Way before LeBron James made his decision, the Philadelphia 76ers tipped off the NBA offseason with a blockbuster trade, arguably the biggest we’ve seen since the basketballs stopped bouncing. The 76ers traded nine-time All-Star Paul George, plus two first-round picks, in exchange for Brown.
Roughly a month later, the 76ers backed that all-in move by landing the prize of NBA free agency, in James. When the Sixers made their initial trade for Brown, they had no clue that James would eventually be joining them, and now one insider thinks Philadelphia may have a problem on their hands.
NBA Insider Warns 76ers About Jaylen Brown
On paper, the 76ers have what many might argue is the best starting five in the entire NBA. Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, Brown, James, and Joel Embiid? That’s just filthy.
But basketball is still played on the court. Not on paper. Recently, ESPN insider Brian Windhorst appeared on ‘NBA Today’ to argue that the 76ers need to tread carefully with Brown, making sure he still feels like a focal part of the team.
“The 76ers have to do now is with Jaylen Brown, and explain to him what his role is,” Windhorst argued. “This is a guy who was sixth place in MVP last year. This is a guy who carried his team. I think they gotta worry about making Jaylen Brown comfortable more than anything.”
The 76ers Have To Worry About What Jaylen Brown’s Role Will Be After Getting LeBron. Per, @WindhorstESPN
“The 76ers have to do now is with Jaylen Brown, and explain to him what his role is… they gotta worry about making Jaylen Brown comfortable more than anything.” pic.twitter.com/9eDNHCotPR
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) July 25, 2026
Could Brown feel like he’s being overlooked in Philadelphia? After all, once the trade was announced, he was being hailed as a potential hero. Someone who could take what he’s learned from appearing in the playoffs in nine of his 10 seasons with the Celtics and bring that expertise to the Sixers.
But now here comes James, whose playoff experience and four NBA championships dwarf what Brown has accomplished. Could Brown, the 2023-24 NBA Finals MVP, feel scorned? It’s certainly possible.
After all, things must have gone sour in Boston for a reason. Now, Windhorst seems to believe the 76ers will have to take this forward carefully and avoid the same mistake Boston made.
Then again, it’s possible Brown recognizes the greatness before him and realizes he’s already played a huge role in recruiting James to Philadelphia. Without Brown’s presence, there’s no guarantee that James would have even chosen the 76ers. That should count for something, too.
Still, that doesn’t mean the 76ers shouldn’t take careful steps to take time and let Brown know just how much he’s appreciated. If not, it’s possible he could be looking for a new team again in the near future.
