During Wednesday’s first round of the NBA Draft, Austin Ainge, Utah’s newly appointed President of Basketball Operations, was asked about swirling rumors suggesting the Jazz had approached the Boston Celtics with trade offers involving All‑Star Jaylen Brown. When pressed, Ainge who typically refrains from discussing rumors made an unusually clear statement: “No. That hasn’t happened… No conversations that way” .
This direct denial was later shared by Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune, who posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Austin Ainge said there’s no truth to the rumors that the Jazz have held discussions about Jaylen Brown over the last few days.”
ClutchPoints echoed that narrative, describing Ainge’s comments as a rebuttal to reports that the Jazz were aggressively pursuing Brown . Heavy.com also highlighted Ainge’s firm stance “No conversations that way” noting his rare choice to break policy and directly refute talk of pursuing Brown .
Despite these denials, some fans remain skeptical. On Reddit’s r/nba, users reacted with incredulity:
“An Ainge telling the truth: 0%”
“That’s what someone would say if they did ‘have discussions about Jaylen Brown…’”
Others defended Ainge:
“If you listen to his actual interviews, he’s generally upfront about what he wants.”
Bottom line
As of June 26, 2025, all official comments from Jazz leadership confirm that no trade discussions have taken place between Utah and Boston regarding Jaylen Brown. Ainge’s statement came amid heightened draft-night speculation, but it was clear and unambiguous. Still, rumor control remains difficult in today’s NBA landscape whether Ainge’s denial reflects reality or strategic misdirection is left for future developments to show.