Boston Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown is coming off one of the best individual seasons of his professional career. Despite this, it seems that this accomplishment has done him more harm than good, as the superstar continues to be mentioned in trade rumors around the league.
Among the recent developments, Jaylen Brown has been mentioned in trade rumors with the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo. This would make sense as Boston emerges as a suitor for the Bucks‘ superstar. However, when discussing these rumors on “NBA Today,” NBA insider Marc J. Spears provided some interesting insight.
“Another team that’s been thrown into the fray is the Clippers,” Spears began. “They’ve been talking about a three-way deal where Jaylen Brown would be going from the Celtics to the Clippers, and Giannis would be going to Boston.”
For all intents and purposes, a straight-up swap between Antetokounmpo and Brown would seem feasible. However, when factoring in the Bucks’ demand for draft assets, there is reason to believe that a third party, such as the Los Angeles Clippers, must get involved.
Still, when noting the validity of the Clippers as a genuine landing spot for Jaylen Brown, Spears commented:
“From what I’m hearing, Boston would certainly love to have Giannis, but respectfully, I don’t know if the Clippers feel the same about Jaylen and I don’t think from what I’ve been told have been any substantial conversations there.”
“One thing about the Clippers, they’re enjoying this youth movement,” he continued. “They moved James Harden, who was 36 years old. Jaylen’s 29, but you’ve got Garland 26, Christie 20, Mathurin 23… I think they’re enjoying this younger movement.”
Spears makes a solid observation about the Clippers’ current situation. After parting with James Harden ahead of the February trade deadline, Los Angeles appeared to have a very young core. Barring Kawhi Leonard, the majority of the Clippers’ players were in their 20s, a stark shift from their look at the start of the season.
There is considerable doubt about L.A.’s direction moving forward. The current situation is quite conducive for a rebuild, especially if Kawhi Leonard’s salary comes off the books. With a lottery pick in hand, Los Angeles has the tools to start from scratch and build a strong foundation.
However, if they retain Leonard and acquire Jaylen Brown, the Clippers’ approach to next season will effectively be “championship or bust,” which may not be as fruitful in the long run.
Overall, a team like the Clippers may not emerge as a potential third team in any trade scenario involving Jaylen Brown and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mark the end of the trade rumors surrounding the Celtics’ superstar.
While Jaylen Brown’s place with the Celtics has virtually never been in doubt, his comments about the season and the antics that followed may have affected his position. Now, with Boston reportedly in pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brown appears to be the Celtics’ most viable trade asset.
Recent updates suggest that Boston is creating a proposal to acquire Antetokounmpo without giving up Brown. However, given that they are also competing with the Miami Heat in a bidding war for the Bucks’ superstar, discarding the five-time All-Star may harm their chances.
