Would the Boston Celtics really ditch four-time All-Star swingman Jaylen Brown this year, as proposed in a bonkers new trade idea?
The 6-foot-6 University of California at Berkeley product remains in his absolute prime at age 28, and figures to be the offensive fulcrum for Boston in 2025-26 with six-time All-Star power forward Jayson Tatum recuperating from an Achilles tendon tear.
When Tatum suffered the injury during the playoffs, it cast a pall on Boston's title outlook not just for 2025, but for 2026 as well. The Celtics moved quickly to shed contracts, offloading the pricey deals of center Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday and letting free agent reserve center Luke Kornet walk. Another free agent big man, Al Horford, is expected to sign elsewhere, but for now remains on the market.
Boston could look to ditch either of the new pieces it obtained in those Holiday and Porzingis deals — veterans Anfernee Simons and Georges Niang — or perhaps sharpshooting backup wing Sam Hauser. But would team president Brad Stevens really want to get rid of a core cog like Brown, even during what is essentially a "gap year" season?
Rohan Raman of Atlanta Hawks On SI for one, thinks there could be a Brown deal that benefits Boston.
Raman proposes a three-team swap with the Atlanta Hawks and Minnesota Timberwolves that would ultimately send Brown, Boston's top-10 protected first round pick in 2027, and two second rounders from Atlanta to Minnesota. Boston, meanwhile, would bring back four-time Defensive Player of the Year center Rudy Gobert, the expiring contract of former All-Star point guard Mike Conley, combo guard Vit Krejci, and 2028 and 2032 first round pick swap rights with the Timberwolves.
The Hawks, meanwhile, would obtain a package centered around versatile guard Donte DiVincenzo.
"Boston has been aggressively cutting salary in an effort to field a cheaper team next season while dealing with the effects of missing Tatum for the entirety of the 2025-26 season," Raman writes. "It would likely be ideal for the team to be under the luxury tax threshold if they are not in contention, but they still want to have talent for Tatum to utilize upon his return in 2026-27."
Raman goes on to opine that adding Gobert specifically could cure what ails Boston in the light of the Porzingis deal and free agent departures of Kornet and, probably, Horford.
The Celtics signed free agent former Timberwolves big man Luka Garza to fill the void somewhat. He'll likely compete for minutes most of all with 2024-25 fourth-string center Neemias Queta.
"One of the more underrated storylines throughout the offseason has been Boston's lack of a strong option at center," Raman writes. "It seems likely that Al Horford will either retire or leave in [free agency] following Boston's decision to move on from Kristaps Porzingis. The 2026 draft class is not expected to be very strong for centers, so the Celtics could be in a difficult position upon Tatum's return if they can't find a playable option at the 5."
Bringing in a 33-year-old center who can be exploited on switches is hardly an ideal haul for the 2024 Finals MVP, especially given that Gobert will likely be 34 when Tatum looks like himself and can compete for titles again. Boston deserves better if it truly wants to ditch Brown — and there's no indication the team is hungry to do that any time soon.
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