The future of Jaylen Brown continues to dominate trade speculation following the Boston Celtics’ first-round exit in the NBA playoffs. An NBA insider has now revealed which three teams could enter the sweepstakes for the guard’s signature.
NBA Insider Claims 3 Teams Hold ‘Legitimate’ Interest in Jaylen Brown Trade
Trade speculation surrounding Brown began after he claimed this was his favorite season in the NBA, despite the Celtics’ first-round playoff exit. Brown enjoyed a career year in Boston, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. He also earned a nod in the All-NBA second team after leading the Celtics to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
NBA insider Marc Stein has now provided an update on Brown’s future with the Celtics. He has claimed that the Atlanta Hawks, the Houston Rockets, and the Portland Trail Blazers could be the teams to watch as speculation grows over the 29-year-old’s future.
Stein linked those teams’ interest in Brown to the trade talk surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo, should the Celtics need help from other teams to facilitate a trade for the Milwaukee Bucks superstar.
“There is a belief in some corners of the league that Atlanta, Houston, and Portland all have legitimate trade interest in Jaylen Brown. Which is something to file away if you’re looking for participants that might be interested in joining an eventual multi-team Antetokounmpo trade construction,” he wrote on the “Stein Line.”
It remains to be seen whether Brown is part of the Celtics’ plans for next season. Celtics’ president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens, made it clear during his end-of-season press conference that Brown was an important part of the team. But he remained coy about the Cal alum’s future.
Brown has stirred plenty of controversy in recent weeks with comments on his Twitch stream, landing in hot water with the NBA after criticizing officials and also getting involved in a beef with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.
Brown’s mentor, Tracy McGrady, also claimed that the guard harbored frustration within the Celtics organization after taking on a big role this season in Jayson Tatum’s absence due to injury.
Amid all this, Brown is also about to become eligible for a $142 million-worth extension with the Celtics over 2 years. He is already under a supermax contract through the 2028-29 season, having signed a $303.7 million extension in 2023. So Stevens could face a difficult decision in the coming weeks.
