The Boston Celtics grabbed all the headlines when they traded former Finals MVP Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George and a package of draft picks.
The Celtics sent their star to a direct Eastern Conference rival, opting to reshape the roster rather than run it back. Philadelphia, meanwhile, pushed all its chips to the middle of the table, hoping the addition of Brown alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey would finally yield a deep postseason run.
However, one analyst feels the stakes for the 76ers in the trade are more than meets the eye.
NBA Analyst Sounds the Alarm on the 76ers’ ‘Relevancy’ After Jaylen Brown Trade
The decision to trade a star in his prime raised immediate questions across the league. Brown recently secured a five-year contract valued at approximately $285 million.
Brown is set to earn roughly $57 million for the upcoming season alone, though moving his contract gives Boston’s president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens, some financial flexibility.
In the latest segment of his “The Herd,” Colin Cowherd cited these financial constraints as one of the reasons behind the blockbuster deal.
“You’re seeing a lot of teams move off good players or consider moving good players,” Cowherd said. “In the NBA similarly, it’s not always who’s the best player, its whose got a contract thats better.”
“Jaylen Brown is not nearly as good as Paul George in terms of analytics, and Jaylen Brown also makes a lot more. His contract is longer, and in Brown’s contract, he has the right to an extension.”
“The Sixers are dying for relevance. The Celtics aren’t… People in the building know it may not work analytically. Too many mouths to feed, one basketball. It could be an absolute mess.”@colincowherd on the Celtics having better title odds than the 76ers pic.twitter.com/uZrr2JjMwc
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) July 14, 2026
Boston essentially swapped a long-term financial commitment for George’s expiring timeline. “If you get Paul George, nobody’s talking about extension,” Cowherd noted.
To the Celtics, George brings shooting and defensive versatility without the burden of a future cap hit.
Meanwhile, Brown gives Philadelphia another dynamic scorer to relieve defensive pressure on Joel Embiid.
But Cowherd remains cautious about their championship dreams. “Why does Vegas have Celtics as better odds to get to the finals than the Sixers?” he pointed out.
Cowherd added that front offices are often making financial moves rather than basketball moves. “A lot of times you have to remember these GMs and owners, a lot of times it’s just moving to a better contractual situation.”
Philadelphia is gambling that pure physical talent can overcome its playoff woes. The franchise has failed to reach the Eastern Conference Finals since 2001, and panic is setting in.
“Philadelphia has not done anything since 2017; they can’t get out of the second round. The Sixers are dying for relevance. The Celtics aren’t…” Cowherd continued.
“They’re [Philadelphia] closer to the Wizards than they are to Knicks and Celtics, they can’t do anything in the playoffs… People in the building know it may not work analytically. Too many mouths to feed, one basketball. It could be an absolute mess.”
The fit alongside Embiid and Tyrese Maxey indeed raises some eyebrows, as the 76ers’ roster is packed with players who need the ball to be effective.
Philadelphia has no safety net left if this experiment fails. Embiid is aging rapidly, Maxey needs touches to develop, and Brown comes with a big contract.
The front office has bet everything on this and might pay the ultimate price if the locker room implodes or the championship window in Philadelphia shuts.
