Jaylen Brown’s future with the Celtics heading into the next season is surrounded in uncertainty, as speculation rises that Boston might be eyeing a trade involving him for Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Even if the Celtics fail to snag Antetokounmpo, they could still look to move Brown to another team, taking advantage of his value after his best season.
If Boston is considering trading Brown, it must decide: does it want immediate win-now assets to contend for a championship, or younger players to develop into title contenders by 2028-29?
The Celtics must have a clear vision for their future. Trading Brown for younger assets might help them take a step in that direction. Here’s a potential trade scenario that could come into play.
Celtics Receive: Dylan Harper, Devin Vassell and Carter Bryant
Spurs Receive: Brown
Why The Spurs Could Make The Trade
The Spurs are facing the Thunder in the Western Conference finals. As of Thursday, the series is at three games to two, with Oklahoma City holding the advantage. If the Spurs can’t shift momentum and win the series, they might want to think about upgrading their roster this offseason to bring in a veteran star, and that’s where Brown could come into play.
San Antonio is home to one of the NBA’s brightest talents in Victor Wembanyama, but at just 22 years old, he’s still in the early stages of his development. The challenge is that the Spurs’ second-best player is Stephon Castle, who is only 21, leaving the team fairly young overall. To make the most of Wembanyama’s prime years, trading some of their young assets for a player like Brown could be a game-changer, potentially positioning the Spurs as the team to beat next season.
Parting ways with Harper would be a tough decision for the Spurs, as he had a stellar rookie season and shows great promise. However, he might not be ready to help San Antonio compete for the title in the next few seasons, something that Brown could potentially deliver.
Why Celtics Might Want To Make This Trade
The Celtics would welcome two promising young talents in Harper and Vassell, while the rookie Bryant might still grow into a key role player for a championship-contending team.
Harper, the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, had a solid rookie season, averaging 11.8 points and 3.9 assists over 69 games. Boston could unlock his potential alongside Jayson Tatum by his third or fourth season.
Vassell, at just 25, could step in as a starter at shooting guard or small forward. The 6-foot-5 wing averaged 13.5 points per game this season and would fit nicely into head coach Joe Mazzulla’s scheme, especially with his impressive 38.4% shooting from beyond the arc this season.
While the Celtics may not be hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy at the end of next season with these moves, they could find themselves holding that trophy a few years down the line.
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