The Boston Celtics recently made the tough decision to part with Jaylen Brown. The All-NBA forward was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. In return, Boston got Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks.
When speaking to the media on Thursday, July 9, head coach Joe Mazzulla addressed the trade for the first time.
“I think we actually are still processing it,” Mazzulla said. “Obviously, when something like that happens, it’s not all black and white. There’s a lot of stuff that goes into it on and off the court.
Boston had previously attempted to package Brown as part of a deal to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis was ultimately shipped to the Miami Heat. Therefore, Brad Stevens reportedly began exploring his options regarding finding a potential suitor for Brown.
Since trading Brown, Celtics fans have shared mixed reactions online. However, the most prevalent train of thought has been that Boston sold low on a player coming off a career year that led him to finish sixth in MVP voting.
Celtics Likely Traded Brown Due To Finances
Brown has three years remaining on his $285 million supermax contract. Had he remained in Boston, he would have been eligible for a two-year, $141.9 million extension later this summer.
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the money Brown was due likely played a role in Boston’s decision to part ways with him.
“In the case of Jaylen Brown, the Celtics believed that Jaylen Brown was going to be seeking a contract extension this summer,” Windhorst said on a recent episode of ESPN’s First Take. “And if they gave him that extension, not only did they think they were not getting $57 million in value out of him, but then he’d become untradable.”
Now that Brown has been traded to the Sixers, he will need to wait until next summer to become eligible for a two-year extension with his new team.
Brown And Tatum Took Up 35% Of Celtics Cap Sheet
When addressing the media on Monday, July 6, Stevens discussed how Brown’s contract was part of the franchise’s decision-making process.
“I might be wrong. I’m not going to stand up here and be defensive about that. But the path looked a little bit more challenging with 70% of our cap and such a high percentage of our usage tied into two players,” Stevens said.
By taking back George’s contract, Boston has reduced its commitment to another max-level salary by one year. However, George has a player option in his deal for the 27-28 season. Therefore, the Celtics could look to trade him next summer or at the 2028 trade deadline. After all, expiring deals are often easier to move in the NBA.
Clearly, Stevens had the future in mind when he decided to trade Brown. Unfortunately for Celtics fans, that didn’t make the decision sting any less.
Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla Breaks Silence Over Jaylen Brown Trade