The Boston Celtics entered the 2022-23 season hoping to build off their NBA Finals appearance last season and make a push for the title once again. Unfortunately, the Celtics have taken a step back and were eliminated at home in a Game 7 against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Heat were the No. 1 seed last season and Boston went into Miami’s home arena to pull off an incredible road win as rookie head coach Ime Udoka outcoached Erik Spoelstra. This season, Joe Mazzulla had no answer for Spoelstra as the Celtics fell to the eighth-seeded Heat. Jimmy Butler got his revenge and an offseason full of changes lies ahead.
Jaylen Brown had a great regular season but ultimately disappeared in the playoffs when Boston needed him most. He averaged 22.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists through the 2023 playoffs but saw those numbers fall to 19.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in the series against the Heat. After Jayson Tatum suffered an early injury in Game 7, Brown couldn’t step up, shooting a paltry 8/23 and committing eight turnovers. Fans want him traded, a possibility that has been floated around for months. But where does Jaylen Brown go and what can the Celtics get in return for him?
Trade Details
Boston Celtics Receive: Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Porter Jr., 2023 No. 4 Overall Pick
Houston Rockets Receive: Jaylen Brown
The Rockets have already been linked to bringing Brown in and some key young assets could lead them to take their step toward contention in an offseason where they’re also expected to go after James Harden.
The Celtics Hit A Soft Restart On Their Core
The current Celtics core of Brown, Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart, and Al Horford have been together for over half a decade now. Horford was gone for two seasons in the middle, but these players ultimately form the core of the franchise, along with recently emerged center Robert Williams. If the Celtics don’t want to blow their core up, they have to add some new elements that they can develop once again. A bonafide scorer like Kevin Porter Jr. could excel as a bench scorer while Jabari Smith Jr. could be the young piece of the future that develops alongside Tatum. If not, the Celtics can also flip the Smith for good value, as the 20-year-old forward will be an attractive young piece for teams around the NBA.
Jabari Smith averaged 12.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists on 40.8% shooting from the field in his rookie season, underwhelming in comparison to his pre-Draft rival Paolo Banchero. Though the Rockets could easily rebuild his value, cashing him in for a proven commodity like Brown may be worth its salt. The No. 4 overall pick is also something that Boston can use as an asset to possibly upgrade from other players on their roster right now.
Kevin Porter Jr. averaged 19.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists on 442% from the field this season and may not have as bright a future under Ime Udoka as he did under Stephen Silas. He has proven his ability as a scorer, though he had been miscast in Houston as a point guard. With combo guards like Malcolm Brogdon, Marcus Smart, and Derrick White all sharing playmaking and handling responsibilities, KPJ can focus on what he does best and get buckets for the Celtics. They really needed a player of KPJ’s mold in Game 7, as they felt the lack of a bonafide scorer after Tatum was unable to produce as he usually does.
The Rockets Get An All-NBA Caliber Star To Ensure They Return To The Playoffs
Jaylen Brown may have disappointed against the Heat but his value in the NBA is very well-established. But with his contract expiring at the end of the 2023-24 season, the Celtics need to get assets now instead of rolling the dice with a core that’s already failed to get the job done over half a decade. Given the rumblings of Brown’s unhappiness in Boston, going to the Rockets could be the ideal fresh start he needs and allows Houston to make a statement about their return to battling for playoff positions in the Western Conference. If other offseason plans look to be working out, the Rockets could end up taking a big leap forward.
Discussing how the Rockets are setting up for next season hinges on whether James Harden leaves the 76ers for them. Indications do seem like Harden is coming back to the city he won MVP in, but not as the same superstar he was. Harden has embraced the role of a playmaker and secondary offensive option in Philly and Brooklyn, so he may keep the same thing going and add generational ball movement to an offense highlighting Brown and Jalen Green. Ultimately, Green is the gem of the future for this team and even Brown arriving is unlikely to change that in the short term.
Given how competitive the middle of the West is, Houston will have an absolute war to deal with. Brown is a proven regular-season performer and averaged 26.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists during this season on 49.1% from the field. He did so in a system where they overloaded the wings with him and Tatum. If Jabari is to make way for Brown, Jaylen could easily fit in next to Tari Eason in the frontcourt, providing a solid offensive and defensive punch. Harden and Green in the backcourt could be deadly, but there are too many questions about how that will work exactly. If Houston makes a move for Brown before the start of free agency, they will at least be sure they have a quality star on the roster on the off-chance Harden doesn’t work out.
The Rockets owe their 2024 first-round pick (lottery protected) to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Russell Westbrook trade from 2019. They cannot be tanking for another season, and acquiring Brown at the cost of their young assets will at least ensure they don’t sink to the bottom with no consolation prize. Their falling to No. 4 in the lottery also has seen them get angsty with their pick, so we know they’d be willing to move it if it gets them back a player of Brown’s caliber.
Celtics Get Options For Re-Tooling Their Squad, Rockets Make A Move To Leave The Bottom Of The Standings
Jaylen Brown still has immense utility in the NBA, but his relationship with the Celtics seems to be fraying. There have been various rumors throughout the year about Brown possibly moving on from the roster. Despite Jayson Tatum campaigning to keep him around, it seems moving on from Brown could be their best course of action. It’s in Jaylen’s best interests to be on a team with the bird rights on his contract, as it seems Boston may be unwilling to pay Brown the supermax contract he is eligible for after being named to the All-NBA team this season. This could ultimately be a situation similar to how Kyrie Irving left a contending situation in Brooklyn to ensure his bird rights were with the Mavericks, a team that is willing to pay him the max contract he’s entitled to.
The Rockets are coming off three dreadful seasons where the team combined to go 59-177 over these years in a blatant fall to the bottom once Harden left the squad. If they don’t take an active step forward now, they’re going to alienate their franchise star in Jalen Green as he enters the final year of his rookie contract. The Rockets are unlikely to have salary space to make big moves later, so they need to strike when they still have the opportunity. Getting Jaylen Brown gives them a reliable asset to start pushing them toward the top, even if they strike out in free agency. Developing this young core with Jabari Smith and the No. 4 pick may be too much of a gamble for the franchise, so you trade in your chips when it gives you an opportunity like this to get better.
Ime Udoka has a terrific relationship with Brown, so he’s bound to respond to his coaching and start playing the same basketball we saw him play last season in the NBA Finals, where he was arguably the best Celtics player. Ime can bring that side of Brown out again, as what we saw in the 2023 Playoffs is uncharacteristic and could come down to his motivation to excel for Boston. Moving on now before they enter a free agency saga throughout next season will be the best move for both player and franchise, while the Rockets can further build their new core.
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