The Boston Celtics traded Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George and draft picks. The deal reshaped both rosters and sent one of the most accomplished wings in Celtics history to a divisional rival. For the first time since 2016, the Celtics will open a season without Brown on the roster.
But Philadelphia was not the only destination the Celtics explored. The conversations stretched further.
On Monday, a new report revealed just how serious the discussions between Boston and Minnesota became before the trade went down.
What the Celtics Asked For
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic reported on the ‘Celtics Daily’ podcast that the Minnesota Timberwolves engaged in serious conversations with the Celtics about acquiring Brown before Minnesota ultimately completed its blockbuster trade for LaMelo Ball.
What Boston wanted in return was substantial.
“The Celtics wanted Rudy and Naz, and it was going to be just too high of a price to pay,” Krawczynski said.
Boston was seeking Rudy Gobert, the four-time Defensive Player of the Year, and Naz Reid, the former Sixth Man of the Year. Two rotation pillars for a Timberwolves team that reached the Western Conference Finals in 2024 and has remained a contender since.
Krawczynski indicated that the Wolves weighed the possibility internally before ultimately deciding the cost was too much.
Minnesota Preferred the LaMelo Fit
The Timberwolves moved in a different direction. The Ball trade gave Minnesota a dynamic lead ball-handler to pair alongside Anthony Edwards. According to Krawczynski, that was the outcome the Wolves felt best about.
“I do think the Wolves are happier with the LaMelo fit, a little more than they would’ve been with the Jaylen fit,” Krawczynski said.
Brown is an elite two-way wing who can score in isolation, defend the opposing team’s best player, and elevate in the postseason. But Minnesota already has Edwards filling a similar offensive role. Ball’s playmaking offered something the Wolves’ roster lacked more urgently than another scoring wing.
Final Word for the Celtics
The Brown-to-Minnesota conversation never got across the finish line. The asking price was too high for the Wolves, and the LaMelo fit appealed to them more than what Brown would have brought to their roster.
For Celtics fans, the report offers a glimpse into how Stevens approached the summer.
Brown is gone. George is here. The what-ifs from this summer keep getting more interesting.
Celtics’ Jaylen Brown Asking Price in Timberwolves Trade Talks Revealed