The Philadelphia 76ers have landed one of the biggest prizes in the offseason in Jaylen Brown, while the Boston Celtics may have just made one of the most shocking decisions in franchise history. According to ESPN, the Celtics are sending Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks.
Full Trade Details
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: Jaylen Brown
Boston Celtics Receive: Paul George, 2028 first-round pick (that could convert from a first to a swap that is more favorable to Boston), 2031 first-round pick (Unprotected), 2028 second-round pick (Most favorable of GSW/OKC/MIL), 2030 second-round pick (Most favorable of WAS/PORT/PHX)
On paper, Boston receives a veteran and draft assets. In reality, however, this feels like a horrible return for a player entering the prime of his career.
Yes, Jaylen Brown wanted out. There were many teams interested, and it seemed there was no way back for the 2024 Finals MVP. But we have to be honest here and describe this deal as mind-blowingly confusing.
Brown is a 29-year-old Finals MVP, perennial All-NBA candidate, and one of the league’s premier two-way wings. He is coming off a season averaging 28.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 5.1 APG, 1.0 SPG, and 0.4 BPG on 47.7% FG, 34.7% 3-PT FG, and 79.5% FT in 71 games.
Brown also finished 6th in MVP voting, made the All-Star Team, and made the All-NBA Second Team. So what gives?
Philadelphia deserves enormous credit for getting a deal done when nobody seemed to be able to. Pairing Brown with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey instantly creates one of basketball’s most exciting Big Threes and gives the 76ers the elite wing they’ve desperately needed. The Sixers also get a chance to develop the 20-year-old VJ Edgecombe even more.
Boston, meanwhile, appears to be sacrificing both present and future championship hopes for an aging Paul George who still has $54,126,380 on the books for 2026-27 and a player option worth 56,586,670 in 2027-28. Based on pure value, the trade grades are going to be lopsided.
Philadelphia 76ers: A+
Philadelphia finally lands the superstar it has been searching for. Jaylen Brown gives the 76ers an elite two-way scorer who is a perfect third piece to Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
Brown is a superstar offensively and consistently takes on difficult defensive assignments. His versatility fills one of Philadelphia’s biggest roster needs. The 76ers ranked 14th in offense (115.9 PPG) and 19th in defense (116.1 OPPG), so Brown immediately fixes both of those issues.
Giving up Paul George and multiple draft picks is expected, but not very expensive, and championship windows rarely stay open forever. Embiid is still in his prime but likely has one or two years left, Maxey is an All-NBA guard, and Brown is young enough to remain a franchise cornerstone long after George would have declined.
This is a huge win for the 76ers, and their fans will be counting the days until next season starts because they feel they have a chance to win it all.
Boston Celtics: F
Jaylen Brown is 29 years old and coming off another All-NBA caliber season. He has already proven he can be the best player on a championship team after winning the Finals MVP.
Players like that shouldn’t become available by the Celtics franchise, and when they do, they command an abnormally large return. Remember how the Celtics were asking for four first-round picks? Perhaps Brown is the one who lowered his own trade value.
Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks simply don’t come close to matching Brown’s value. Brad Stevens probably didn’t have a better offer on the table. He isn’t an inexperienced executive by any means. But this has to be graded for what it is.
The biggest problem is Paul George himself. While still an excellent player when healthy, he’ll be 36 years old and has struggled to stay on the floor consistently in recent seasons. George averaged 17.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.7 SPG, and 0.4 BPG on 43.9% FG, 39.2% 3-PT FG, and 82.0% FT in 37 games.
George has played at least 65 games once since 2018-19. He has played 78 games over the last two seasons combined. Need we go on?
Boston would basically be swapping one of the league’s best players and a perennial MVP candidate for a veteran nearing the end of his career. The draft picks help, but unless one turns into another superstar, they won’t compensate for losing a player of Brown’s status.
Championship teams don’t voluntarily trade franchise cornerstones in their prime unless the return is overwhelming. This package is underwhelming.
Is it possible that no other team had a better package than this? Settling for an aging Paul George and a modest collection of picks would represent one of the poorest superstar returns in recent NBA history, making this an easy F from the Celtics’ perspective.
Jaylen Brown: A-
This trade gives Brown exactly what he reportedly wanted, which is a fresh start away from Boston. After spending 10 years in Boston, Brown now joins a franchise where he can establish a new identity without constantly being compared to Jayson Tatum.
Philadelphia offers an opportunity to become part of a legitimate championship core while taking on an even larger offensive role alongside Embiid and Maxey.
If anything, playing next to Maxey’s speed and Embiid’s dominance could create some of the most efficient offensive opportunities of his career. VJ Edgecombe will also develop perfectly well with Brown’s leadership.
This is a win for Brown because he gets his team, doesn’t have to rebuild anything, and can be a leader. An easy A- for Brown, and not an A, because he ultimately forced his way out of a fantastic situation in Boston because of his feelings. Brown felt disrespected time and time again, and he wants a chance to prove himself even more.
Jayson Tatum: D
This is a difficult outcome for Jayson Tatum. He doesn’t deserve this after sacrificing a ton for the Celtics to be successful. He conceded the Eastern Conference MVP and Finals MVP to Brown and used his all-around talents to win the 2024 championship.
On one hand, Boston gets future financial flexibility that could eventually help build another contender around him. On the other hand, he loses the teammate who shared 10 years of chemistry, six Eastern Conference Finals appearances, an NBA championship, and nine playoff battles.
Replacing Brown won’t be easy. Paul George is an excellent player when healthy, but he’s not the long-term running mate Tatum had in Brown.
The pressure on Tatum to carry Boston’s championship goals only increases following this blockbuster. An easy D for Tatum, who must be wondering what went wrong after he was trying to recover from an Achilles tear.
Celtics Fans: F
For Celtics fans all over the globe, this is a brutal trade. Jaylen Brown is not just an All-Star player; he was drafted by Boston, developed into an All-NBA player, won Finals MVP, and helped deliver Banner #18.
Watching him leave for a rival would be impossibly difficult for a fan base that spent years watching Brown and Tatum grow into one of the NBA’s best duos.
There is at least some optimism…we think. The Celtics have some picks and have Paul George on the roster, but that likely won’t ease the disappointment of losing one of the franchise’s greatest modern stars.
Unless those draft picks eventually become superstar players or Boston returns to championship contention, almost every Celtics fan will view this as the end of one of the greatest eras in franchise history.
