After 10 years, Jaylen Brown’s time with the Boston Celtics has come to an end.
A majority of Celtics fans have had a hard time accepting this as the truth, but nonetheless, we have arrived at the much-dreaded point where the era of “The Jays” has concluded.
At 6:13 PM on July 1, 2026, Shams Charania reported that the Boston Celtics are trading Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers
The Celtics were previously cited as one of the teams deep in the race for Giannis Antetokounmpo, with a trade centered around Brown.
But according to Bill Simmons, the two could not come to terms on an extension deal, causing a fallout, which ultimately led to Antetokounmpo being shipped to the Miami Heat.
The Celtics being as close as they were to landing Giannis is what made this trade so appalling.
Every day, mock trades were trending, hypothesizing various top-tier players being swapped for Jaylen Brown, and many of them seemed plausible for the Celtics to do.
NBA fans across the world were stunned when the Boston Celtics traded their 29-year-old All-NBA Second Team, All-Star, 2024 NBA Finals MVP for 36-year-old Paul George, who hasn’t been an All-Star for two years.
Based on the recency of those accolades alone, this trade appears to be highway robbery.
To truly understand why the Celtics would accept this offer, you have to dig below the surface, which is what many people have been unwilling to do.
So I will try my best to break it down and instill hope in this time of darkness for many fans.
Jaylen Brown's Obvious Issue With Being Second Fiddle
This is what comes at the cost of homegrown stars in the NBA.
Drafted in #3 in the 2016 NBA Draft, Jaylen Brown was booed by Celtics fans, as they didn’t see him panning out to be a top player in the NBA.
Brown has cited this event various times as his inspiration for getting better, and he has turned into a top player in the league.
Making his first All-NBA Team in the 2022-23 NBA Season, fans were quick to debate if he was still a true second option, or if he was good enough to be “the guy” for an NBA team.
Being teammates with an already solidified franchise player in Jayson Tatum made it harder for Brown to get to play how he wanted.
On a podcast appearance, Brown says, “For me, I’ve looked at it as like, I’m gonna accept the role they’re offering me, while knowing the role I have for myself. I’m gonna do your role to perfection, but I’ma sneak my little one-two in there every chance I get.”
It became obvious that Brown had a desire for a higher-volume role, which couldn’t always be provided due to Jayson Tatum’s excellence as the number one option.
With Jayson Tatum being sidelined for a majority of the 2025-26 NBA season due to his injury, Brown finally got a taste of what it’s like to be the clear main option for an NBA team.
In the ‘25-’26 season, Jaylen Brown averaged career highs in points, assists, and rebounds per game, and led the Celtics to 56 wins and the two seed in the Eastern Conference.
In an interview in April, Brown said, “At times, I think I would make myself small, for other people to feel comfortable... I'm not going to make myself small ever again”
While commendable and uplifting, saying this while your co-star was sidelined for months rubbed people the wrong way. Given the context, it seemed like he was unwilling to accept a regression in his role once Jayson Tatum returned to the floor.
Another quote that sent the media into a frenzy was when Jaylen Brown said that the ‘25-’26 season was his favorite season of his career.
Coming off of statistically his best PRA (points, rebounds, assists) season, Brown led the Celtics to the two seed, ultimately getting eliminated in the first round, blowing a 3-1 series lead versus the 76ers.
People took issue with the statement because it seemed as though Brown was prioritizing his own success, stat-wise, along with finally being the leader of a team, over winning.
The Business Side Of Things
Coming into this offseason, Jaylen Brown was eligible for a contract extension with the Celtics for two years and $145 million.
This hefty price was a turn-off for Boston and played a factor into their decision.
Before settling for Paul George and four picks, the Celtics were looking for a much stronger package of five first-round picks, VJ Edgecombe, and Paul George, for Jaylen Brown, according to Shams Charania.
The Celtics having to settle for the weaker package made it obvious that other NBA GM’s did not covet Jaylen Brown in the same way the Boston Celtics and the fans did.
People were expecting much more of a haul in return, but with the $300+ million contract, as well as the due extension, there was not much leverage in favor of the Celtics when looking for deals.
The Paul George Fit
Paul George has been a top-tier player in the league since he was drafted in 2010.
George brings playoff experience, a level of veteran presence, and although he is 36 years old, he was still performing at high levels in the playoffs last season.
Jaylen Brown received backlash on X/Twitter during the first round last season due to his lack of poise, change of playstyle, and inefficiency.
Rumors were spread by Celtics fans online that the drop-off in success in the postseason was because Brown was forcing himself into spots he didn’t need to be, so his volume and title as the number one option would last as long as possible.
While not confirming nor denying these claims, Paul George is a high-tier wing who should have no issue letting Jayson Tatum be Jayson Tatum, without letting it affect his own performance.
All in all, this trade makes for a sad departure of a homegrown star in a shocking trade. But the end is not here; the Celtics will continue to surprise the doubters this season.