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Mock proposal egregiously pushes for Boston Celtics to trade Jaylen Brown for injured star big man

By Andrew Hughes

A mock trade proposal from NBA Analysis Network would see the Boston Celtics erroneously deal Jaylen Brown for an injured star big man Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
A mock trade proposal from NBA Analysis Network would see the Boston Celtics erroneously deal Jaylen Brown for an injured star big man Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /
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It is officially not trade season with the February 9 deadline in the rearview, but the NBA blogosphere is always thinking about the next blockbuster — though NBA Analysis Network’s latest trade proposal involving the Boston Celtics would be an offseason error.

N.A.N.’s mock deal would send Jaylen Brown, who is in the midst of a career season as the second Celtics star alongside All-Star Game MVP Jayson Tatum, for injured big man Karl-Anthony Towns, who’s nursing a right calf strain, in the offseason.

The proposal was presented as a straight swap, though in actuality Danilo Gallinari’s contract would need to be involved to make the money work.

The Boston Celtics would need to ask for draft compensation in such a deal

First of all, the only way we’d be getting to such a deal would be if the Boston Celtics dramatically underperformed during the 2023 NBA postseason. As in first-round elimination and maybe even a sweep. Like last year’s Nets, if you will.

In that scenario, Brown would be the top trade asset on the market and would hold more value than James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Khris Middleton, who’ve all been missing double-digit games the past two seasons for one reason or another.

Let’s ride with this scenario for a second. Brown hits the trade block in search of a long-term home a year ahead of free agency to secure his deal and not risk injury during the 2023-24 season. Brown looks capable of becoming a top 10 player, so getting a player whose postseason record isn’t comparable like Towns would be a step down — even if Towns does hold supreme value as a floor-spacing big who eats up rebounds and shoots the 3-pointer at a much higher rate than Brown.

If such a deal were to be explored, the Celtics front office must make Minnesota include draft capital and/or another potential minutes eater like Jaden McDaniels. Brown would yield plenty of other offers in this scenario, giving Boston plenty of other options to explore.

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