Getty Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Jaylen Brown has found himself in the rumor mill over the last few days, as the Boston Celtics wing is being discussed as a makeweight in a potential deal for Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets.
Of course, this hypothetical trade is nothing more than conjecture at the moment, but that hasn’t stopped the internet from buzzing with the possibility of seeing Jayson Tatum and Durant teaming up. However, it would seem that Brown is unimpressed with the current rumor, as, on Sunday, June 26, the Celtics star wing liked a tweet about how he is being disrespected by Celtics fans.
I don’t like seeing this I pray Jaylen Brown stays with us 🙏🏾
After helping the Celtics make the NBA Finals this past season, it is hard to believe that Boston would consider splitting up their star duo, even for Durant. After all, the Nets superstar is 33 years old, meaning any move to bring him to Boston would drastically shorten their championship window.
Scalabrine Belives Boston has Best Durant Trade Package
While opinions on trading away Brown might be split across the fanbase, it’s worth noting that former Celtics fan favorite, and current play-by-play announcer Brian Scalabrine believes that Boston has the best trade package for Durant out of any team in the NBA.
“Jaylen Brown, three picks, two rights to swap, and Daniel Theis, the money works,” said Scalabrine regarding a potential Celtics package for Durant. You’re getting the All-Star caliber player, and you’re getting picks moving forward, and you have to understand that there is a connection. The Al Horford connection with Kevin Durant, they were kind of linked during that free agency when he went to Golden State.
He loves Marcus Smart as a player, the Hamptons visit, all that stuff. Ime Udoka, he coached him, and he’s always chatting it up with Udoka on the sideline during the game, and you get a chance to play with Jayson Tatum, a guy he’s played on the Olympic team with him, where they worked out together and stuff like that. So, there is a connection. It’s not crazy to think that something like that could happen if, if and only if, Kevin Durant decides, ‘Alright, I want to be out of here,” Scalabrine said during a spot on NBA Radio on June 26.
With Kevin Durant “monitoring” the Kyrie situation in Brooklyn, could he be on the move this summer?
@Scalabrine makes the case for the #Celtics being KD’s next team.
The downside in trading for Durant is that he’s already 33 years old, and will be earning $53 million during his age-37 season – whereas Brown fits perfectly with Boston’s current timeline, and could help ensure a sustained period of contention for the Celtics.
Brown was Boston’s Best Player in the Finals
Part of the reason so many people believe Brown is good enough to be the centerpiece of a trade for Durant is that he was unquestionably the Celtics’ best player during their NBA Finals series against the Golden State Warriors – and that carries a lot of weight.
Over the six games between Boston and the Warriors, Brown averaged 23.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while shooting 34% from deep and 43.1% from the field. Furthermore, Brown, 25, is still a couple of years away from his prime, meaning there is still more room for him to improve his game.
Trading for Durant will undoubtedly cost the Celtics one of the best, young two-way wings in the NBA – it might look good on paper, but in reality, Boston is probably better-served building around Tatum and Brown, rather than moving on from one of them, regardless of how enticing a future hall of famer may be.