Once Jaylen Brown made comments to The Ringer’s Logan Murdock that didn’t fully back the idea of him returning to the Boston Celtics, the mock trade makers began working on finding the perfect deal for both parties.
“As long as I’m needed,” Brown said about his future in Boston. “It’s not up to me. We’ll see how they feel about me over time and I feel about them over time. Hopefully, whatever it is, it makes sense. But I will stay where I’m wanted. I will stay where I’m needed and treated correct.”
With the possibility of Brown finding his own team in 2024 free agency now seemingly more realistic with the lack of a definitive statement from No. 7 that he wants to stick with the Celtics, NBA Analysis Network came up with the following three-team mock trade proposal that’d bring multiple valuable draft picks to Boston as well as championship depth:
Why the Boston Celtics consider it
Truthfully, this proposal would be a superb way to keep the Boston Celtics competitive in the short-term and restock the cupboard for the future with two potentially high-value picks from the Nets. Brooklyn doesn’t figure to be a contender in the near future having traded their two stars (Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving) for a collection of role players and fringe-star Mikal Bridges.
Fred VanVleet would be a perfect backcourt partner to Marcus Smart, though he’d be a capable backup guard next to Malcolm Brogdon as well assuming Derrick White would take Brown’s starting spot. OG Anunoby could replace either Al Horford or Robert Williams III in the starting frontcourt, giving the Cs a capable big man.
Why the Houston Rockets consider it
Giving up four draft picks isn’t a great idea typically, but if Brooklyn was able to field trade offers for Bridges involving four first-rounders, the Rockets would surely do the same for an All-NBA talent.
Brown could lead the way for Houston’s young guns (Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr.) and potentially have a James Harden-like jump in scoring as the No. 1 option in the Space City.
The Toronto Raptors likely veto this deal
Toronto would be getting a high-value 2023 first-round pick from Houston that, for all we know, could turn into Victor Wembanyama. In that scenario, this would be a no-brainer deal. Any chance that exists to land Wembanyama is one you take.
Otherwise, the Raptors aren’t getting much for two of its top four scorers in the interim — Kevin Porter Jr. is a borderline albatross in the wrong situation once his $15 million-per-season extension kicks in — and isn’t getting much in the future with a lottery-protected pick five years from now.