It’s been more than a month since the Celtics sent Jaylen Brown to the 76ers, and the deal still has plenty of people trying to read Boston’s next move. The obvious takeaway is that the Celtics were eager to move Brown and eager to get out from under the reality of paying two players 70% of the salary cap going forward.
That has fueled the idea that Boston is simply setting up for another swing at a star next to Jayson Tatum, perhaps by dealing the Paul George contract and draft picks next summer when PG’s deal is expiring. But while that’s part of the conversation, it doesn’t sound like the most likely path from Brad Stevens and company. The organization has leaned hard into optionality, and that makes a constant cycle of max-contract chases feel more like a fan theory than a true endgame.
Brown was expensive and not a perfect fit, but he was still a damn good player. If the Celtics’ plan is just to wait a year and hope that salary slot turns into a cleaner superstar fit, that’s a tough bet to make.
The list of players who are both better and realistic is short. If someone like Nikola Jokic, Anthony Edwards, or Steph Curry becomes available, then yes, that’s worth pursuing.
But that’s closer to a dream scenario than something Boston should count on.
A move for another supermax-level name also doesn’t really solve the issue that pushed Boston to make the trade in the first place. More likely, the next target would come from the tier below that - players such as Donovan Mitchell, Devin Booker, or Jamal Murray.
Those are good players, no question. But swapping Brown for one of them doesn’t automatically create a cleaner roster or a clearer cap picture, and it may leave Boston staring at the same problem in a different jersey.
The more realistic route is probably a broader roster build, one centered on players the Celtics view as value contracts. Trey Murphy III fit that idea, with his reasonable deal and room to grow. That kind of move points to a different kind of plan: replacing Brown with a collection of very good pieces instead of spending big on one replacement star.
That approach keeps the flexibility Boston seems to want. It gives the Celtics room to keep adjusting, keep their own players, and keep working the trade market without boxing themselves into another expensive mistake.
It’s not the loudest path, and it won’t satisfy everyone hoping for another blockbuster. But with Tatum already in place, the cleaner idea may be building around him with the right mix of talent, not just stacking names for the sake of it.
In Other News...
Celtics Moving Jaylen Brown May Have Been Bigger Than One Playoff Run
Jaylen Browns exit looks less like a sudden response to one rough playoff moment and more like the end of a longer evaluation inside Boston. Reports indicate the Celtics had been exploring a move involving Brown well before the summer, which suggests the front office was weighing a major change in advance of any single postseason result. For a team that has spent years trying to balance present contention with future flexibility, that kind of timing says plenty about how serious the conversations were.
The wider market helps explain why the deal took so long to materialize. Around the trade deadline, the Warriors had a chance to get in on Brown but balked at the price, with the cost climbing to roughly four first-round picks and no easy internal agreement on whether he fit their long-term plans. Boston eventually sent Brown to the 76ers for Paul George and draft picks, a move that now feels like part of a much bigger reset than a one-off shakeup. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Second-Round Pick Just Created An Unexpected Roster Dilemma
The Celtics newest second-round swing has already run into a little summer uncertainty. Dillon Mitchell, Bostons draft pick, is at the center of a developing NCAA rule change that could open the door for him to play a fifth college season instead of moving straight into the NBA, creating an unusual wrinkle for a team that hoped to bring him into the fold and see where he fits.
Mitchell has not signed with Boston yet, and that leaves the door open for a decision that could delay his pro debut without necessarily closing the book on his future with the Celtics. If he does head back to school, Boston would still hold his draft rights, turning the situation into a draft-and-stash style setup while the club waits to see whether he ultimately chooses the college route or begins his NBA career now. [Read more 🡒]
Brad Stevens Keeps Giving The Celtics A Huge Roster Edge
The Mavericks new deal with Naji Marshall is another reminder of how quickly the market can reward a useful wing who has carved out a real NBA role. Marshall has the kind of proven experience that gives a team confidence to commit long term, and his three-year, $52 million extension stands in contrast to the stage Boston is still working through with several of its younger wings.
For the Celtics, the broader point is less about one contract than the advantage created by stockpiling and developing players who can eventually be retained on friendlier terms. Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, and Ron Harper Jr. all fit into that pipeline, giving Boston a chance to keep building depth on manageable money while preserving the flexibility that has become central to Brad Stevens roster approach. [Read more 🡒]