It was a banner offseason for the Philadelphia 76ers — and as they watch the New York Knicks raise a championship banner on Tuesday night, the Sixers will be hoping that they can be next and win a title in the 2026-27 NBA season.
The 76ers put together a headline-grabbing summer, signing LeBron James and trading for Jaylen Brown.
Those moves combine to give the 76ers an incredible starting five: James, Brown, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Joel Embiid.
And the Brown trade will loom large all year not just for the 76ers but for the Boston Celtics, his former team, who got Paul George as part of the return from Philadelphia.
Even at the time, the move was quite shocking, and as both the Celtics and 76ers begin their new campaigns on Tuesday, it’s worth a look at what exactly happened.
76ers-Celtics Jaylen Brown for Paul George Trade Details
This trade was reported on July 1 and became official on the first day it could, July 6, 2026.
The 76ers received:
- Jaylen Brown
The Celtics received:
- Paul George
- 2028 first-round pick
- 2031 first-round pick
- 2028 second-round pick
- 2030 second-round pick
Why Did 76ers Trade for Jaylen Brown?
The chance to get Brown was too good to pass up for the 76ers.
Yes, they had to give up two future first-round picks, but this isn’t a Philadelphia team that is worried about picking near the top of the draft anytime soon. Those picks likely won’t end up being too valuable.
Brown is a clear upgrade on George, who was past his prime and couldn’t carry a team in the same way Brown is capable.
The 76ers won’t need Brown to always put their team on his back, but having another star in his prime to pair with Maxey (and James and Embiid and Edgecombe) gives Philadelphia considerably more upside.
The only real downside for Philly is if the lineup doesn’t come together, or if they have some injury-plagued season that turns one of those outgoing draft picks into a top selection down the road for the Celtics.
If Brown is his usual self in Philadelphia, the 76ers should reap the rewards of this deal.
Why Did Celtics Do This Trade?
The side that more people questioned was Boston — which shows that it was a likely trade win for Philadelphia.
But the Celtics were trying to get out from Brown’s contract while looking toward the future with some additional assets. It’s a statement by them that they wanted to build around Jayson Tatum, not Brown.
The pair one an NBA title together, which makes it curious to move away from the partnership now, but Boston must’ve decided that creating a sort of second Tatum era with a different core around him was the path they wanted to take.
The Celtics had explored trading Brown for Giannis Antetokounmpo, and when that didn’t happen, they still decided they were ready to move on from JB in a different direction.
Why 76ers Made Jaylen Brown-Paul George Trade With Celtics