The rumors can finally die now as the Celtics have done the unthinkable and traded Jaylen Brown after an incredible 10 years with the franchise that included a Finals MVP in 2024. But he wasn’t traded for a giant haul of draft picks, he wasn’t traded for a superstar like Giannis Antetokounmpo, and he wasn’t traded for a combination of young prospects and role players.
Nope. Instead, he was traded to the rival 76ers, the team that just overcame a 3-1 deficit to embarrass the Celtics and end their season, for just a 36-year-old, constantly injured Paul George, two meh first-round picks, and two second-round picks. That’s it. And that should tell you everything you need to know.
Celtics are betting against Jaylen Brown and his contract
The Celtics don’t believe in Jaylen Brown anymore. Settling for this deal, handing him to a division rival, and giving no thought to just bringing the player back shows how bad this relationship must have gotten. And that doesn’t mean Brown asked for a trade or was going to make a stink or anything like that.
It just means the Celtics were clearly doing more than just chasing Giannis this summer. They made a calculated decision to move on from Brown. They believe that it’s untenable to move forward with Brown making $183 million over the next three years with a possible two-year, $140+ million extension tacked on.
Settling for this deal proves that Stevens felt obliged to move on without Brown, getting off the contract before it truly became toxic. PG-13 and these picks may seem like a brutal return, but Brad is showing that right now, it’s the best he could get, and he thinks it’s only going to get worse in the future.
Celtics leaning into Tatum and Mazzulla-Ball
The on/off numbers and efficiency stats haven’t been kind to Brown, and it seems that the Celtics’ front office thinks there’s something to that. They’re going forward emphasizing the team’s alpha, Jayson Tatum, and enhancing the roles of those around him like Payton Pritchard and Derrick White, building better depth with additions like Mitchell Robinson, and leaning into the young players like Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, Neemias Queta, and others who drove winning at an absurdly high level last season.
The Celtics believe that was real. And they believe that JB’s 6th-place MVP finish was not. It’s a devastating day for the franchise and for Celtics fans everywhere. But this is a calculated move by the organization. It’s not quite Nico Collins betting against Luka Doncic, but it’s giving off a lot of the same vibes.Â
So long, Jaylen Brown. You were one of the greatest Celtics ever to put on a uniform, and your time here will never be forgotten. But at least for now, the team thinks they are better off moving forward without you.
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