The Boston Celtics just left the NBA world in shock as they sent former Finals MVP Jaylen Brown to the rival Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks.
Now, the 76ers suddenly look like legitimate championship contenders, while Boston begins an entirely new chapter. The deal sparked immediate reactions across the league, and one of the loudest critics was NBA champion Kendrick Perkins.
Kendrick Perkins Calls Out Brad Stevens, Celtics for Jaylen Brown Trade
Perkins did not hold back when discussing the trade, calling out Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens.
“It was one of the dumbest trades in NBA history,” Perkins said on ESPN. “[Sixers executives] Mike Gansey, Jameer Nelson, Bob Myers, they should be serving breakfast in bed to Brad Stevens. I’m talking about cut-up fruit, seedless grapes, mint tea, toast with strawberry jam because they finesse the hell out of him.”
Immediately after the trade was announced, there was criticism that Boston gave away one of its biggest stars for far too little. But the Celtics had spent considerable time exploring Brown’s market before reaching an agreement. Boston offered him to the Milwaukee Bucks in a proposed deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the Miami Heat emerged as the winner in that sweepstakes, and the Celtics kept searching for another destination for Brown.
Last season, Brown carried Boston through a 56-win campaign while Jayson Tatum missed a large chunk of the season recovering from an Achilles injury. Brown averaged career-highs in points (28.7), rebounds (6.9), and assists (5.1) and finished sixth in NBA MVP voting.
However, one of the major factors that may have contributed to the Celtics’ decision is Brown’s contract. He still has three years remaining on his supermax deal, and he becomes eligible for a two-year extension later this offseason. However, Boston’s decision becomes harder to defend since George’s contract is widely regarded as one of the worst in the NBA.
George has one guaranteed year remaining on his contract followed by a player option worth $56,586,670, and few expect the California native to walk away from that salary.
“This is a sad day for the Boston Celtics,” Perkins added. “Paul George hasn’t been consistently good since I was skinny. (Brad Stevens) just basically handed the Philadelphia 76ers a trip to the NBA Finals next year.”
George is in the later stages of his career, and he will play the next two seasons at 36 and 37 years old while continuing to battle durability concerns. He is also coming off of two of the least productive seasons of his career. He averaged 17.3 points across 37 games last season and 16.2 points in 41 games the year before.
