Tom Thibodeau would appreciate Boston Celtics star’s ‘high-intensity play’
Hoops Habit’s Ari Schwartz believes Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau would appreciate Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown’s “high-intensity play” if New York was able to pry No. 7 out of a Cs uniform over the next two offseasons.
“(Brown’s) high-intensity play would certainly be appreciated by Head Coach Tom Thibodeau, and he would provide a scoring boost that could take the Knicks over the top in the postseason,” Schwartz said.
Schwartz believes the Knicks will be star hunting this summer after not pulling the trigger on a Donovan Mitchell trade during the summer of 2022.
“The Knicks passed on the chance to acquire Donovan Mitchell last summer due to Utah’s extremely high price tag,” Schwartz prefaced before saying, “That decision surprisingly paid off, as New York has had a successful season, soon to finish fifth in the Eastern Conference. However, many still anticipate New York to be in the market for a star player this summer.”
New York has assets Boston Celtics would covet in a Jaylen Brown trade
Schwartz set a potential price point for Brown at R.J. Barrett, Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, a 2023 top ten protected first-round pick via Dallas, and a 2025 first-round pick via Milwaukee. Such a deal would give Brad Stevens his first first-round draft pick as Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations, and is one Schwartz feels isn’t steep.
“The price tag (for Brown) isn’t too high, only having to give up two young players who have struggled to develop in New York, one great young player who as impactful as he is, may never flourish behind Jalen Brunson, and two out of the 6 picks the team owns in the next two years,” Schwartz wrote.
The number of draft picks could be a sticking point in negotiations, but by and large that framework is one that would work for the Celtics — giving them big man depth (Toppin) that could alleviate the potential free agency loss of Grant Williams and a guard (Quickley) who could replace Payton Pritchard in the backcourt given “Fast PP” is likely a goner in the offseason.