Celtics rumors: Boston's message to rivals on breaking up Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown with blockbuster trade

The Boston Celtics are reportedly telling rival teams they have no plans of breaking up Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown with a trade.

With the Boston Celtics struggling through another season, speculation continues to run rampant that the franchise will look to break up the All-Star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. We've seen the two stars address the situation in recent days, with Brown delivering an impassioned defense of the duo over the weekend.

While plenty around the NBA are wondering about a blockbuster trade, which would likely involve Brown and not Tatum, the reporting coming from Boston's side has consistently said there aren't any plans to split them up. The latest from The Athletic's Shams Charania reiterates this:

The 19-21 Celtics have indicated to rival teams that they want to build around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown — and have no interest to split up the two All-Star forwards right now, sources said. The 18-21 Celtics appear open for business around other players on the roster. Boston engaged with the 76ers before the season about a potential Simmons deal, but showed no inclination to move Brown.

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It's tempting to want to shake things up in a big way given how mediocre the Celtics have been the last two seasons, but this strategy is the right move. While Tatum and Brown have their flaws, they're very good with more room to grow. Tatum is still just 23 years old, and Brown is 25. They're about to hit their primes and need more help around them.

Perhaps there comes a time when Boston makes a drastic blockbuster move involving one of these two stars. That time shouldn't be now, though, as the Celtics should focus on building around these stud wings moving forward. Brad Stevens knows things must change and will surely look to make moves ahead of the Feb. 10 trade deadline. It seems they're open for business on that front.