If Celtics trade Jaylen Brown to Nuggets, their next roster move is obvious

From this vantage point, the Boston Celtics' best path forward has always included Jaylen Brown flanking Jayson Tatum. However, that bridge may be burned.

The partnership between the two sides has endured for a decade. They've persisted past trade rumors and Brown being in an offer for Kevin Durant in the summer of 2022. Two years later, he helped lead his team to a championship and took home the Eastern Conference and NBA Finals MVP awards.

However, this time, it feels different. The Celtics remained in pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo until the end. Yet they also held firm on their proposal. They refused to extend beyond offering Brown and two first-round draft picks to get it done. They knew the risks and the potential consequences but didn't flinch. That could be a sign that they were prepared to move on either way.

And from Brown's standpoint, this may have been one slight too many. To have the season he did, inserting his name into the MVP conversation while leading a group that many a loud contingent thought should tank to 56 wins and the second seed in the East. Boston's willingness to trade him after that, two years removed from an NBA title, might have pushed him to want to build off this year with another franchise. One could understand if he felt disrespected and, after spending his entire career in the rumor mill, told the organization it's over.

That could lead to a trade that sends Brown to the Denver Nuggets.

What might the Celtics get for trading Jaylen Brown to Denver?

The answer could be Jamal Murray and Cameron Johnson. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype recently reported that Boston has shown interest in acquiring the latter.

Johnson, who turns 31 next season, is on an expiring $23.1 million deal. The Celtics could absorb that utilizing their $27 million traded player exception [TPE]. In his first and possibly lone year in the Mile High City, he averaged 12.2 points per game and converted on 43 percent of his 4.7 three-point attempts.

As for Murray, he is on the books for $50.1 million for the 2026-27 campaign. The former All-Star has three years left on his contract.

If these two were the return for Brown, with Johnson absorbed using the TPE, it would shave $17.8 million off the payroll. That helps with fortifying the roster while resetting the repeater tax.

From an on-court standpoint, Murray, the headliner in this proposed return for Boston, is coming off an All-NBA Third Team selection. He generated career-highs in points, averaging 25.4, assists [7.1], and rebounds [4.4]. He also set a new personal best from beyond the arc. The seventh overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, going four spots after Brown, knocked down 43.5 percent of the 7.5 threes he hoisted.

The former Kentucky star would give the Celtics a dynamic scoring guard. One who would relish the freedom he'd have to fire 3s as he dribbles off screens. He also produces points in the paint with his feathery floater. And working in concert with Nikola Jokic, he has been effective at scoring off cuts to the basket.

The concern with Murray, who turns 30 in February, is his durability. He missed the 2021-22 campaign due to a knee injury. He then appeared in no more than 67 tilts in the following three years. Last season, he played in 75. However, it's fair to have some trepidation about the direction his health will trend, as he exits his 20s.

There's also another domino that would have to fall if this is the package that the Celtics get back for trading Jaylen Brown.

The Celtics next step if they trade Jaylen Brown to the Nuggets

With Murray and Johnson in the fold, Boston would have a long, athletic starting unit and better shooting than it employed in 2025-26. The first five would feature Murray, Derrick White, Johnson, Jayson Tatum, and Neemias Queta. The latter would project to remain the starter after making a move like this with Denver.

That's a formidable group. However, it would also leave Brad Stevens needing to find a way to make this team more physical. The most logical place to look is toward Mitchell Robinson. Unfortunately, if his market exceeds the $15 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception, the Celtics might be priced out. There are other pathways to address it, but Robinson is the prized target on this front.

One alternative is to receive Aaron Gordon in the trade with the Nuggets instead of Cameron Johnson. However, the former is owed $104 million over the next three years and would arrive in Boston with even more concerns about his future availability than Murray.

Getting the two best players who surround Jokic is tempting, especially if there's no salvaging this situation with Brown. However, it's an expensive and risky gamble.

The Celtics are already aggressively pursuing additions at center. Gordon is, of course, a power forward, but he would beef up Boston's frontcourt. They'd still need to add more size and physicality, but could feel good about a healthy version of their first unit. If they trade Brown for Murray and Johnson, then addressing this becomes their next priority.

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