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It was a restless night for most fans of the Boston Celtics, and it has nothing to do with the record-setting heat wave hitting New England. Instead, they might have been tossing and turning because the Celtics dealt star guard Jaylen Brown to the rival Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night, shocking the NBA world in the process.
The fact that Brown — who was the longest-tenured Celtic 24 hours ago — got traded is not a surprise. Boston tried to move him for superstar center Giannis Antetokounmpo around the end of June and his relationship with the front office likely soured even further from that moment on. The true surprise was the Celtics' trade partner, the in-division Sixers who just defeated the C's in seven games during the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
In return for this unthinkable exchange, the Celtics received wing Paul George, a pair of second-round picks, and a pair of first-round picks. The circumstances surrounding the first-rounders are important but a little complicated. Simply put, there's a 2031 first-round selection from the Sixers that's unprotected and a 2028 first-round selection that will have the Celtics rooting against the Sixers, Los Angeles Clippers, and San Antonio Spurs two years from now in the hopes of a higher pick.
That feels quite far away, though. So, what about the "now" of it all? Let's try to digest this stunning trade and see if it makes any more sense almost 24 hours later.
According to sources that spoke to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe, there was no directive to trade Brown. Moreover, this was reportedly not a cost-cutting maneuver.
If those reports are true, then the Celtics didn't part ways with the 2024 NBA Finals MVP in order to make ends meet under the punitive CBA. And for further evidence of that, just take a glance at George's contract.
The nine-time All-Star is making over $50 million per year, meaning the C's are only saving about $3 million in this swap. George has one of the worst current contracts in the NBA and the Sixers were probably thrilled to be out of it. Perhaps the Celtics took it on so that they could finally move Brown and avoid paying him again, as the 29-year-old becomes eligible for a two-year extension worth up to $142 million in late July. It wouldn't be the first time they dealt productive players for monetary reasons:
In Brown's case, the front office not wanting to pony up for that hefty bill is somewhat understandable. Although he is still in his prime, the Georgia native didn't have a strong finish to the 2026 postseason and there were rumblings that he'd already grown disgruntled with the organization for how many times they attempted to trade him (among other things).
With that being said, every report states that Brown never requested a trade. He was upset, yes, yet it's unclear that he ever reached a boiling point.
If it came down to the financials, then this trade makes a little more sense. However, bringing in George largely negates that for the time being because Boston didn't free up much salary space. Maybe the Celtics try to move the former Sixers star down the line, but, as it stands, trading Brown has not solved their money problems.
This question isn't as difficult to answer.
Brown is coming off an impressive regular season in which he finished sixth in MVP voting and qualified for the All-NBA Second Team (and had a real case for First Team). George also put together a solid campaign, averaging over 17 points per game and shooting almost 40 percent from deep.
There's a significant caveat, though. Brown averaged a career-high 28.7 points over the course of 71 games during the regular season. George entered only 37 games thanks to some injuries and a 25-game suspension.
Furthermore, Brown is on the cusp of 30 years old while George just turned 36. The former has won a title and been reliable in the playoffs more often than not. The latter has never been to the NBA Finals and is out of his prime.
This was not a positional upgrade, and it's hard to believe that the Celtics didn't know that when they agreed to the trade.
As mentioned before, the Celtics got a decent stash of picks for moving Brown. They reportedly were asking for four first-round picks before settling for two.
And that's kind of what this whole trade feels like: settling. The front office refused to go all-in during the Giannis sweepstakes, so they had to settle for the Sixers. The Celtics were likely hung up on when they inquired about the young talent their potential trade partners rostered, so they settled for an aging star and some picks that require a bit of luck to really deliver on their value.
It's hard to believe that this was the best offer the Celtics received if they were truly shopping Brown to several teams in an aggressive manner. Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens wasn't able to land Antetokounmpo and this was an alternative. But, it shouldn't have been the best alternative.
Of course, the offseason just started and there needs to be a little grace given to Stevens and company. There could be future moves in the works and maybe George never dons the green and white after all. If not — or if the next roster tweaks are underwhelming — it doesn't feel like this trade gets the Celtics closer to the "North Star" Stevens is always referring to. Rather, it's a step back on the long road to a championship.
Last, but not least, is considering how the Celtics head decision makers evaluate Brown.
Given the return they got from him and their unwillingness to extend him, the Celtics execs must not think he's worth the money or able to deliver another championship. Last season, in which Brown carried the shorthanded C's on his own at times, failed to convince them of anything.
Perhaps the Celtics aren't alone in that opinion, as the offers for Brown were reportedly weaker than Boston anticipated, hinting that other teams also don't think too highly of the five-time All-Star. Or, the Celtics overplayed their hand while aiming for the Greek Freak and tanked Brown's value at the same time. Because if the Celtics were already open to throwing in Brown for a trade, how much could they really believe in him to begin with?
Overall, this feels like the most convincing reason behind Brown's departure. The Celtics gave up on him. What exactly fueled that remains to be seen, yet they may figure that their championship window is closer to being shut than open with him taking up a fair chunk of their salary.
If this is true, then the Celtics are making quite the gamble. Brown isn't an unproven player. He helped the Celtics win a championship and has never missed the postseason in his 10-year career. The former first-round pick was a steadying force for Boston when it mattered most and his pairing with Celtics star Jayson Tatum ultimately secured Banner No. 18 when many others failed before them.
After he was drafted more than a decade ago, Brown said he'd go to war for the city of Boston. And while fans booed him when he was first picked, the future star buckled down and got better. The Celtics were confident in their guy when others weren't.
Now, it feels like the opposite is true. But this time, the boos won't be for Brown. They'll be directed towards the front office and ownership, especially if this trade blows up in their faces as badly as some fans and pundits — and possibly Brown himself — expect it to.
Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:
Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKp
iTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47
YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: 24 hours later: Does the Jaylen Brown trade make any more sense?
Continue reading...
The fact that Brown — who was the longest-tenured Celtic 24 hours ago — got traded is not a surprise. Boston tried to move him for superstar center Giannis Antetokounmpo around the end of June and his relationship with the front office likely soured even further from that moment on. The true surprise was the Celtics' trade partner, the in-division Sixers who just defeated the C's in seven games during the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
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In return for this unthinkable exchange, the Celtics received wing Paul George, a pair of second-round picks, and a pair of first-round picks. The circumstances surrounding the first-rounders are important but a little complicated. Simply put, there's a 2031 first-round selection from the Sixers that's unprotected and a 2028 first-round selection that will have the Celtics rooting against the Sixers, Los Angeles Clippers, and San Antonio Spurs two years from now in the hopes of a higher pick.
That feels quite far away, though. So, what about the "now" of it all? Let's try to digest this stunning trade and see if it makes any more sense almost 24 hours later.
Was this move a salary dump?
According to sources that spoke to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe, there was no directive to trade Brown. Moreover, this was reportedly not a cost-cutting maneuver.
If those reports are true, then the Celtics didn't part ways with the 2024 NBA Finals MVP in order to make ends meet under the punitive CBA. And for further evidence of that, just take a glance at George's contract.
The nine-time All-Star is making over $50 million per year, meaning the C's are only saving about $3 million in this swap. George has one of the worst current contracts in the NBA and the Sixers were probably thrilled to be out of it. Perhaps the Celtics took it on so that they could finally move Brown and avoid paying him again, as the 29-year-old becomes eligible for a two-year extension worth up to $142 million in late July. It wouldn't be the first time they dealt productive players for monetary reasons:
In Brown's case, the front office not wanting to pony up for that hefty bill is somewhat understandable. Although he is still in his prime, the Georgia native didn't have a strong finish to the 2026 postseason and there were rumblings that he'd already grown disgruntled with the organization for how many times they attempted to trade him (among other things).
With that being said, every report states that Brown never requested a trade. He was upset, yes, yet it's unclear that he ever reached a boiling point.
If it came down to the financials, then this trade makes a little more sense. However, bringing in George largely negates that for the time being because Boston didn't free up much salary space. Maybe the Celtics try to move the former Sixers star down the line, but, as it stands, trading Brown has not solved their money problems.
Was this move a player upgrade?
This question isn't as difficult to answer.
Brown is coming off an impressive regular season in which he finished sixth in MVP voting and qualified for the All-NBA Second Team (and had a real case for First Team). George also put together a solid campaign, averaging over 17 points per game and shooting almost 40 percent from deep.
There's a significant caveat, though. Brown averaged a career-high 28.7 points over the course of 71 games during the regular season. George entered only 37 games thanks to some injuries and a 25-game suspension.
Furthermore, Brown is on the cusp of 30 years old while George just turned 36. The former has won a title and been reliable in the playoffs more often than not. The latter has never been to the NBA Finals and is out of his prime.
This was not a positional upgrade, and it's hard to believe that the Celtics didn't know that when they agreed to the trade.
Was this about the haul?
As mentioned before, the Celtics got a decent stash of picks for moving Brown. They reportedly were asking for four first-round picks before settling for two.
And that's kind of what this whole trade feels like: settling. The front office refused to go all-in during the Giannis sweepstakes, so they had to settle for the Sixers. The Celtics were likely hung up on when they inquired about the young talent their potential trade partners rostered, so they settled for an aging star and some picks that require a bit of luck to really deliver on their value.
It's hard to believe that this was the best offer the Celtics received if they were truly shopping Brown to several teams in an aggressive manner. Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens wasn't able to land Antetokounmpo and this was an alternative. But, it shouldn't have been the best alternative.
Of course, the offseason just started and there needs to be a little grace given to Stevens and company. There could be future moves in the works and maybe George never dons the green and white after all. If not — or if the next roster tweaks are underwhelming — it doesn't feel like this trade gets the Celtics closer to the "North Star" Stevens is always referring to. Rather, it's a step back on the long road to a championship.
Was this about how the Celtics view Brown?
Last, but not least, is considering how the Celtics head decision makers evaluate Brown.
Given the return they got from him and their unwillingness to extend him, the Celtics execs must not think he's worth the money or able to deliver another championship. Last season, in which Brown carried the shorthanded C's on his own at times, failed to convince them of anything.
Perhaps the Celtics aren't alone in that opinion, as the offers for Brown were reportedly weaker than Boston anticipated, hinting that other teams also don't think too highly of the five-time All-Star. Or, the Celtics overplayed their hand while aiming for the Greek Freak and tanked Brown's value at the same time. Because if the Celtics were already open to throwing in Brown for a trade, how much could they really believe in him to begin with?
Overall, this feels like the most convincing reason behind Brown's departure. The Celtics gave up on him. What exactly fueled that remains to be seen, yet they may figure that their championship window is closer to being shut than open with him taking up a fair chunk of their salary.
If this is true, then the Celtics are making quite the gamble. Brown isn't an unproven player. He helped the Celtics win a championship and has never missed the postseason in his 10-year career. The former first-round pick was a steadying force for Boston when it mattered most and his pairing with Celtics star Jayson Tatum ultimately secured Banner No. 18 when many others failed before them.
After he was drafted more than a decade ago, Brown said he'd go to war for the city of Boston. And while fans booed him when he was first picked, the future star buckled down and got better. The Celtics were confident in their guy when others weren't.
Now, it feels like the opposite is true. But this time, the boos won't be for Brown. They'll be directed towards the front office and ownership, especially if this trade blows up in their faces as badly as some fans and pundits — and possibly Brown himself — expect it to.
Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:
Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKp
iTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47
YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: 24 hours later: Does the Jaylen Brown trade make any more sense?
Continue reading...
