Dave Litman
Trade talks continue to percolate around the league for Jaylen Brown. After he was very publicly offered by the Boston Celtics to the Milwaukee Bucks in a failed attempt to land Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brown’s status in Boston is in limbo.
“It’d be insane for Boston to bring him back after dangling him so publicly,” one league source told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Jamal Collier.
But whether a trade of the 2024 NBA Finals MVP will actually be consummated is in question. Insider Shams Charania has revealed the Celtics’ asking price in trade talks, and it is massive.
“My understanding is that, in some cases, the Celtics have asked for at least four first-round picks for Jaylen Brown,” said Charania on ESPN’s Get Up. He also confirmed that, “Each day this week, the Boston Celtics have been actively engaged in trade conversations around Jaylen Brown with multiple interested teams.”
The quadruple-first-rounders ask is a surprising development. Not necessarily because of the high cost, but because the Celtics are still in a win-now window. Jayson Tatum & Derrick White are wasted on a team that would be waiting on years and years of draft picks to pan out.
In fact, according to Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports, one has to wonder if Boston is even serious about trading Brown if they’re making this kind of demand.
“One Eastern Conference executive said, ‘The price is really high and it is really the kind of thing where it raises real questions about whether it is something they actually want to do.'”
On the other hand, Stevens could have other, rebuilding teams on the other line. Teams who could be interested in those picks. Boston could flip some first-rounders for current players that could help build out the roster.
Charania offered more insight into a team that is seriously interested in giving up those draft assets to get Brown.
To Deal Jaylen Brown, or Not To Deal — That is the question in Boston for the Celtics
In the end, another league source told ESPN that he disagrees with the idea that Brown should absolutely be dealt.
“I wouldn’t do a damn thing,” the source told Shelburne. “Those two guys (Brown & Tatum) are so good, you can’t just trade Jaylen because it’s awkward. Make everyone come back and figure it out.”
Awkward, shmawkward. Should be an interesting couple of months in Boston, and even more so when training camp rolls around in the fall, if Brown is still on board.
