After missing out on a trade for Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Boston Celtics may now face a delicate situation regarding Jaylen Brown.
Reports indicated the Celtics were willing to include Brown in trade talks for Antetokounmpo before the Bucks instead shipped the two-time MVP to the Miami Heat. Other teams could now see if the situation damaged the relationship enough for Boston to move the five-time All-Star elsewhere.
Two top suitors could emerge if the Celtics make Brown available. Kurt Hellin of NBC Sports said the Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks would jump to "the front of the line" for Brown. Hellin added that other teams, such as the Portland Trail Blazers, may also express interest in the 2024 Finals MVP.
"Bidding war" expected for Brown
© Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
Once news broke of the Heat acquiring Giannis, the rumor mill shifted its focus to Brown. ESPN insider Brian Windhorst set the stage for another active trade saga on Tuesday's Get Up.
"Now, what I expect to happen is a bidding war for Jaylen Brown from other teams in the league," Windhorst said. "In the most recent days, teams had been preparing for this eventuality, that it wouldn't be the Boston Celtics who won the Giannis sweepstakes, that there would be a Jaylen Brown market. So, we're gonna watch that."
His colleague, Shams Charania, suggested that Boston and Brown will have "hard conversations" about his future with the organization. Charania reported that the Celtics offered Brown and two first-round picks to Milwaukee for Antetokounmpo, but they were unwilling to add young players such as Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman.
Later in the day, Charania said on The Pat McAfee Show that the Celtics are listening to offers for Brown from "multiple interested teams." However, they're not "actively shopping" the 10-year veteran.
Brown is coming off a career year in which he kept the Celtics in contention as Jayson Tatum recovered from a torn Achilles. The guard finished sixth in the MVP voting after averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game.
A trade to Houston could pair Brown with Kevin Durant, another superstar the Celtics tried to acquire by offering Brown in 2022. The Hawks went 46-36 last season but lack a front-line scorer after trading Trae Young.
