There’s nothing quite like rumor season in the NBA, and plenty of buzz is swirling around the Celtics possibly trading Jaylen Brown. NBA insider Jake Fischer recently mentioned that the New Orleans Pelicans might have an interest in Brown.
“The Pelicans have been mentioned by various league executives with Jaylen Brown interest, as well,” Fischer said during a livestream for Bleacher Report on Tuesday. “We don’t know if Boston is even going to fully entertain this at the end of the day. But that doesn’t mean these teams are going to call and are going to try.”
Even if the Pelicans can’t secure Brown, they might still get involved in a trade as a third team, helping another organization acquire him. This is what Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley suggested on Thursday.
Buckley predicted that the Celtics will trade Brown to the Hawks as part of a three-team deal involving the Pelicans. Here’s the breakdown of his trade prediction.
New Orleans Pelicans receive: No. 8 pick, Jonathan Kuminga (sign-and-trade), Zaccharie Risacher, 2028 first-round pick (via ATL, CLE or UTA)
Atlanta Hawks receive: Jaylen Brown, Yves Missi
Boston Celtics receive: Trey Murphy III, Onyeka Okongwu, Kevon Looney, 2030 first-round pick swap (via ATL)
"If the Celtics don't turn a Brown trade into a Giannis Antetokounmpo megamove, they probably wouldn't want a pile of picks in exchange for their star," Buckley wrote. "So, they could instead seek out a package like this: a plug-and-play near-star in Murphy, an impact stretch big in Okongwu and a future first-round swap to perhaps dangle in a future deal (plus Looney to mostly make the money work but also serve as emergency depth)."
The Celtics would part ways with Brown, but in return, they would acquire an emerging small forward in Murphy and add depth in the frontcourt with Okongwu. While this trade may not propel the Celtics to NBA Finals contenders next season, it could set them up for success by 2028 if Murphy continues to develop.
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