The Boston Celtics may have irreparably damaged their already strained relationship with Jaylen Brown after failing to land Giannis Antetokounmpo.
That is the opinion of Celtics beat writer Noa Dalzell, who is convinced Brown is “put off” by his name being thrown into trade rumors—especially after he finished sixth in MVP voting and posted career-best numbers this past season.
“You played your cards wrong,” Dalzell said on the “Garden Report” podcast.
“This is why you can’t call every team in the NBA about Jaylen Brown’s value, because you don’t want something like this to happen. And it did happen,” Dalzell added, suggesting that Brown should have been protected from the rumors.
“From a PR standpoint, it’s not good news for Boston.”
Jaylen Brown Likely ‘Put Off’
Dalzell, who has covered Jaylen Brown for years, anticipates the 10th-year wing to be turned off by the Celtics front office.
“Unless you have this real and clear line of communication with Jaylen, where he is somehow going to respond well to this and not be put off by the way this played out…
“….I’d be surprised, just by knowing him … this particular offseason especially would hurt to be backdoored,” Dalzell added, referring to the few other times (2018, 2022) Brown was attached to trade rumors in his 10-year stint with the Celtics.
“It’s not well played, and we don’t often say that about this front office,” she added.
For what it’s worth, Brown addressed people who “want me gone” on his Twitch stream on Monday, saying: “To all the people that’s doubted me, that want me to do this, or want me (traded), you’re turning me into a monster.”
‘Nightmare Scenario’ for Celtics
Dalzell and her podcast co-hosts also criticized Celtics front-office boss Brad Stevens for taking a half-hearted approach to the Giannis trade. Per multiple reports, the C’s refused to part with Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman, both of whom the Bucks wanted, and also refused to include additional draft capital to their offer. The Heat, meanwhile, improved their offer from two first-round picks and a pick swap to three first-rounders and a swap. While Miami didn’t have a player of Brown’s caliber to offer, it dealt three young players on rookie-scale contracts and a former All-Star in Tyler Herro, in addition to the picks, to beat out the Celtics.
“I can’t imagine that [Hugo] is what held the deal…. but, this is kind of a nightmare scenario for the Celtics,” Dalzell said.
“Because not only does everybody in the world know you were finalists for Giannis…now Jaylen knows he was the centrepiece in a trade a year after a career-best season.”
Many analysts feel the Celtics could be forced to deal Jaylen Brown, fearing that he could be disgruntled entering the 2026-27 season.
“I don’t want them to trade him for below his value now because their relationship could be soured. That’s where my head goes right now,” added Dalzell.
Jaylen Brown Trade Incoming?
Per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, teams around the league are lining up for the likelihood of the Celtics trading Brown after missing out on Antetokounmpo.
“And so now what I expect to happen is a bidding war for Jaylen Brown and other teams in the league,” Windhorst told ESPN’s “Get Up” on Tuesday.
“In the most recent days, teams have been preparing for this eventuality, that it wouldn’t be the Boston Celtics who won the Giannis sweepstakes, and that there would be a Jaylen Brown market. And so now we’re going to watch that.
“I think it’ll take some time to play out, but if there’s a draft pick involved, it could happen today. I don’t think that’s likely, but it could happen today.”
Celtics Insider Rips Brad Stevens for Botching Jaylen Brown-Giannis Trade