A number of consequential moves have been made across the NBA in less than 48 hours since the official start of free agency. One of the biggest came on Wednesday when the Boston Celtics traded star wing Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, two future first-round draft picks, and two future second-round picks.
Boston had been shopping Brown for weeks, but this deal is a head-scratcher. One has to wonder why the Celtics, after Brown led them to a 56-26 record despite not having fellow star Jayson Tatum for most of this past season, gave up on him so abruptly.
There is a prominent school of thought that jettisoning Brown was the wrong decision, with one commentator ruthlessly slamming the Celtics.
Adam Schein Blasts Celtics’ Jaylen Brown Trade
Commentator Adam Schein condemned Boston’s trade return for Brown on Wednesday, expressing disbelief over the franchise-altering deal.
“This is just a terrible, embarrassing, pathetic trade by [the] Celtics,” Schein wrote on X. “Amateur hour. Awful. Horrible job by Boston. I can’t believe this is real.”
This is just a terrible, embarrassing, pathetic trade by Celtics. Amateur hour. Awful. Horrible job by Boston. I can’t believe this is real.
Maxey and Brown together for Philly… wow. https://t.co/dYGon33U1U
— Adam Schein (@AdamSchein) July 1, 2026
On paper, getting George in return doesn’t sound too bad. He is a nine-time All-Star forward who is 6-foot-9 and has career averages of 20.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. However, he is 36 years old, is injury-prone, and has a history of inconsistent play in the postseason.
George’s scoring average has fallen substantially over the last two years, and one has to wonder if he has anything meaningful left in the tank.
Brown, meanwhile, averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists a night and was named to the All-NBA Second Team this past season. He will turn 30 just after the 2026-27 campaign starts, and he is very much in the prime of his career, just two years removed from winning an NBA Finals MVP award.
The Celtics have just made the 76ers, one of their biggest historical rivals, a lot stronger.
Philadelphia Could Be a Serious Eastern Conference Dark Horse
The race for Eastern Conference supremacy has gotten a lot more interesting, and the reigning champion New York Knicks will have a hard time winning another ring next season.
The Miami Heat are adding Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard is returning to the Toronto Raptors, and LeBron James could end up joining the Cleveland Cavaliers or even the Miami Heat. The 76ers have now joined this arms race by nabbing Brown.
Brown will join a roster that already boasts star guard Tyrese Maxey, who averaged 28.3 points, 6.6 assists, and 1.9 steals a game this past season, backcourt stud VJ Edgecombe, and superstar center Joel Embiid.
Embiid, of course, is a perpetual injury risk and can be penciled in to miss at least roughly 20 to 30 games a season. But if Philadelphia stays relatively healthy, it could become a fringe title contender in a conference that is suddenly deep and crowded.
Despite having talented teams around Embiid over the last several years, the 76ers haven’t gotten to the East finals since 2001 and haven’t won it all since 1983.
