The Boston Celtics are “actively engaged” in discussions to move five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown, NBA insider Shams Charania said Wednesday during ESPN’s NBA Draft coverage.
Charania reported that Boston has spoken with several interested clubs, and league observers sense a deliberate approach from the front office. While no agreement is believed to be imminent, the talks underline growing uncertainty around Brown’s long-term future with the franchise.
The 27-year-old guard is entering year two of a supermax extension that carries roughly $183 million over the next three seasons, a figure executives around the league view as a potential hurdle in negotiations. Charania added that urgency on either side could shift as the offseason unfolds.
Front-office stance
Team president Brad Stevens said he met with Brown before news leaked that Boston had included him in conversations with the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this year, prior to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s trade to the Miami Heat.
“We certainly wanted to be as proactive and up-front with that as possible,” Stevens told reporters, calling Brown “a big part of us” while stopping short of guaranteeing the wing will stay in Boston.
What rival teams are hearing
Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix reported Tuesday that trade dialogue involving Brown persisted, with some inquiries originating from opposing front offices and others from the Celtics themselves. One league executive told Mannix, “They are hunting a big man, and they are willing to trade [Brown] to get it.”
The Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks have surfaced in speculation, and Mannix cited the Cleveland Cavaliers as a hypothetical match if they were ever open to discussing Evan Mobley. Cleveland has given no indication it plans to move the former Defensive Player of the Year.
For now, Brown remains on Boston’s roster, but league sources expect the conversation to continue as teams reshape their lineups ahead of next season.
Source: Hoops Wire
