It would be tough to find a single NBA fan who wasn’t shocked when Jaylen Brown was traded from the Boston Celtics to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday. Since being drafted in 2016, Brown had spent 10 seasons with the Celtics and was named Finals MVP not too long ago when they snapped a 16-year championship drought.
This trade made little sense to most, as Boston only received Paul George, two first-round picks, and a couple of second-rounders in exchange, a return that stood in stark contrast to what their initial asking price was reported to be.
It is also a clear drop-off in value and production between the two players. On Wednesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania said the Celtics had originally set a “high bar” in the Brown sweepstakes, which potentially included young star VJ Edgecombe in the package.
“The Sixers’ president reached out to the Celtics and made offers in recent weeks,” Charania said. “…The Celtics had such a high bar on a deal. They were thinking, ‘If you’re gonna trade us Paul George, we need four firsts, five firsts, we need a player like a VJ Edgecombe.’ That was the bar that was set early.
“There were other teams around the league that might have stopped conversations or moved on to do other deals, but the Sixers stayed with it… they stuck around, and at the end of it, they were the last team standing today.”
The potential acquisition of Edgecombe would have aligned with Boston’s long-term vision while strengthening their forward line, but the deal ultimately fell through as Brown’s market value took a hit over a period of days. With that premium option off the table, Boston was left with no choice but to trade Brown for a lower return.
NBA Reporter Suggests Celtics Could Flip Jaylen Brown Trade Picks
The next major storyline will be what Brad Stevens does with the collection of draft picks the team now possesses from the Jaylen Brown trade.
According to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, there is a strong possibility that one or more of those newly acquired picks will become major trade chips.
“The Celtics can spin that the pair of first-rounders they picked up have value. And they do. The 2028 one will likely end up as the Clippers’, who are beginning a rebuild with an Aspiration-sized anvil over their head. The ’31 pick is Philadelphia’s and, hey, who knows where the Sixers will be in four years. Boston has kicked the tires on Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III, sources say. This deal gives them more assets to pursue him,” Mannix wrote.
On the surface, targeting Murphy seems like a very good option, as his offensive upside would immediately address Boston’s wing needs. At just 26 years old, Murphy is entering his prime and could elevate the Celtics to even greater heights in the future.
He has grown in every statistical category since entering the league. Ultimately, Brad Stevens’ decision on these picks will serve as an obvious indicator of the kind of organization the Celtics want to build in the post-Jaylen Brown era.
Read More:
NBA Analyst Reveals Shocking Stat That May Have Led to Jaylen Brown’s Trade to 76ers
Stephen A. Smith Feels “Validated” Over Past Jaylen Brown Criticisms Following His Trade to 76ers
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