Over the past 24 or so hours, Boston Celtics fans have tried to rationalize the Jaylen Brown trade.
How could the front office think that a 36-year-old Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks are enough of a return for someone as valuable to the franchise as Brown has spent the last decade proving to be?
One of the top coping mechanisms amongst Celtics fans has been the idea that more has to be coming. That idea was given some legs on Thursday afternoon, when HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto shared that Boston “has monitored” New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III’s trade market.
“The Celtics have monitored Murphy’s trade market, and following the Brown trade for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks, they have gained extra draft capital that New Orleans has desired in any trade talks,” Scotto shared.
Scotto also listed the Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, and Atlanta Hawks as potential suitors for Murphy III.
Boston has been linked to Murphy III for some time now. In the weeks leading up to Brown’s eventual departure, many speculated that he’d be traded to the Pelicans that would net Boston the 26-year-old wing.
Finding the pricepoint on the Spotrac trade machine always proved difficult, though. The thought now is that the Pelicans would need at least two, if not three, first-rounders to feel satisfied in a potential deal, Scotto added.
Even before trading the five-time All-Star, the Celtics owned the majority of their own picks in the coming seasons, with the exception of 2029. Now, they not only have those selections but a valuable (and complex) 2028 pick swap, as well as the 2031 76ers pick to dangle in a deal.
Celtics fans would be wise not to get their hopes up for a Trey Murphy III trade
Personally, it seems rich to think that the Cs will be able to move the needle for the Pels now, when they weren’t able to do it before dealing the 2024 NBA Finals MVP to Philly. Murphy III is on a team-friendly contract for the next few seasons. He's improved every year as a pro. There's no question that he'd be viewed as a valuable asset by the Pelicans and around the league.
Like, do we all think that an extra pick will encourage them to take on George’s contract, which is worth about the same as Brown’s was?
“We didn’t want Jaylen Brown, but now that Paul George is involved, count us in.”
Unlikely.
Not to mention that The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach reported that this Celtics-Sixers trade was done without an immediate secondary move in mind. It doesn’t sound like Boston, even if they’ve got an idea of what they’d like to do, has anything lined up at the moment.
Boston Celtics fans, get ready to learn Paul George, buddy.
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