Jason Burgos
A new rumor suggests the Denver Nuggets are considering a jump into the trade sweepstakes for Boston Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown.
Heading into the 2026 NBA playoffs, the Nuggets looked like a potential dark horse in the Western Conference. They had the No. 1 scoring offense in the league. Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic was having another vintage season. And Jamal Murray was having the best year of his career.
Unfortunately, they took on the Minnesota Timberwolves in Round 1 of the NBA playoffs and were handed a 4-2 series loss. Since winning the franchise’s first championship in 2023, the Nuggets have gotten no further than the semifinals of the playoffs. Clearly, they need to make some changes if they want to get back to the finals next year.
Well, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, the path to an NBA Finals may be via a trade for the Celtics’ five-time All-Star.
“Denver is exploring the trade market to both reshape the roster around Jokić but also to create additional financial flexibility to match any offer sheets tendered to restricted free agent Peyton Watson… Sources say that the Nuggets have at least internally discussed whether they have the asset wherewithal to join the trade chase for Boston’s Jaylen Brown, but the Nuggets have yet to emerge as a bona fide landing spot for the Celtics’ MVP candidate.”
– Marc Stein & Jake Fischer
What would it cost the Denver Nuggets to make a Jaylen Brown trade?
Make no mistake, Brown would be a huge addition to the Nuggets roster. Especially if they can hold on to Murray in a trade — which is likely. The 2024 NBA Finals MVP is a legitimate two-way star who showed he can be the No. 1 guy on a top team this past season.
However, while reports claim the Celtics are in active trade discussions about Brown, they are not going to give him up without a big return. So what would it cost the Nuggets to get a deal done? Stein and Fischer claim Denver would prefer to hold on to Aaron Gordon. However, with Boston looking to improve their front court this season, he is likely to be included in a deal.
A trade package of Gordon, Christian Braun, and Julian Strawther would make the money side of a deal matchup. However, reports suggest the Celtics are looking for four first-round picks in a potential Brown deal. Denver does not have their picks in 2027 and 2029.
Would the Celtics take a deal that includes their selections in 2026, 2030, 2032, and 2034, since a team can’t go multiple seasons without a first-round pick? That may be the biggest hurdle in a deal for Brown.
