NBA Blockbuster Trade: Celtics Reportedly Deal Brown for George and 4 Draft Picks

(Taipei, July 2nd, CNA) The NBA free agency period has begun. According to reports, after missing out on Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaylen Brown is set to join the Philadelphia 76ers in a league-shaking trade, while Paul George will move to the Boston Celtics.

After a career-best season where he was named the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, Brown is embarking on a new journey. After 10 seasons with the Celtics, he was traded to the 76ers today.

According to ESPN reporter Shams Charania, the Celtics will acquire 76ers star George, along with first-round draft picks in 2028 and 2031, and second-round picks in 2028 and 2030.

This trade comes days after Brown was reportedly a key trade chip for Antetokounmpo. However, that deal fell through when the Milwaukee Bucks opted to trade Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat.

George averaged 17.3 points and 5.3 rebounds last season, his second with the 76ers. However, he played in only 37 games due to a knee injury and a 25-game suspension for violating the league's anti-drug policy. The 76ers finished last season with a 45-37 record and reached the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Brown was selected by the Celtics with the third overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft and made his first All-Star appearance in the 2020/21 season. Since then, he has averaged 24.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, been selected to five All-Star games, and helped the Celtics win the 2023/24 NBA Championship, earning Finals MVP honors for his outstanding performance.

The timing of this trade is surprising. With Jayson Tatum expected to miss the start of the 2025/26 season due to an Achilles tendon injury, the Celtics' performance was widely expected to decline significantly. Instead, Brown delivered a career-best performance, averaging a career-high 28.7 points and leading the team to the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

However, the Celtics were unable to carry their regular-season momentum into the playoffs, being eliminated by the 76ers in the first round. This early exit may have prompted the Celtics to re-evaluate their partnership with Brown.

In fact, this is not the first time the team has considered trading Brown. In 2022, the Celtics reportedly considered including Brown in a trade for Kevin Durant.

Brown is undoubtedly one of the Celtics' most successful draft picks of the past decade. His development has fueled the team's recent surge and he was a key contributor to their championship run.

Nevertheless, the Celtics believe it is time to begin a new chapter without Brown. After 10 years together, the team must now prove that this significant decision is the right one.

Moving forward, the Celtics will build their new foundation for rebuilding and competing with George and multiple future draft picks. (Compiled by Xu Rui-cheng) 1150702

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