The Boston Celtics didn’t trade Jaylen Brown just to get older.
Paul George was the headline return in July’s stunning deal with Philadelphia, but the draft capital attached to him gave Brad Stevens something Boston had been missing: flexibility.
One hypothetical three-team trade could put that flexibility to work immediately.
Boston Celtics receive: Aaron Gordon
Denver Nuggets receive: Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, Baylor Scheierman and Boston’s 2028 first-round asset acquired from Philadelphia
Charlotte Hornets receive: Jordan Walsh, Luka Garza and Boston’s favorable 2030 second-round pick acquired in the Brown trade
It is an aggressive consolidation move, but one that would give Boston perhaps the most physically imposing starting five in basketball.
Aaron Gordon Would Restore Celtics’ Two-Way Size
Brown’s departure removed more than scoring.
Boston lost a powerful downhill wing who could absorb difficult defensive assignments and survive the physicality of playoff basketball. George can replace some of that, but at 36, asking him to carry the same workload would be risky.
Gordon would change the equation.
The 30-year-old forward is entering the three-year, roughly $103 million portion of the four-year, $133 million extension he signed with Denver in 2024, with salaries of about $33.7 million, $36.4 million and $39 million over the next three seasons.
The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 16.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 38.9% from 3-point range last season. Injuries limited his availability, but his résumé is established: Gordon was a central piece of Denver’s 2023 championship team and has spent years doing the dirty work around Nikola Jokic.
Put him next to Jayson Tatum, George and Derrick White, and Boston could switch across the perimeter without forcing Tatum to take every demanding matchup.
A projected closing group of White, George, Tatum, Gordon and Mitchell Robinson would feature size at every position and plenty of shooting.
More importantly, Gordon would not require Boston to redesign its offense. He screens, cuts, attacks mismatches and can punish defenses that abandon him around Tatum.
Denver Gets More Than a Salary Dump
The proposal also has to make sense for Denver.
The Nuggets would send out Gordon’s roughly $33.7 million salary and take back about $21.4 million in Pritchard, Hauser and Scheierman.
That would cut roughly $12.3 million from Denver’s payroll.
According to ESPN cap analyst Bobby Marks, Denver sat about $3.15 million above the second apron after signing DeMar DeRozan. Under this proposal, the Nuggets would project to land roughly $9 million below the second apron, giving them substantial breathing room rather than merely sneaking under the line.
That matters because second-apron penalties restrict how teams can aggregate salaries, use exceptions and build out the rest of the roster.
Denver would also get legitimate basketball help.
Pritchard gives the Nuggets another ballhandler behind Jamal Murray. Hauser gives Jokic an elite floor spacer—Scheierman supplies inexpensive wing depth. Boston’s 2028 first-round asset adds long-term value.
So while Boston would get the best individual player, Denver could become deeper, cheaper and more flexible at the same time.
Celtics Turn Brown Trade Into Another Upgrade
Boston received George, two first-round assets and two second-rounders for Brown.
This proposal preserves the prized 2031 unprotected Philadelphia first, along with Hugo González and rookie Chris Cenac Jr.
Even after sending the 2028 first-round asset to Denver, Boston would still have as many as four tradable first-round picks, headlined by Philadelphia’s unprotected 2031 selection. That would leave Brad Stevens with enough draft ammunition to pursue another major move down the road instead of emptying the cupboard for Gordon.
That matters.
Boston was criticized for moving Brown after a career season, but the Celtics’ argument was always that George plus the picks created more paths to improve around Tatum.
Using the lesser first-round asset to turn several rotation players into Gordon would put that theory to the test.
Boston sacrifices depth, but that is the cost of converting good players into a proven championship starter.
And after the Brown trade, Gordon is exactly the sort of player worth consolidating for.
Celtics Trade Pitch Lands $133 Million NBA Champion Next to Jayson Tatum