The Philadelphia 76ers‘ ownership could not believe their luck when they landed Jaylen Brown in a package that many around the league think was pennies on the dollar. One of their owners’ reactions sums up how the trade market shifted over the course of the Celtics’ offseason.
Speaking on The Bill Simmons Podcast, Bill Simmons shared a story from Michael Rubin’s White Party after the trade became official. One of the Sixers owners was asked about the blockbuster deal and admitted that they were just as shocked as everyone around the league.
“We couldn’t believe it either. We can’t believe we were able to get Jaylen Brown for what we gave up.”
Given how the entire saga concluded, this reaction is quite simple to understand.
Only a week before, the Celtics were reportedly set for a massive asking price for Jaylen Brown. Reports suggest that they wanted as many as four first-round picks in a deal for the five-time All-Star. The Celtics believed that price reflected Brown’s value after his career-best season averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists while earning All-NBA Second Team honors and finishing sixth in MVP voting.
Or that’s what the Celtics thought.
Brown came on the trade market only after the failed pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Celtics came very close to landing Giannis, but the Miami Heat ultimately ended up landing him. And after that, the relationship between Brown and the Celtics broke down, and the Celtics started listening to trade offers.
The Celtics’ massive demand did not attract great offers. And that forced Boston to accept a very different deal.
The Celtics sent Brown to the 76ers in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks. While those draft assets have value, much of the attention immediately shifted to George’s contract. At 34 years old, George is no longer the player he was during his prime, and he is coming off a season in which he averaged 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists while appearing in only 37 games because of injuries and a suspension.
Brown, meanwhile, is entering the middle of his prime.
And that’s why many around the league view this trade as a massive win for the Sixers.
Had this been the Paul George of six or seven years ago, the conversation would have been very different. Instead, the Sixers acquired a younger All-NBA wing in his prime, while getting off one of the worst contracts in the league.
If the reported reaction of the Sixers ownership is true, it reflects a belief that even they didn’t expect the Celtics to accept such a deal for a franchise player who led them to a title in 2024 and secured the Finals MVP.
