Boston Celtics Rumors: Is It Time to Move Jaylen Brown? 3 Trade Ideas

The Boston Celtics have utilized a much-needed reworking of the starting unit to string together a 3-game winning streak. Marcus Smart has stepped up in the absence of injured forward Jaylen Brown and Marcus Morris recently replaced Gordon Hayward. With the promising re-emergence of Gordon Hayward as of late, coupled with the team’s recent success sans Jaylen Brown, it has us wondering- is Jaylen Brown no longer an ‘untouchable’ commodity and when will the trade rumors begin?

Jaylen Brown entered the league a freakishly athletic, yet raw and untested 19-year-old out of the University of California, Berkeley. Many questioned the Celtics in drafting the promising yet far from guaranteed prospect with the 3rd overall selection. Some believed Kris Dunn should have been the choice in that slot. Others clamored for sharpshooter Jamal Murray, with whispers of Buddy Hield‘s name creeping in near draft day.

Brown was a bit slow out of the gate to start his NBA career, appearing in 78 games but seeing the floor with the starting unit in just 20. His 6.6 points per game in 17 minutes per contest didn’t exactly shout ‘All-Star ceiling’, but he did have his moments. He showed flashes of the potential that had Danny Ainge drooling on Draft day throughout the season with his first 20 point performance coming against the Orlando Magic on January 27th. He finished the season strong with a 19 point outing in the Eastern Conference Finals vs the Cavaliers.

Following a much-improved sophomore season, Brown has regressed in several statistical categories amidst his 3rd-year campaign. His 11.1 points per game is down from last season (14.5 ppg) along with his assist totals (1.3 apg) and rebounding numbers (4.1 rpg).

Just a year removed from shooting nearly 40 percent from three, Brown is now sitting amongst the bottom feeders of the league with a dismal 25% shooting clip from downtown. He has spent less time at the charity stripe and has also regressed in free throw percentage (currently shooting 62%).

There is clearly something wrong with Jaylen Brown. He doesn’t look mentally prepared for games, and oft-times seems lost on the court. The effort on both sides of the ball (particularly on defense) is not where it needs to be, and has consistently been down from last season.

Jaylen has developed a habit of taking more risks on defense, leading to defensive breakdowns and easy buckets for the opposition. He runs the floor with a slouched posture and frequently appears lost on defense. His failure to hustle back has gotten him into some trouble with his teammates, leading to several disputes (with Kyrie Irving on more than one occasion) over his mishaps. Several times Jaylen has had teammates hit the deck near him and has not gone over to help them up.

These newly developed tendencies are all uncharacteristic of the Jaylen Brown Celtics fans have grown to know and love.

With the return of Gordon Hayward it was expected that last year’s stars (namely Brown and Jayson Tatum) would have to take a step back. Thus far, Brown has struggled the most with his reduced role.

As observers, we can only imagine how frustrating it must be. Jaylen spent the entire summer working on his game, only to see his minutes reduced and numbers fall nearly across the board. He has been away from the team due to a back injury, and in his absence the Celtics have rattled off 3 straight wins. Hayward has looked better than ever while Brown has watched from the sidelines. Jayson Tatum continues to develop at an exponential rate, as he continues to separate himself from Brown in the “who has more potential” debate.

Value is key

Perhaps the best outcome for both sides is a mutual separation. Boston can give Brown his chance to thrive in a primary role elsewhere, while the Celtics can receive invaluable assets on other areas of the floor (i.e. the frontcourt) in return.

As a trade asset, there are few players in the league that provide more value than Jaylen Brown. His name has appeared in just about every major trade rumor that the Celtics have been involved in since his rookie campaign. Whether it’s Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, or even rookie big man Mo Bamba, Jaylen Brown’s name has routinely been the requested centerpiece of all trades involving the Boston Celtics. Until now, Danny Ainge and company have resisted all temptations to deal the 21-year-old forward.

Taking into account Brown’s lack of progress from a productivity standpoint, it’s time to at least consider making a move. Unless Jaylen has a resurgence between now and the All-Star break or management has some sort of under the table deal prepared for Anthony Davis (whom the team can’t trade for this season so long as Kyrie is on the roster) his value will only decline.

Making a trade earlier rather than later all but guarantees a more than fair return, and prevents the team from force trading in a less than ideal situation (Cleveland knows all about that). With Kyrie’s proclamation to re-commit to the team long-term, why not use Brown as the centerpiece in a trade to pull in another star?

Adding an established veteran puts this team in a better position to win now, while the presence of guys like Jayson Tatum and Gordon Hayward sets the franchise up to be competitive for the foreseeable future. Fans and analysts alike have been clamoring for a change. Maybe, just maybe, this is the move that could get the Celtics back on a championship track.

Let’s go a step further and take a look at three potential trade scenarios involving Jaylen Brown that would benefit the Celtics moving forward.