Celtics get surprising source of support for Jaylen Brown trade

Former NBA champion P.J. Tucker made a recent appearance on Jeff Teague's Club 520 Podcast. His guest spot occurred at Fanatics Fest in New York City. While on with the former All-Star guard, who once had a brief cameo with the Boston Celtics, the conversation turned to their thoughts on the Jaylen Brown trade.

"If you look at the playoff series this year, PG [Paul George] might have had a better series than JB. So, how does Philly win? Stated Tucker. "I'm rocking with PG. Like, I'm hating how everybody -- I mean, respect to JB," but George is still a heck of a player, he continued.

"If PG don't get suspended and all that stuff don't happen, then I think we having another conversation…I'm still liking JT and PG [in a series]. I like the Celtics, bro."

Are the Celtics better than the 76ers?

Frankly, it's disappointing that there is now a compelling case to make for either side. Even with Philadelphia erasing a 3-1 deficit to best Boston in the first round of this year's postseason, the Sixers weren't in a position to inspire much confidence that they'd outperform the C's in the upcoming campaign.

Now, not only have they added Jaylen Brown, but they are a finalist to land LeBron James.

Perhaps the combination of those two, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid doesn't blossom into a cohesive unit. It also would not be surprising to see James choose a destination like the Miami Heat or the Cleveland Cavaliers instead. And, of course, there are the concerns surrounding Embiid's durability.

However, those five would give Nick Nurse a talented, dynamic first unit. The Eastern Conference still feels wide open. There isn't a dominant force in a tier of its own. That opens the door for a group like this to stage a lengthy playoff run.

With all of that said, this author also believes that the Celtics will be more talented next season than they were in 2025-26. Jayson Tatum is filling Brown's role at the top of the hierarchy. They've added George, Mitchell Robinson, and Mike Conley. They won't overuse the latter, but he will help them minimize turnovers and win the possession battle.

And while growth isn't always linear, they have an abundance of promising young wings on their depth chart. Some combination of Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, and Ron Harper Jr. figures to ascend.

The franchise and fan base are also right to expect more from Payton Pritchard and Neemias Queta next season. Both are in a position to elevate their play, especially the former. Pritchard projects to return to the starting lineup after sliding back into a sixth-man role shortly before Tatum rejoined the lineup in March.

It all points to a Celtics group that should also view the East as there for the taking for themselves. And as they aim to validate Tucker's belief in them, it would make for great theatre if they host the 76ers on Christmas. It's the perfect time for Brown to make his regular-season return to TD Garden. One can't rule out an opening night contest between these two rivals either.

Opportunities like those are chances to revisit this shocking trade while waiting to see what happens when the playoffs arrive, especially if they run into each other there. Of course, one must also remember that between George becoming a substantial expiring contract after the upcoming campaign concludes, and the added draft capital Boston received in this deal, the final verdict requires patience.

Just as Brown has time to grow with his new teammates in Philadelphia, the Celtics have time to parlay this transaction into one that elevates their championship chances.

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