Explaining draft picks the Celtics received, and other answers to questions about the Jaylen Brown trade
The Celtics on Wednesday completed one of the biggest and most controversial trades in Boston sports history when they agreed to send superstar forward Jaylen Brown to the rival 76ers in exchange for veteran forward Paul George and four future draft picks. The move has sparked skepticism and confusion among Celtics fans, along with plenty of questions. Let’s try to answer some.
Read more Trump administration proposes a rule it says could save Medicare patients $1.1 billion on drugs
So, why did they do this?
After the Celtics coughed up a 3-1 lead and lost to the seventh-seeded 76ers in the first round of the playoffs, president of operations Brad Stevens offered a frank assessment of the state of the franchise.
“We’ve got to get better,” Stevens said. “So that’s going to be the charge and the focus. So, we’ll figure out how best to do that.”
A league source said the 2025 playoff loss to the Knicks, when Boston was favored to repeat at NBA champions, combined with this Philadelphia setback strengthened the belief that a significant change was needed. The source said that, in recent weeks, the Celtics discussed many other deals that did not involve Brown, and that there was no mandate to trade him. They just ultimately decided that this was the best path.
But why did they do it now?
That’s a fair question for Stevens, who will likely speak with the media sometime next week after the leaguewide transaction moratorium lifts. This 76ers’ offer likely would have been on the table during the regular season, too, so Boston could have pushed forward this season with Brown and a healthy Jayson Tatum and revisited a trade with Philadelphia or another suitor in February if it wished.
Then what’s the deal with these draft picks?
George is a former MVP candidate, but he is also 36 years old and injury-prone. The draft picks were the centerpiece of this deal. You might want a calculator for this part.
The 76ers traded their 2028 first-round pick to the Nets in the 2022 deal that sent James Harden to Brooklyn, but it was protected 1-8, so Philadelphia would keep it if it falls in that range. The 76ers also own the Clippers’ 2028 first-round pick.
If the 76ers’ 2028 pick lands in the top eight, the Celtics would have the option to swap their own first-round pick for the better of the 76ers’ pick or the Clippers’ pick. It is worth remembering that the Spurs will have the option of swapping with the Celtics’ own first-round pick as part of the 2022 Derrick White trade.
If the 76ers’ pick falls outside the top eight, and the Clippers pick lands 1-16, the Celtics could swap first-round picks with Los Angeles. If the 76ers’ pick falls outside the top 8 and the Clippers pick is outside the top 16, the Celtics would receive the Clippers’ pick and keep their own first-round pick. Got all that?
Read more Mass. Senate seeks to regulate social media use by targeting ‘most addictive’ features
The Celtics will also receive Philadelphia’s unprotected 2031 first-round choice, and the most favorable of the Warriors, Thunder, and Bucks 2028 second-round choices, and the most favorable of the Wizards, Trail Blazers, and Suns 2031 second-round picks.
Also, it is worth pointing out that the NBA revamped its draft lottery system by flattening the odds of securing the No. 1 pick. Now, the bottom 16 teams will all have a 3-8 percent chance of winning the lottery. So if the 76ers and Clippers fall in that area, the Celtics would get two strong swings at bat in 2028.
But 2031 doesn’t exactly match up with Jayson Tatum’s timeline, right?
That’s right, and the Celtics do remain committed to maintaining a title contender around Tatum. But adding these four draft picks will give the Celtics plenty of flexibility to pursue upgrades with trades in the coming years.
What does Jaylen Brown think of all of this?
That’s unclear. A league source said that Brown never requested a trade and was frustrated with the way the Celtics handled his situation over the past few weeks. Remember, this all started when Boston attempted to trade him to the Bucks in a Giannis Antetokounmpo deal.
On Wednesday night, Brown attended Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady’s 1-on-1 basketball league as a spectator and was even seen signing a young fan’s No. 7 Celtics jersey.
Does Paul George have much left?
We’ll see. George was an All-Star during the 2023-24 season. Last year he was suspended 25 games for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy but came back and gave Boston fits in the first-round playoff series, when he made 22 of 40 3-pointers. In 2017, the Celtics were among the potential suitors for George before the Pacers ultimately traded him to the Thunder.
Are the Celtics done making moves?
Well, they’re never really done making moves. But a league source said that Wednesday’s trade was not completed with a subsequent deal in mind, and that no other trades were imminent.
Was this trade done because new ownership wanted to cut costs?
No. A league source said new lead owner Bill Chisholm has not given directives to trim payroll, and that there was no mandate to trade Brown. If that was the goal, the Celtics would have sought a trade package involving players with smaller salaries and subsequently traded them away in other deals. George will make $54.1 million next season, about $3 million less than Brown. Furthermore, the Celtics on Wednesday chose to use their mid-level exception to agree to a three-year, $47.4 million deal with backup center Mitchell Robinson.
Read more Boston bars and restaurants see biggest spending jump among World Cup host cities, report finds
Post Comment