Getty Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
As we all woke up this morning, we were greeted by the news that the Boston Celtics had engaged in trade talks with the Brooklyn Nets, with a deal centered around Jaylen Brown and Kevin Durant being discussed.
Of course, these are nothing more than rumors at this juncture, but for Brown, this is the third time his name has been thrown around in a hypothetical deal for a superstar addition. First, it was during the Anthony Davis saga, then came Boston’s flirtatious glances at Bradley Beal, and now, it’s Kevin Durant.
In typical Jaylen Brown fashion, the Georgia native took to Twitter to share his thoughts on the current rumors and stuck true to form as he ensured his post remained as cryptic as possible.
Brown was a vital part of a Celtics team that made the NBA Finals last season, averaging 23.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists throughout the post-season while shooting 47% from the field and 37.3% from deep.
Brown Has Posted Cryptic Tweets Before
This isn’t the first time Brown has taken part in some cryptic social media activity, in fact, it’s not even the first time it’s happened this summer. On Sunday, June 26, the Celtics star wing liked a tweet about how he is being disrespected by Celtics fans – that means it’s been less than a month since the star wing last set the Twitterverse ablaze.
I don’t like seeing this I pray Jaylen Brown stays with us 🙏🏾
Still, considering how quickly his name has arisen in trade discussions, and how exceptionally he played during Boston’s final series against the Golden State Warriors, you can understand why he would feel slightly aggrieved at his current situation.
Of course, from Boston’s standpoint, the opportunity to trade for a genuine superstar doesn’t come around very often, and if Brad Stevens and Ime Udoka believe Durant is the guy to finally take them to the promised land, they’re going to explore every possible avenue to get a deal that works for both parties.
Brooklyn’s Counter is a High Price
While we’re all aware of Durant’s incredible talent, it would seem that Brooklyn is looking for a blockbuster-level haul in return for their crown jewel – even if Durant has made it clear he sees his future elsewhere.
In a July 25 report by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the NBA Insider revealed Boston’s original trade offer, and Brooklyn’s counter offer, proving that Brooklyn knows exactly what they want as a return for Durant.
Sources: The Boston Celtics have offered a Jaylen Brown package to the Nets for Kevin Durant, which Brooklyn turned down and countered.
Full details on a potential Celtics-Nets mega-deal to be had, latest on Donovan Mitchell and more at the Inside Pass:
“The Celtics offered Brown, guard Derrick White and a draft pick to the Nets for Durant, sources said. The proposal was rejected, and Brooklyn has asked Boston — in any proposal — to include Brown, Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, draft picks, and potentially one more rotation player, those sources added. Currently, the Celtics are less inclined to include Smart along with multiple other players or pick assets, but the franchise is mulling over the next steps on how to approach discussions.
As of right now, the Celtics have emerged as a serious possibility as a landing spot for Durant. They have tremendous interest in bringing him and view him as a piece that could take them over that final hurdle. Although there is work to be done, there is a deal to be had that would suffice the Nets’ overwhelming ask,” Charania wrote for his July 25 column.
However, it’s worth remembering that this deal is still in the negotiation stage and that nothing is guaranteed, so for now, Brown remains a Celtics player, and only time will tell if that’s due to change before the season begins.