The trade market is abuzz in the offseason, as major trades set up the landscape for what’s to come. Amidst the trade rumors that are gathering attention, those associated with Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown also appear to be heating up.
The Celtics have found themselves in a very conflicting position ahead of the new season. After relishing in the glory of title success in 2024, Boston found itself in a rather difficult spot this year. With salary cap issues plaguing the franchise, the C’s were forced to make some tough calls to remain under the second luxury tax apron.
After trading away Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics are a mere shadow of the team they were only a year ago. And unfortunately, this process of shedding salary is far from over. To offload more contracts, Boston has made their superstar Jaylen Brown available in trade talks, and teams around the league have shown an interest.
League-wide interest in Brown is expected to heat up ahead of the NBA draft, with ESPN’s Shams Charania even claiming that a deal could be struck in the next 24 hours. With this sense of urgency in mind, we take a look at some potential trade deals for the Celtics star that could provide a change of scenery.
San Antonio Spurs
A deal with the San Antonio Spurs is absolutely on the cards for the Celtics. A rumor linking Brown to the Spurs saw a lot of traction, particularly because of what San Antonio could offer in exchange for Boston’s star.
With valuable assets in hand, the Spurs are a viable trading spot for virtually any team. But for the Celtics, they may be the solution to structuring their rebuild.
Proposed Trade Details
Boston Celtics Receive: Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, Jeremy Sochan, 2025 No. 2 overall pick, 2027 first-round pick
San Antonio Spurs Receive: Jaylen Brown
Although the Celtics would be inclined to ask for Stephon Castle as well, it would be unlikely given the sheer quality of talent and the high-value draft capital they would be receiving.
The addition of Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan could be immensely beneficial for a rebuilding team like Boston. Vassell has shown an innate ability to be an offensive threat. His averages of 16.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists don’t necessarily reflect this, but in a system with more playing time, the 24-year-old could be a significant contributor.
Sochan has shown a lot of upside as a defensive entity and rebounding presence. Although his offensive capability is raw, he has shown some development, averaging 11.4 points and 6.5 rebounds. At only 21 years old, Sochan has a lot of scope for improvement as well.
In addition to this, the Celtics also acquire a solid veteran in Harrison Barnes to fill out their bench. Although Barnes’ averages of 12.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game were underwhelming, he is an expiring contract next season, thus making him a valuable acquisition for the team.
The real winner for Boston in this deal is the draft assets, particularly the No. 2 overall pick from this year’s draft. With Dylan Harper being viewed as the second pick by many draft experts, the Celtics would do well by selecting the young guard to help structure their rebuild in the absence of Jayson Tatum next season.
Meanwhile, this deal is transformative for the Spurs. The addition of Brown in their starting rotation immediately turns San Antonio into title contenders. A backcourt consisting of De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Brown is a potential matchup nightmare for any opposing team.
Brown’s averages of 22.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game from last season may be subject to some changes in a different system. Potentially becoming the primary scoring option may also have a major impact on the output of the 28-year-old guard, who is in the prime of his career.
Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets could be an interesting trading spot for the Boston Celtics. Although the Nets weren’t seen as a viable trading spot in the earlier segments of the offseason, their recent trade moves have seen them earn five critical first-round picks in this year’s draft. This could be of massive interest for the Celtics, who need draft capital.
Potential Trade Details
Boston Celtics Brown: No. 8 overall pick, No. 14 overall pick, No. 27 overall pick, Cameron Johnson
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Jaylen Brown
Previous trade proposals for Brown had presented a positive structure for the Nets to trade for him. But the Nets’ recent acquisition of first-round draft picks has given the team more power to negotiate with the Celtics.
Boston would be quite interested in the newly acquired first-rounders from Brooklyn. With the No. 8 pick already having a lot of value, the addition of the No. 14 and No. 27 picks will be huge for the Celtics’ rebuilding efforts.
Meanwhile, Boston would also acquire a capable forward in Cameron Johnson. The 29-year-old is one of the premier three-and-D players in the NBA, but his game is far more versatile than this. Johnson could bring massive upside to the Celtics. His averages of 18.8 points and 4.3 rebounds on shooting splits of 47.5% from the field and 39.0% from beyond the arc are a testament to this fact.
The addition of Brown to Brooklyn’s roster also has major implications. Brown’s cap hit of $53.1 million has virtually no impact on Brooklyn’s salary cap. With roughly $80 million to work with after acquiring Brown, the Nets will have enough leeway to re-sign key players and explore trades to add stars.
Brown’s arrival also makes the Nets an attractive destination for other stars to partner up with the guard. With this approach, Brooklyn could effectively look to become a title contender in due time.
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets already caused tremors around the league by acquiring Kevin Durant. While this trade effectively turned the Rockets into one of the most formidable teams in the West, Houston is still likely to make more moves.
A move for Jaylen Brown would be massive, but it will require the Rockets to sacrifice a lot of young talent as well.
Proposed Trade Details
Boston Celtics Receive: Jabari Smith Jr., Cam Whitmore, 2027 first-round pick, 2028 first-round pick, 2030 second-round pick (BOS)
Houston Rockets Receive: Jaylen Brown
In a series of deals that would practically turn Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. into Brown and Durant, the Rockets would immediately turn into title contenders. The sheer offensive capability of this team is unfathomable.
The superstar pairing of Durant and Brown, as mesmerizing, would be under a lot of pressure to win the NBA title. Given their No. 2 seeding last season, Houston would do well to improve upon this to establish their place at the top of the West.
This deal is beneficial for the Celtics as well. The addition of Jabari Smith Jr. and Cam Whitmore is solid. Smith has shown immense scope for development as a versatile big. His averages of 12.2 points and 7.0 rebounds on 43.8% shooting from the field are respectable enough. With more freedom on offense, he could be more productive.
Similarly, Whitmore has showcased his abilities as a flat-out scorer. In a system that would give him more minutes to shine, there is enough reason to believe the forward would be more effective, while improving upon his averages of 9.4 points and 3.0 rebounds per game.
The Celtics will see real value out of the draft assets in this deal. The first-rounders in this deal will be particularly valuable to their rebuilding efforts.
The Celtics May Regret Trading Jaylen Brown
The situation is undoubtedly unfortunate for Boston. Jaylen Brown has been one of the team’s most essential pieces, especially considering that he was named Finals MVP after their successful campaign in 2024.
After signing both him and Tatum to massive contract extensions, the franchise pushed themselves into a corner. Their problems with the second apron were an inevitability in this regard.
While there is no doubt that Boston would rather retain Brown, the team would need to get very creative to find a way to get under the luxury tax without trading him.
