The Philadelphia 76ers turned heads on Wednesday with a stunning Jaylen Brown deal, and now one NBA reporter believes the move could set up something even bigger.
ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the trade on X/Twitter, reporting: “BLOCKBUSTER: The Boston Celtics have agreed to trade Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks,”
What makes the swap so jarring isn’t just that Boston moved Brown before the 2026-27 campaign. It’s the return: the Celtics are sending away Brown and getting back Paul George, plus two first-round picks and two second-round picks, in a package that immediately raised eyebrows across the league.
The size of the deal suggests the two teams had been working quietly behind the scenes, because there was no dependable reporting pointing to a major trade like this before it happened.
From there, NBA reporter Evan Sidery floated the next step for Philadelphia: a run at Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
"The Sixers now have a golden opportunity to recruit LeBron James to form a truly lethal starting lineup: Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, LeBron, and Joel Embiid,” Sidery wrote. “On paper, it seems like an ideal LeBron destination after that trade.”
If the 76ers were able to land James, it would add a veteran presence who is still producing at a high level in his early 40s and has plenty of championship experience.
For now, though, the Brown trade alone has already changed the conversation in Philadelphia. And if Sidery’s idea ever gains traction, the Sixers’ blockbuster could end up being just the beginning.
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