Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker quickly came to the defense of Tristan Thompson and the Boston Celtics' locker room Tuesday.
On Wednesday, it was Brad Stevens' turn.
The Celtics head coach was asked Wednesday on 98.5 The Sports Hub's "Zolak & Bertrand" about The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor reporting that Thompson is "not loved" in Boston's locker room "for numerous different reasons."
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Stevens claimed he wasn't aware of the report before denying it with a one-liner.
"Last week I was going to Indiana according to everybody, right?" Stevens said. "So, rumors sometimes are right and sometimes they're wrong."
Stevens was the subject of recent speculation that he'd leave the Celtics to accept the Indiana men's basketball coaching job, which he squashed last week.
The eighth-year head coach said he's gotten used to rumors percolating that often shouldn't be taken at face value.
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"One of the things I've learned in this is, about 90 percent of what I hear and/or read, I would like to have a second look at ... and actually talk to somebody in there before I react to it," Stevens said.Â
"I donât know where that came from or whatever the case may be. But Tristanâs been a good teammate, a good guy, all that stuff, so thatâs disappointing to hear something like that would be out there."
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O'Connor and The Ringer's Chris Vernon also suggested Thompson -- who has missed the last five games due to health and safety protocols -- has been flouting COVID protocols by "going out."
Stevens didn't seem pleased with that rumor, either.
"First of all, Iâm not a babysitter," Stevens said. "Secondly, I would doubt it. Weâre on such lockdown, itâs very, very difficult I'd say to do that in this stage."
Stevens admitted he "wouldn't know" what Thompson does away from the court but doubled down on his support of the 30-year-old as a teammate.
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"I do think that saying he's not a guy that everybody likes is wrong," Stevens said. "It's just wrong."
Thompson's name has been floated in trade rumors, so it remains to be see whether he'll be moved before Thursday's NBA trade deadline or remain with the team to try to improve its 21-22 record.