The Celtics ended one of their most successful chapters in franchise history by trading Jaylen Brown to the 76ers on Wednesday for Paul George and future draft picks. A shocking trade both for its destination and return, the long-running debate over whether to build around Jayson Tatum and Brown culminated in a return far below both the team’s reported expectations, and any outside observer’s.
Boston’s brass won’t address the trade until at least next week, with the deal not expected to become official until the league moratorium ends on Monday. The Celtics reportedly received a complicated selection in 2028 that involves the better of the Clippers and 76ers’ first-rounders, a 2031 unprotected first from Philadelphia and second-rounders in 2028 (best of GSW/OKC/MIL) and 2030 (best of WAS/POR/PHX). Brown addressed the deal on social media on Thursday.
“I’m still processing how this all went down. I’m excited and disappointed at the same time. I earned my respect from this city. I never asked for shortcuts or special treatment. I simply showed up every, put my head down and accepted every challenge,” Brown said. “The relationships I built here, the battles we fought together, the championships we brought to this city, and the connection I shared with the fans, I’ll carry with me. Saying goodbye isn’t easy when you’ve invested your heart into something. I’m big on respect and actions speak louder than words. To the people of Boston, thank you. To the community I built here, I love you, and to the shiftaz we are locked in for life. As one chapter closes, another begins. I’m excited for what’s ahead and grateful for the opportunity to join Philadelphia.”
Some thoughts…
- The Celtics will struggle to explain this in a way that satisfies a confused and hurt fanbase. Following a prolonged trade saga that included the team missing out on perennial MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo, reportedly over what amounted to additional young players and draft picks, then weeks where Boston’s asking price came down from sky-high demands to this George package, it’ll be hard to not acknowledge that the team misjudged Brown’s market. The Celtics might have some additional flexibility long-term now and a relatively comparable talent arriving in George, but he’s 36-years-old and Boston gained no straightforward path to improving the roster now. In fact, multiple reports indicated that the team has no follow-up moves planned.
- Then comes the question of why? Based on information we have available, Brown publicly criticized the team’s play style in multiple settings following their first round loss against the 76ers. Brown, long a critic of analytics, continued to critique the way they assess his game into the trade saga. On-off splits, net ratings and catch-all advanced stats have positioned Brown below some of the best players in the league for several years even while he ascended to MVP candidacy and All-NBA status in 2025-26 while playing a central role on a 56-win team. Despite that, the Celtics retained him across multiple years where they held that data. It’s unclear what level of trade prospects they gathered in those seasons.
- Despite that, Boston appeared caught off-guard both by the price required to acquire Antetokounmpo and the market for Brown beyond that deal. Milwaukee reportedly proved an unreliable trade partner and the Bucks’ ownership soured on Brown as a return due to the prospect of another trade saga playing out within two years, but Boston reportedly held firm on its offer then the revelation of Brown’s availability led to his displeasure and exit. While potentially part of the story, it’s hard to understand in that case why the Celtics in that case, having some understanding of the landscape, pivoted to taking more calls, engaging 8-10 teams into this week. Neither Brad Stevens at his post-draft availability nor the team made public efforts to indicate a desire to repair that relationship and return him to the team next season. Perhaps a preferable option to what they returned in the deal.
- Brown and Tatum, for all their faults as a pairing, perennially kept the Celtics in contention since 2021-22. George brings size, play-making, three-point shooting (39.2% 3PT) and defense, but averaged 47.8 games played over the past five seasons and received a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy last season. George blamed the suspension on him taking an improper medication while addressing his mental health. He returned for a strong postseason showing, shooting 49.3% from three across 11 games.
- Brown spoke for the first time since the trade on his stream on Thursday, overall appearing content with the team’s decision while expressing displeasure with the handling of the trade saga after his initial inclusion in Antetokounmpo talks. He felt there was more to his ousting from Boston than the team explained to him, and that he had earned more respect than the Celtics showed him. The Athletic cited a combination of the team sensing itself far away from contention and projecting issues with Brown no longer filling the offense’s No. 1 option role as reasons for the move.
- Multiple reports indicated that the Celtics did not trade Brown for financial reasons, though his super max contract undoubtedly proved to limit his value around the league alongside an aforementioned analytical profile. Boston did not receive enormous cap relief over the next two seasons should George opt-in for 2027-28, both players making the same amount this upcoming year before George makes $5.1 million less than Brown next summer. From a cap standpoint, the Celtics avoided the final year of Brown’s deal at $65.6-million in 2028-29, along with a potential two-year extension worth $141-million through 2031.
- Brown became extension-eligible on July 26. Reporting on his demands for a deal and the appetite by the Celtics and teams around the league to offer one proved limited throughout the process. Friday’s Athletic article did not reference a difference over an extension as a reason, though any demand by Brown would’ve certainly created an even larger gulf between George and Brown’s deals. Given wide reports of a limited market for Brown around the league, it’s unlikely he could have leveraged one in Boston, but all it took was one team. His trade to Philadelphia did not come with reported expectations or anticipation of a contract. That could have, however, nixed Brown ending up in other destinations, as it clearly did with Milwaukee in Antetokounmpo talks.
- Speaking of Antetokounmpo, multiple reports have pointed toward there being a larger difference in talks between the Celtics and Bucks than Hugo González or a draft pick. Reports have indicated González, Baylor Scheierman, perhaps an additional young player and more than the two first-round picks that Boston offered would’ve been required for the team to land the star. Now, looking back, the team and fans will have to weigh the difference in outlook between Tatum, Antetokounmpo and likely no tradable first-round picks, or Tatum, George and as many as five tradable firsts.
- Those firsts included what will likely amount to the better of the Clippers and Sixers firsts in 2028, unprotected, and a 2031 unprotected one from Philadelphia. The Sixers kept 2029 swap rights with the Clippers (protected 1-3) in the deal. They’re undoubtedly valuable picks in multiple ways for the Celtics, who can now assemble a massive package for a star one year from now by utilizing George’s expiring salary, more aggressively shop their own future firsts, or utilize them over time. Tatum’s timeline makes the last option a difficult one to follow and in the near term, the Celtics being hard-capped at the first apron, which they’re only $5-million short of, makes follow-up trades unlikely. George is expected to play for Boston this year and multiple reports said now ensuing deal is expected from the Celtics.
- So what does it all amount to? The trade placed enormous pressure on Joe Mazzulla’s analytics-based approach, the gamble by Stevens’ front office that averting further depreciation of Brown’s value, that George can hold the line for at least one year and public faith in an ownership group that coincidentally or not has overseen Brown, Kristaps Porziņģis, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, Luke Kornet, Anfernee Simons, Josh Minott and Xavier Tillman’s exits from the Celtics for little return beyond draft compensation and luxury tax relief. All three will have to answer for the move if it doesn’t work. Stevens and governor Bill Chisholm will address the media on Monday.
- On the optimistic side, George can fill in for Brown on both ends of the floor and already committed to a more complementary role with Philadelphia last season. Though in the late stages of his career, he’s one of the most talented wings of this era. The Celtics’ excellent development program should continue to see strides from ascending rotation players like Neemias Queta, Scheierman and González, while Mitchell Robinson arrived as badly needed center depth. There’s an argument that Boston’s system accentuated Brown and will continue to, alongside Tatum’s creation abilities, in Brown’s place.
- But pessimistically, Brown filled intangible roles that’ll prove hard to replace, countered the team’s play style with downhill pressure Stevens alluded to the Celtics needing more of in his post-season press conference and continued improving annually. When Boston needed to create a shot late in games, knock a larger rim protector off his spot or push the pace, Brown thrived in those areas and operated in the mid-range where defenses backed off. While sometimes an erratic force, he gave a different look than Tatum did in valuable ways. Remember the Game 1-tying shot against Indiana in the 2024 East Finals, Game 3-clinching look against Dallas in the Finals that year and mountains of wins between he and Tatum.
- Most importantly, Brown’s emergence as a pillar in the Boston community, as a role model for everyone, but especially Black people in the city who have historically faced discrimination and a sense of invisibility. Brown consistently showed up, advocated for and created programs that helped those people. Many of them felt devastated by the trade in a way that it felt like the Celtics organization didn’t fully appreciate or make feel involved or informed through the process. Boston’s organization, for its part, has supported Brown’s efforts and advanced its own across the region, but Brown went above-and-beyond with fan interaction, hands-on approaches in his business and education initiatives. At the announcement of his five-year contract extension now cited as a reason for his exit, Brown dreamt of creating a Black Wall Street with the money. He was on his way, and his foundation said he’ll continue his efforts in Boston and beyond while joining Philadelphia.
- Perhaps my favorite part of this saga and storyline as it continues, the judgment of the deal for both organizations, head-to-head battles between Tatum and Brown, and their two contending teams, is that he’ll play for the 76ers. A historic rival. The team that just beat the Celtics in the playoffs. A franchise pushing aggressively to win now-and-later, and one that plays Boston four times per year, at least. You’ll see Brown often, undoubtedly with revenge on his mind. And his return to the city will go down as a special night. No. 7 should and likely will join the rafters one day alongside Tatum’s No. 0.