla’s Coaching Style to Doc Rivers’

Top 5 Games on Celtics’ 2024-25 Schedule

Sam Hauser Grateful for Extension with Team That Gave Him His First Chance

Brad Stevens Shares Encouraging Rehab Update on Kristaps Porzingis

Jayson Tatum Opens Up About ‘Challenging and Humbling’ Olympic Experience

Jrue Holiday Makes History in Team USA’s Gold Medal Win

Fenway Sports Group Considering Buying the Celtics

Here’s What to Know about Jaylen Brown’s Boston XChange

Jayson Tatum Gets Candid about Relationship with Jaylen Brown

Celtics Rookie Anton Watson Shares Brad Stevens’ Message to Him

Celtics’ Coaching Staff Changes Match Theme of Boston’s Offseason

Al Horford, Raising Cane’s, and a Region that Loves Him

On Derrick White and the Fuel for Unprecedented Journey to NBA’s Best Role Player