While Boston Celtics fans are starting to accept that Jaylen Brown is no longer on the team, it will be even harder to process that he will spend who knows how many years of his prime with the Philadelphia 76ers. If that wasn't hard enough, it appears the Brown trade has given the Sixers ammo in their pursuit of LeBron James.
ESPN's Dave McMenamin revealed that Brown has joined Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey to recruit LeBron to join them in Philly.
"Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown have all been in communication with James, sources told ESPN on Tuesday, with Maxey leading the charge," McMenamin wrote.
It'd be one thing to see Brown play for a rival, but knowing that not only would he team up with LeBron, but that the trade may have been what pushed James to become a Sixer makes it all the more painful. Especially with Boston and Philadelphia both competing for the best possible outcome this coming season.
LeBron might not be what he was, but he's still an All-NBA player who still changes a lot about the game. Joining a trio of Brown, Embiid, and Maxey would put him on one of the most talented teams he's ever played on.
Better yet, the Sixers would depend on him more on the margins than to be their centerpiece. The Sixers actually need a playmaker more than anything, and that happens to be something James is till fantastic at even in his 40s.
It's hard to digest the Celtics' decisions led to dominos falling this way
It's hard enough for the Celtics to know they tore down their championship team because of CBA restrictions, but knowing they may have created one in a rival as well would make that feeling even worse.
The Celtics didn't want this to happen, but had to play by these new rules. Maybe they would have traded Jaylen Brown anyway regardless of the rules, but it's also possible they wouldn't have traded him to a rival.
To be fair, they created their title team because a fellow East rival of theirs - Milwaukee - got desperate and traded Jrue Holiday to a team that didn't need him for Damian Lillard, who didn't work out for them. That gave the Celtics the perfect chance to get him.
You can't fault Philly for taking advantage of the opporrrunity presented to them, just like you can't fault Boston for simply trying to adapt to this new environment. But oh boy, if the Sixers' pursuit of LeBron succeeds, this season could get very painful.
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