The 76ers guard spent most of Sunday night insisting there was no animosity with his former Boston co-star. Then he added a sentence that landed very differently.

“There’s no beef, but it might be a little lamb chops and some gravy. He should stay ready at all times,” Brown said after Philadelphia’s 127-116 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on October 25, according to Awful Announcing.

In the same session he described Tatum as a hell of a basketball player who also has “a great PR team,” a jab tucked inside a compliment about the man who was his running mate in Boston for the better part of a decade.

The pair have not spoken since Brown was traded to Philadelphia on July 1, reports The Boston Globe, and Brown has no plan to call before the teams meet in Philadelphia on November 10.

Read also: Lando Norris admits ‘horrible’ F1 title defence – but points to one thing beyond his control

Scalabrine’s claim and a quick walkback

The latest flare-up began on Celtics color commentator Brian Scalabrine’s SiriusXM NBA Radio show, where he claimed Brown had handed Boston a list of demands and asked to be traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. A representative for Brown told ESPN’s Kris Rhim the report was “10000% a lie,” saying Brown’s only ask once Boston decided to move him was input on his destination.

Scalabrine climbed down within hours, conceding that Brown “technically didn’t demand to be traded.” Brown still addressed it directly on his Wednesday postgame podium after Philadelphia beat the Indiana Pacers 114-109.

“Never had any issues with Scal. I love Scal, but I guess he’s doing what he has to do,” Brown said, per The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“Never demanded a trade. Never made a list of ultimatums. None of the sort. None of that is true.”

Read also: Mercedes star makes surprising Lewis Hamilton prediction

He said he has no interest in letting false allegations follow him to his next chapter in Philadelphia.

Tatum rejects the Shaq-Kobe comparison

Tatum had tried to defuse the storyline the night before, after Boston beat the New York Knicks. He insisted the split was not a repeat of the ugliest co-star divorce in modern NBA history, telling reporters “this ain’t no f***ing Shaq and Kobe.”

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla also pushed back when the subject reached him earlier in the week, calling Tatum “our best player” and “our highest character guy” and asking the Boston press pack to move on.

Brown’s answer, 24 hours later, was the no-beef line followed by the PR-team swipe and the “stay ready at all times” shot.

Read also: Chelsea fans demanded Estevao – Xabi Alonso had just nine words to explain his decision

The next scheduled chapter is November 10, when Philadelphia host Boston. Brown has said he does not intend to call Tatum before then.

Read also: Bayern shut door on Haaland: ‘We have Harry Kane, the best striker in the world’