The Jaylen Brown market is starting to take shape, and the Boston Celtics sound willing to listen after their push to land Giannis Antetokounmpo fell short earlier this offseason.
That alone makes Brown one of the biggest names to watch. He’s coming off a career-best season in Boston, he’s still in his prime after nine years with the Celtics, and any team that lands him would be getting an immediate difference-maker. He’s also a five-time All-Star and the 2024 Finals MVP, which only raises the price.
For Utah, the connection is obvious enough to keep the idea alive. The Jazz have Danny and Austin Ainge running basketball operations, and that Boston background makes them a natural team to at least get mentioned in Brown conversations. The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie even worked up several possible trade frameworks for Brown, including one that sends Lauri Markkanen to Boston.
In that version, the Celtics would get Markkanen as the salary-matching centerpiece, along with a young bench scorer in Sensabaugh and a pair of draft picks. From Boston’s side, that’s the kind of package that can make sense if they decide Brown is available.
Utah would be betting on the other side of the deal being worth the cost. Brown would give the Jazz a top-15 player, a true No. 1 scoring option, and a defensive upgrade. On paper, that’s the kind of swing that gets attention.
But attention and urgency are two different things, and Utah doesn’t look like a team that needs to force the issue.
The Jazz are in year one of trying to build a competitive, playoff-level roster. They’ve already spent time developing chemistry, they’ve got a mix of veterans and young players, and they still have future draft flexibility if they want to keep improving later. In other words, they have room to wait.
That’s why a Brown chase doesn’t feel like a must. Utah is in a position to see how this current group holds up next season and then reassess next offseason if needed. There’s no sign the franchise has to jump at a major move right now.
Markkanen is the other big reason this idea feels tricky. Brown may be the better player in a vacuum, but Markkanen has stayed committed to Utah, and his contract runs through 2029 after the $238 million deal he signed in 2024. He’s still in his prime, he’s coming off a strong 2025-26 campaign, and his versatility fits a lot of different versions of this roster.
Unless the Celtics offer something Utah simply can’t turn down, there isn’t much reason for the Jazz to move off Markkanen. A Brown deal might be tempting enough to make the front office think twice, especially with the Boston ties in place, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right move.
For now, Jazz fans probably don’t need to brace for a Brown trade this offseason. And if Utah does get involved, the more likely outcome may be regret for pushing too soon.
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Kessler is not the only name tied to the Lakers early push. Sandro Mamukelashvili is expected to have plenty of suitors after declining his option with Toronto, while Gary Trent Jr. is also on Los Angeles board after opting out in Milwaukee. For Jazz fans, the Kessler piece is the one to watch, because a team with the Lakers profile circling a restricted free agent always raises the same question: how far will the bidding go before Utah has to decide whether to match and keep its defensive anchor in place? [Read more 🡒]