The Golden State Warriors had several chances to go after Jaylen Brown over the past year. But according to a new report, the franchise simply didn’t think that he was the player to lead them into the post-Stephen Curry era.
And that decision looks more significant after Brown was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, where he helped convince LeBron James to sign and form the NBA’s newest superteam.
According to Logan Murdock of The Ringer, the Warriors seriously discussed Brown before the February trade deadline, but they ultimately walked away because of internal disagreements.
“The Warriors had an opportunity to trade for the former Celtic before the deadline in February, but couldn’t build an organizational consensus that Brown would be the right player to carry the Warriors beyond the Curry era.”
It’s a rather revealing detail that shows how everything went down. Brown was one of the biggest names available on the trade market, and the Warriors were linked with him. Previous reports suggested that the Celtics wanted a trade package built around three or four first-round picks, with Jimmy Butler also being discussed as part of the potential framework.
But the Warriors ultimately thought the asking price was just too much. The Warriors could have re-entered the negotiations this time around with an even stronger package, but they decided not to move forward with it.
Now this latest report suggests that the excessive draft capital might not have been the only reason. The Warriors just didn’t believe that Brown could be the franchise cornerstone they needed once Curry eventually retires.
It’s a rather fascinating evaluation given Brown’s recent season. The five-time All-Star is coming off the best season of his career, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists while shooting 47.7% from the field and 34.7% from three-point range. He also earned a second All-NBA Second Team selection, spending much of the season in the MVP conversation.
At 29 years of age, Jaylen Brown checks many of the boxes that the Warriors have been searching for. But the Warriors chose to prioritize flexibility along with future assets. That decision not to go after Brown might have had consequences far beyond what the Warriors had initially thought.
Reports said that LeBron’s eventual decision to join the Philadelphia 76ers was heavily influenced by Jaylen Brown’s arrival. If the Warriors had completed the trade three months earlier or even this time around, that could have presented LeBron with a slightly more compelling case.
But instead, Brown landed with the Sixers, and LeBron followed.
The Warriors were left empty-handed. And that has been the theme of their offseason. They’ve gone after every available superstar, but they have still failed to land any of them.
Because of that, the Warriors are expected to largely run back last season’s roster after re-signing Draymond Green to a one-year deal.
Whether that is enough to satisfy Curry remains to be seen. The Warriors finished 37-45 last season, earned the 10th seed, and were eliminated in the play-in tournament. Simply bringing back the same core, which is heavily injury-prone, in a stacked Western Conference is just not enough.
Looking back, the Brown decision could be the defining moment of this era. If he helps the Sixers win a championship immediately, the Warriors will always wonder what could have been.
More importantly, it also raises the question of what the Warriors’ long-term vision is. If the front office didn’t believe a 29-year-old All-NBA wing who was scoring nearly 29 points per game was capable of leading the team after Curry retires, who exactly are they waiting for?
The answer will determine how the Warriors transition from this era to the next, or whether it will take a lengthy rebuild once Curry calls it a career.
