Jaylen Brown is back in the middle of trade rumors, and the timing is not random. The links between Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Celtics are still around the league, and any serious path for that type of move could push Brown out as the main trade piece. That would end the Brown and Jayson Tatum era, a run that already gave the Celtics a championship but now looks less untouchable than before.
The Celtics had a strong regular season, and Brown played the best individual basketball of his career. Still, the ending was ugly. The Celtics blew a 3-1 lead and lost to the 76ers in seven games in the first round. For a team built around title standards, that is not a small failure. It is the type of loss that makes front offices look at everything again, even when the player involved is still elite.
Brown did his part in the playoffs, averaging 25.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in seven games while shooting 45.5% from the field and 40.5% from three. But the Celtics still went home early, and that is why his name is back in trade talk. More recently, Marc Stein reported that the Hawks, Rockets, and Trail Blazers all have legitimate trade interest in Brown if the Celtics reach the point where they are open to a major change.
So, here are three realistic paths for Jaylen Brown to land with one of those three contending teams this offseason and end his Celtics tenure.
1. The Hawks Take The Big Swing For Jaylen Brown
Atlanta Hawks Receive: Jaylen Brown
Boston Celtics Receive: Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, 2030 first-round pick, 2032 first-round pick
This is the Hawks trade that feels strong enough without getting unrealistic. It is not cheap, but Jaylen Brown is not a mid-level target. He just had the best scoring season of his career with 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists on 47.7% from the field. He also made All-NBA Second Team, and the Celtics finished 56-26 as the No. 2 seed in the East. That means the Celtics can’t move him for simple depth and late picks. They need players who can help now and still fit the next five years.
The framework is simple enough. Brown is at $57.1 million in 2026-27. Jalen Johnson is at $30.0 million, and Dyson Daniels is at $25.0 million. That is $55.0 million going to the Celtics. It is close enough for the Hawks to take Brown’s number without forcing three or four extra contracts into the deal.
For the Celtics, Johnson is the real prize. Jalen Johnson posted 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists on 48.9% from the field and 35.2% from three. That is star-level all-around production. He is not as skilled as a wing scorer, but he provides the Celtics with size, passing, transition offense, and rebounding. Next to Jayson Tatum, that has value. Tatum can still be the main scorer, while Johnson gives them another player who can start the offense.
Daniels gives the Celtics the other side of the deal. Dyson Daniels finished with 11.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.9 assists on 51.7% from the field. He is not there to replace Brown’s 28 points. He is there to defend guards and wings, pressure the ball, rebound from the backcourt, and make fast passes. If the Celtics lose Brown’s physical defense, Daniels helps protect them from becoming too soft on the perimeter.
For the Hawks, this is a painful but logical move. They finished 46-36 as the No. 6 seed in the East. That is good, but not enough to scare the top teams. Brown gives them a real playoff threat. He can attack switches, score through contact, defend bigger perimeter players, and handle late-clock possessions. The Hawks would lose Johnson’s future and Daniels’ defense, so the cost is high. But those are the only assets that the Celtics would be willing to take from them to part ways with a player of Brown’s caliber.
2. The Rockets Keep Amen Thompson And Still Make A Serious Offer
Houston Rockets Receive: Jaylen Brown
Boston Celtics Receive: Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, Dorian Finney-Smith, Clint Capela, 2027 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick
This Rockets trade is built around one rule: don’t move Amen Thompson. The Celtics would ask for him. The Rockets should refuse. Brown is better right now, but Thompson is too untouchable right now. He gives them defense, pressure, rebounding, rim attacks, and transition play. If the Rockets add Brown while keeping Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Alperen Sengun, then the deal has real upside. If Thompson is in the trade, the whole idea becomes less attractive.
The money needs several contracts. Jabari Smith Jr. is listed at $23.6 million, Reed Sheppard at $11.1 million, Dorian Finney-Smith at $13.3 million, and Clint Capela at $7.0 million. That is around $55.1 million going out. It is not pretty, but it gets close to Brown’s number without touching Durant, Sengun, or Thompson.
Jabari Smith Jr. is the main piece for the Celtics. Smith put up 15.8 points and 6.9 rebounds on 44.9% from the field. He is not a first-option creator, but he has the body and skill set every playoff team wants. He can space the floor, defend forwards, rebound, and play next to Tatum without taking the same areas. If the Celtics move Brown, they still need size on the wing. Smith gives them that, and he is young enough to keep growing.
Reed Sheppard grew a ton this year as a lead guard. He is not a finished product, but he posted 13.5 points and 3.4 assists, and his shooting is the reason the Celtics would care. Sheppard shot 39.4% from three on high volume (7.0 3PA), ranking in the 87th percentile in three-point accuracy and 94th percentile in three-point volume. That type of guard helps around Tatum because he can play off the ball, punish help defense, and keep the floor spaced.
The fit for the Rockets is strong. They finished 52-30 as the No. 5 seed in the West. Durant still gave them 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists on 52.0% from the field and 41.3% from three. Sengun had 20.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 6.2 assists. Brown would add another strong downhill scorer who can carry the offense when Durant rests or when Sengun gets trapped.
This is not the strongest Celtics return in pure star value. The Hawks can offer better top-end talent. The Trail Blazers can offer a younger scorer. But the Rockets’ offer has many useful pieces and two first-round picks. For the Rockets, this is the title version. Brown, Durant, Thompson, and Sengun would be huge, physical, and hard to guard in the playoffs.
3. The Trail Blazers Give The Celtics A Great Option
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Jaylen Brown
Boston Celtics Receive: Jerami Grant, Shaedon Sharpe, 2029 first-round pick, 2030 first-round pick (swap)
This is my favorite direct deal because it doesn’t need too much work. It is easy to understand. The Trail Blazers get the best player. The Celtics get a young scorer, a veteran forward, and draft value. It is not perfect, but it is realistic enough to discuss.
The money is close. Brown is at $57.1 million in 2026-27. Jerami Grant is at $34.2 million, and Shaedon Sharpe is at $20.1 million. Together, that is around $54.3 million. The Celtics take back less long-term top-end salary, and the Trail Blazers get a star wing who fits their timeline better than Grant.
Shaedon Sharpe is the exciting part. He posted 20.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists on 45.2% from the field. He is not as complete as Brown. He is not close defensively. But he can score, run the floor, attack closeouts, and create shots with athleticism. The Celtics would be betting on the next step and a second apron relief. If Sharpe becomes a more complete decision-maker, he gives them a cheaper scorer next to Tatum.
Jerami Grant can still help a playoff rotation. He put up 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists this year. He is not the same type of scorer as Brown, but he can play off Tatum and defend bigger wings. His contract is big, but shorter, so the Celtics would need to be comfortable with the money. Compared to Brown’s supermax number, Grant plus Sharpe gives them more roster balance.
The Trail Blazers finished 42-40 as the No. 8 seed in the West. That is why this move makes sense for them. They are not starting from zero anymore. Deni Avdija took a major step with 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.7 assists on 46.2% from the field as an All-Star wing. Brown, next to Avdija, gives the Trail Blazers two strong forwards who can attack, pass enough, rebound, and create matchup problems.
I would not add Donovan Clingan here unless the Celtics send something else back. Grant and Sharpe already give the right salary shape. Adding Clingan makes the price too high and hurts the Trail Blazers’ frontcourt depth. The Celtics can ask for one first-round pick and one swap because Brown is still an All-NBA player. That is fair. But if they demand Sharpe, Grant, Clingan, and multiple first-round picks, the Trail Blazers should walk.
This is the best middle ground. The Celtics don’t get a star, but they get a real young scorer and a useful forward. The Trail Blazers don’t destroy the whole roster. They add Brown to Avdija and move into a much more serious West conversation.
