Star swingman Jaylen Brown is finally on the move, and the destination the 76ers caught virtually everyone off guard. Now that the NBA world is starting to come to terms with that unforeseen reality, a host of lingering questions have surfaced regarding exactly how this whole sequence unfolded.
As most followers of the league already know, Brown had been dangled in trade conversations for years before this agreement finally materialized, with the Celtics actively and persistently seeking a suitable landing spot for him. However, what remained largely under the radar was the fact that he came very close to being part of a three-team swap earlier this past season one that would have also involved Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun.
“There were discussions about a Kevin Durant trade that included Jaylen Brown and Alperen Sengun,” reported Brett Siegel. “Durant would have been sent to the Pistons. The Celtics were positioned to acquire Sengun, and Brown would have wound up with the Rockets. In the end, Houston simply wasn’t interested in that kind of return package.”
On the surface, the framework appeared relatively balanced. Each franchise stood to gain a star who addressed their specific roster needs, without having to decimate their surrounding depth. For Boston at least, the proposed haul Sengun plus draft capital would have represented a noticeably stronger return than what they ultimately ended up accepting for Brown, which was an aging Paul George accompanied by two first-round picks. Still, it seems Boston raised no objections to the arrangement, which would have paired an All-Star caliber center alongside Jayson Tatum.
The holdup, according to reports, came from Houston’s end. Following a first-round exit at the hands of a depleted Lakers squad, swapping Durant for a younger and more adaptable player in Brown might appear to be a logical move, yet the Rockets apparently saw things differently. They clearly harbored reservations about Brown assuming the reins of their franchise, and those doubts may have been warranted given how modest his trade value turned out to be. It’s also worth pointing out that Rockets head coach Ima Udoka previously coached Brown, so it’s possible he shared some inside perspective that gave Houston pause.
Detroit, for its part, would have landed Durant in this scenario, and he represents precisely the type of player they’ve been seeking. With season averages of 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.9 blocks, he would have slotted in ideally alongside Cade Cunningham on the wing and represented a clear upgrade over Tobias Harris, who now suits up for the Spurs. As things stand, though, Detroit will need to explore other avenues to find complementary talent for their young standout guard.
At the end of the day, the Jaylen Brown trade was never a question of if but rather when and where. Boston had clearly moved on from Brown some time ago, and these failed trade negotiations only serve to underscore that point. More than anything else, however, this episode highlights just how disposable star players have become in today’s NBA. Under the new CBA provisions and tightening salary-cap constraints, constructing a competitive roster has grown increasingly difficult, and teams are no longer willing to mortgage their entire future just to accommodate a polarizing star carrying a massive contract.
Ultimately, even though this three-way deal never came to fruition, the franchise that emerges as the clear loser here is Boston. At one juncture, they found themselves in the mix for both Giannis and Sengun, yet they ended up having to accept a package centered on Paul George and draft picks. It’s a remarkable turn of events that will inevitably leave Celtics supporters wondering what might have been if circumstances had unfolded differently.
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