The dust is starting to settle following the Boston Celtics‘ decision to part with Jaylen Brown. Earlier this month, Brad Stevens shipped Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in return for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks.
During a July 9 episode of his “KG Certified” podcast, former Celtics champion Kevin Garnett sent a warning to his former team.
“This is going to be like that [Karl-Anthony Towns] trade,” Garnett said. “It’s like Minnesota kicking themselves over the KAT trade. I think Boston is going to look back on this. It’s like when KD left Golden State and then he turned around like what the f–k. This is one of those moments where you don’t break a great thing up. This was a great thing.”
As the episode wore on, Garnett admitted that had he been running the Celtics, he wouldn’t have moved to split Tatum and Brown up so soon after they won a championship.
“Those two have been tested through time and time,” Garnett said. “So, this is just a relationship. It ain’t always going to be great, you know what I’m saying? But, it would have had to have been something detrimental for me to break that up. That was probably the most dynamic duo in the league to me.”
Nevertheless, Brown is now a member of the Sixers and is part of a fearsome rotation that included Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Joel Embiid.
Garnett Warns Celtics About Sixers
In the same podcast episode, Garnett warned the Celtics about the strength of the Sixers and the threat they’ll pose moving forward.
“They not only got better, but they have young stars. If they can put this together, Nick Nurse has a really good team,” Garnett said. “You’ve still got something with the big fella [Joel Embiid], he doesn’t have to be so 100 percent him.”
Garnett continued.
“Tyrese Maxey is a rising star. You put him with JB and [V.J.] Edgecombe? Man, listen. And then, it was in conference. That says something. That says ‘yeah, we want to see y’all four times a year.”
Following the addition of Brown, Philadelphia is undoubtedly a favorite to come out of the Eastern Conference next season.
Celtics Traded Brown Due To Impending Extension
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, a key reason Boston parted ways with Brown was his impending eligibility for a two-year, $141 million extension.
“They knew they were not going to offer Jaylen Brown the two-year, $140 million contract extension,” Charania said via ‘The Pat McAfee Show.‘ “That would have caused a reaction. Both sides would have had to have even harder conversations, and this could have gone another way. This could have gotten ugly potentially because you’ve already shopped the player multiple times. In 2022, he was offered for Kevin Durant.”
If the Celtics had extended Brown, they would have been paying him more than $70 million during his age 33 and 34 seasons. Trading him now means they have more financial flexibility in the coming years.
Of course, that doesn’t mean much to Celtics fans when they see a direct rival getting stronger.
Kevin Garnett Sends Warning To Boston Celtics Over Jaylen Brown Trade