Jaylen Brown didn’t need much time to make the Warriors think twice.
In his Philadelphia 76ers debut Monday, Brown piled up 22 points, two rebounds and two assists in less than 17 first-half minutes against the reigning champion New York Knicks. He did it efficiently, going 8-of-13 from the floor and 3-of-5 from deep in a high-scoring matchup between Eastern Conference contenders.
That kind of instant impact lands with a little extra sting for Golden State, which had its own shot at Brown along the way. The Warriors had conversations with the Boston Celtics about a Brown trade at the mid-season deadline and again around the draft, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. But the price was steep: Boston wanted potentially four first-round picks, and Golden State also would have had to part with injured six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler as matching salary.
Instead, Brown ended up in Philadelphia after a shocking trade at the start of free agency. His arrival helped open the door for LeBron James to turn down the Warriors and other teams and sign with the 76ers a few weeks later.
Golden State, meanwhile, entered the season with the same questions that were already hanging over it. In Sunday’s opener against the L.A. Clippers, the rust showed, along with the lack of star depth and the heavy burden on a 38-year-old Stephen Curry in year 18.
Brown may not get that kind of usage once James, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey are all back, but Monday was a reminder of what he can do when the offense tilts his way. And it also served as a reminder of what Golden State passed on.
The Warriors can make the case that the asking price from Boston was too high. They can point to the reality of giving up that many picks and Butler.
But there’s no hiding the appeal of a player like Brown, especially with Butler out until January at the earliest. There will be nights this season when Golden State would love exactly that kind of shot-making beside Curry.
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It is a familiar kind of Warriors crossroads: protect the future while managing the present. With concerns already lingering around the health of Draymond Green, Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Kristaps Porzingis, the urgency goes beyond one negotiation, even if Podziemski's situation may resolve soon. How Golden State handles that conversation will say plenty about where the front office thinks this team is headed. [Read more 🡒]