Jaylen Brown trade grades: 76ers get 'A+' for Celtics star

On July 1, 2026, the Boston Celtics traded Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks (2028 and 2031), and two second-round picks (2028 and 2030). This trade, reported by ESPN, marked the end of Brown's successful ten-season run in Boston.

Jaylen Brown, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, earned five All-Star selections during his tenure with the Celtics. He averaged over 20 points per game for seven consecutive seasons, leading the team to the Eastern Conference Finals six times and participating in the NBA Finals twice. Brown was awarded Finals MVP after helping Boston secure its 18th NBA championship in 2024. He will now continue his career with the 76ers alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe.

Rumors had persisted about the potential split between Brown and teammate Jayson Tatum since Tatum's arrival in 2017. While the Celtics were frequently linked to marquee players like Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant, they never traded Brown. Their faith in the duo culminated in the 2024 championship, but the situation deteriorated thereafter. After Tatum suffered an Achilles injury in the 2025 playoffs, Brown led the Celtics to 56 wins in the 2025-26 season but faced a significant setback when the team lost a first-round series against the 76ers after leading 3-1.

This playoff exit exposed critical flaws in Boston's roster, particularly problematic given both Tatum and Brown's supermax contracts. Following this disappointment, Brown expressed frustration about the NBA's treatment of him during a Twitch stream, even dubbing the 2025-26 season his "favorite year" over the championship run.

In June, the Celtics sought to trade Brown to the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, when Antetokounmpo was traded to the Miami Heat, the Celtics decided to move on from Brown and ultimately sent him to Philadelphia instead.

For the 76ers, this trade signifies a change of direction. Paul George, who has struggled with injuries, played only 78 games over the past two seasons and is entering his age-36 season. Despite this, he had a strong playoff showing with an average of 17.4 points per game in the series against the Celtics. Now, as he heads to Boston, he is expected to replace Brown, who at 29 years old, leaves the 76ers with a promising young forward to build around, assuming Embiid remains healthy.