Almost a month after the Jaylen Brown trade, the conversation still seems to be circling the wrong question. Bill Simmons and his dad talked through the move on the latest podcast, but the basic answer never really came into focus.
The Celtics didn’t make this deal because they were searching for a clever basketball wrinkle. They made it because they didn’t want Jaylen Brown.
That’s the heart of it. The exact moment Brad Stevens and the Celtics landed there isn’t public, but the direction is obvious: they decided Brown was no longer part of what they wanted to build. In a league where the salary cap is functioning almost like a hard cap, Boston looked at everything in front of it - on the floor and beyond it - and came to the conclusion that the better championship path was one without Brown.
Once that decision was made, the rest of the process was really just the mechanics. The month of shopping him around the league and working through negotiations wasn’t the reason for the move.
It was the result of it. Boston had already chosen its lane; the only question left was what kind of return it could pull in.
That helps explain why the Celtics didn’t drag this out and why the package looks the way it does. The front office clearly believes the team is just as strong, or stronger, when Brown isn’t playing.
The numbers, both advanced and basic, point in the same direction. If that’s the case, then the next question becomes obvious: why commit 35% of the salary cap to that player?
Boston’s answer appears to be that it shouldn’t.
The Celtics would never frame it this way publicly, but the logic is easy to see as addition by subtraction. Paul George, who should fit well in the system even if he’s overpaid, plus a couple of premium first-round picks and a couple of seconds, is the extra on top. The main objective was clearing Brown out and finding out what this roster looks like when it fully leans into Joe Mazzulla’s system with Jayson Tatum as the head of the snake.
It’s a risky bet, and if it blows up, it could do so in a big way. But there isn’t some hidden layer to decode here.
The Celtics made the trade because they wanted out of the Jaylen Brown business. If they also got to move him to a rival in the process, that may have just been a bonus for a front office that has never been shy about its confidence.
Fans don’t have to agree with it. They just have to recognize what happened. Stevens’ actions over the last month made the message pretty clear.
In Other News...
Celtics Suddenly Have A Wing Worth Chasing If Brad Pays The Price
Bostons search for another wing has turned up a name worth monitoring, but the path to getting there is anything but simple. Cameron Johnson has emerged as a player the Celtics are exploring, and the appeal is obvious for a team that can always use more size, shooting and lineup flexibility on the perimeter. The problem is that Bostons cap situation makes a clean fit difficult, so any serious pursuit would likely require more than just interest and a phone call.
The Nuggets, meanwhile, do not appear eager to rush into a move, which adds another layer to the puzzle for Brad Stevens and company. If Denver is willing to wait, the trade deadline could become the more realistic window for a deal, especially if Boston is still juggling the kind of outgoing pieces needed to make the money work. For now, the Celtics have a target worth chasing, but not one they can simply go out and get. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics May Be Drifting From The Identity That Won Them A Title
Bostons center picture is starting to look a lot different from the one that helped define its title run. After leaning into a five-out, shooting-heavy approach at the position, the Celtics have moved toward a more traditional mix by bringing in Mitchell Robinson and keeping Neemias Queta and Luka Garza around, a sign that rebounding, screening and interior presence now matter more than spacing at the five.
The shift also reflects a market reality, since there simply were not many stretch centers available in free agency. Boston still has room to change course if a shooting big man surfaces later, and the front office can keep adjusting based on how the current group fits, but for now the roster points toward a different kind of frontcourt than the one Celtics fans got used to. [Read more 🡒]
Jordan Walsh Deal Could Signal A Bigger Celtics Decision
Jordan Walshs new deal gives the Celtics a little more breathing room with one of their younger wings, and it says plenty about how the team views his trajectory. The 21-year-old played 68 games last season and flashed enough on both ends to make himself a real part of Bostons long-term picture, which is why the extension fits as much as a reward for progress as it does a bet on what comes next.
Baylor Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez complicate the picture in a way Boston has to keep sorting through. The Celtics have three young wings with rotation-level upside, but not nearly enough minutes to satisfy all of them, and that kind of logjam can shape everything from development plans to roster decisions down the line. Walshs place in that mix may be secure for now, but the bigger question is how long Boston can keep all three in the same lane. [Read more 🡒]