HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Los Angeles Lakers are all-in on chasing the NBA championship around Luka Doncic for the next two years. The Lakers went on a wild free agent spending spree on Wednesday to sign Walker Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes, and Collin Sexton. There’s still plenty of time left in the offseason, but it feels like the Lakers’ roster is 99 percent complete.
Trading for Kessler was the Lakers’ big splash, and it will go down as one of the boldest moves of the NBA summer. Top executive Rob Pelinka gave up the team’s unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, as well as pick swaps in 2028 and 2030, to acquire a strong defensive center with a long injury history. This will be the biggest trade of the Doncic era for Los Angeles: the Lakers now have no tradable first-round picks over the next seven years and have committed $475 million to Dončić, Austin Reaves, and Kessler.
The Lakers can talk themselves into having a championship ceiling now with the league having eight unique champions over the last eight seasons. The biggest thing any team needs to win a championship is a top-5 player in the world. The Lakers have one in Doncic, and that gives them a chance to raise another banner if everything goes right for them, and several things go wrong for their top adversaries.
Kessler holds the Lakers’ championship hopes on his shoulders. You know what you’re getting from Luka if he stays healthy: best-in-class scoring and playmaking; an offensive engine unlike anything else in the league. Reaves is a really good secondary scorer who can replicate the dribble-drive creation and outside shooting that Kyrie Irving once provided next to Luka on the Dallas Mavericks’ 2024 NBA Finals run. Doncic and Reaves are both weak defenders to put it mildly, and this team doesn’t have anyone who can replicate the wing defense that helped power the Knicks to a 2026 championship. That means the defense is all on Kessler, an elite rim protector and rebounder who suddenly has to deliver on 100 percent of his promise for the Lakers to accomplish anything meaningful.
NBA history is defined by dynasties, but there’s two big reasons why different teams keep winning the championship in this era. The first one is injuries: more pace and more space has led to added pressure on the players’ bodies, and that often causes them to break down. The Thunder might have repeated as champions if Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell stayed healthy. The Bucks might have gone back-to-back in 2021 and 2022 if Khris Middleton’s body didn’t falter. We’ll never know. The next part is the structure of the NBA’s current CBA. It’s harder to pay three superstars, because it kills your pathways to depth. The Lakers are now using one of the few three-star models in the league.
I’m not going to say the Lakers are automatically drawing dead next season for those reasons. Other teams could have injuries. So far, there are only three teams I would definitively rank ahead of the Lakers going into the 2026-2027 season right now.
Oklahoma City Thunder
San Antonio Spurs
New York Knicks
That’s the NBA’s Tier 1 of championship contenders. To me, the Lakers are a Tier 2 title contender, which looks something like this:
Los Angeles Lakers
Minnesota Timberwolves
Philadelphia 76ers
Toronto Raptors
I would elevate the Lakers above the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets as currently constructed. We’ll see if either of those teams makes a significant move, or if they mostly just run it back next year. The Sixers just joined Tier 2 themselves on Wednesday pulling off a shocking buy-low trade for Jaylen Brown.
The wildcards are the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers. One of them is probably getting LeBron James. What else are they doing? If the Warriors land James and Anthony Davis, I’d rank them ahead of the Lakers despite that roster being old as hell. I like the Warriors’ outlook without Davis, too, especially if Kristaps Porzingis can somehow stay healthy (again, it’s always injuries). The Cavs with LeBron look a half-step below the Lakers to me unless they do something else that moves the needle.
The offseason is long. Training camps don’t open until late September, and the season doesn’t start until late Oct. We’ve seen major deals go down on the brink of training camp the last few years, like the Knicks acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns and the Bucks trading for Damian Lillard. It could happen again.
For now, the Lakers are a Tier 2 championship contender in my mind with a tangible championship ceiling. I’d rank them no higher than No. 4 and no longer than No. 7 in the preseason power rankings right now. The reason I still crushed the Lakers in my Kessler trade grades is because I don’t really believe in their chance to reach their ceiling. I think there’s some terrifying downside here for LA if that happens. I do still believe in LA’s ceiling in a best case scenario, though
If the Lakers fall short of their ceiling the next two years? Well, Luka Doncic can be a free agent in 2028. Maybe a reunion in Dallas with Cooper Flagg is coming? The NBA always keeps you on your toes. The pressure is on now to make these moves count for the Lakers. It will be thrilling to watch them try.
LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 13: An overall view of the Emirates Cup logo before the game between the New York Knicks and the Orlando Magic during the Emirates NBA Cup Semifinal game on December 13, 2025 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s July now, which means we’re officially in a new NBA year. The 2026-27 season is on the horizon, and maybe this is the year I make some basketball resolutions. Think New Year’s resolutions, except they’re about being a better fan, a better writer, and somebody who absorbs the sport a little differently. I’ll do my best to adjust my attitude on a few things. One of those things? The NBA Cup.
I’ve had a hard time embracing it, especially after what happened last season. Sure, the Suns made the NBA Cup for the second time in three years, and their reward was a date with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder beat them by 50. As a bonus, they also got matched up with the team that lost on the other side of the Western Conference NBA Cup bracket, which happened to be the Lakers.
So, by playing well, they earned two games against superior opponents. What a prize. That’s fine, I guess. By the end of the season, though, I’m sure we’d all rather the Suns had a couple more wins in their pocket than an opportunity to be stress tested by elite teams in November. Two more wins and the Suns would’ve finished 49-33 and secured the sixth seed. The disease of what if, amiright?
But again, I’m going to try to put all of that aside. I’m going to try to embrace the NBA Cup, the corporate sponsorships, and those funky-looking courts.
Why do I bring all of this up now? Because the NBA Cup groups have been announced. Oh joy! Fantastic!!! We now know where the Phoenix Suns landed and who they’ll be playing. They’ve been assigned to West Group A alongside the Nuggets, Rockets, Mavericks, and Jazz.
The groups are set for the Emirates NBA Cup 2026!
All 30 NBA teams were randomly drawn into groups of five within their conference based on win-loss records from the 2025-26 regular season.
NBA Cup group play begins on October 30 and runs through November 27. Every team will play the other teams in its group once, and the winner of each group, along with one wildcard team from each conference, will advance to the eight-team, single-elimination knockout round.
One thing is different this year. The quarterfinals and finals are getting a new home. After three years in Las Vegas, they’ll be played at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Shout out to Shams for tweeting it out right after free agency opened on Tuesday. While we’re all sitting around waiting for free agent news, he’s telling us NBA Cup news. (smile John…nod…don’t get upset…)
League news: The NBA will hold the NBA Cup championship game at Butler's Hinkle Fieldhouse on Dec. 11 next season, sources tell ESPN.
The NBA Cup has become something of a proving ground in recent years. Teams that have reached the finals have gone on to find success later in the season. Look at last year. The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup Final, then did it again in the NBA Finals.
Maybe that’s the angle I’ll take. Maybe you want to make the NBA Cup because it’s a preview of what’s to come later in the season! I’m trying…I’m trying.
The wait for LeBron James rolls on as NBA free agency continues today and the remainder of the NBA’s free agents search for their next team on Thursday, July 2.
The biggest moves so far have been trades. Jaylen Brown was the latest NBA star to be dealt when the Boston Celtics traded him to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday in a package featuring Paul George and draft picks. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, Ja Morant and Walker Kessler are among the notable players to switch teams in recent days.
But there are still a few difference makers remaining on the third day since the NBA's free agency negotiating period began, and plenty of intriguing possibilities to monitor during an offseason that's already seen its share of drama.
USA TODAY Sports is tracking all of the latest news, signings, trades and rumors with NBA free agency in full gear. Here's what's happening around the league at this moment:
As Cowherd's comments began to be shared widely on social media on Thursday, July 2, Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell came to the defense of Brown and made clear he didn't like what was being insinuated.
Critique basketball all you want… but disease is insane… we gotta stop letting people just say whatever… cmon man! https://t.co/kZvqMGBYib
Tim Hardaway Jr. agreed to a one-year deal with the Miami Heat earlier this week, but don't expect him to wear the No. 10 he has used much of his career.
Tim Hardaway Sr.'s No. 10 is retired in Miami and he said Wednesday his son can't have it even if he wants it.
"My legacy is my legacy, and he's doing it his way. Even though he likes to wear 10, he loves to wear 10, but that is not coming down from the rafters," Tim Hardaway Sr. said in an interview with WQAM radio in Miami.
The Heat retired Hardaway's No. 10 in 2009. He was a three-time all-NBA selection during his six seasons with the franchise (1996-2001). Hardaway Jr. previously didn't wear No. 10 with the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks because the number is retired for those teams as well.
Anfernee Simons will be playing for his fourth team since the end of the 2024-25 NBA season when he makes a free agency decision soon, and his options are beginning to come into focus.
Simons is being pursued by the Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat, with the Dallas Mavericks emerging Thursday as a new suitor, according to NBA reporters Marc Stein and Jake Fischer. Simons spent the first seven seasons of his NBA career with the Portland Trail Blazers, where he signed a 4-year, $100-million contract extension.
He began last season with the Boston Celtics before a trade deadline deal to the Chicago Bulls, though he appeared in just six games for Chicago. Simons averaged 14.3 points and shot better than 38% from 3-point range over 55 games with the Celtics and Bulls.
The Lakers burst into NBA free agency with a few rapid-fire signings in the aftermath of the LeBron James' decision to play elsewhere, and they might have another move left. The Lakers are interested in Jonathan Kuminga, according to multiplereports, as an athletic wing to play alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Kuminga is an unrestricted free agent after the Atlanta Hawks elected to not pick up his team option for the 2026-27 season. He was dealt to the Hawks by the Golden State Warriors at last year's trade deadline. He averaged 12.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game last season.
There's a lot of consternation in Boston today in the aftermath of the Celtics' decision to trade Jaylen Brown for Paul George and a couple future first-round picks. But if there's a silver lining to that angst, it's that there's also speculation the team might not be done making moves this offseason.
The Celtics have reached out to the New Orleans Pelicans about acquiring wing Trey Murphy III this offseason, according to a new report from Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, and the two first-round picks Boston got from the 76ers gives its front office more assets to pull off a deal.
The Philadelphia 76ers might not be done making splashy moves after acquiring Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. The 76ers are among the teams that have reached out to express interest in LeBron James, according to a report from The Athletic.
Rich Paul, James' agent, indicated there were already 12 to 14 teams to contact him in regards to James after he announced he would not be playing for the Lakers next season. Teaming with Tyrese Maxey, Brown and Joel Embiid is suddenly another intriguing option for James.
Who are top remaining NBA free agents?
Jalen Duren, center
The 22-year-old center remains one of the top free agents available. Duren's options might be limited as a restricted free agent after other centers went off the market, including Walker Kessler (Lakers) and Mitchell Robinson (Celtics).
Peyton Watson, wing
Watson continued to improve with each season he spent with the Denver Nuggets. He averaged 14.6 points and 4.9 rebounds in 54 games played this past season. He is a restricted free agent.
Rui Hachimura, forward
Hachimura has been a solid player for the Lakers in recent years. He's been linked to the Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs. He averaged 11.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 68 games played last year. He also finished with a 44.3 percentage from the 3-point line.
Bagley played with both the Washington Wizards and the Dallas Mavericks. He averaged 10.5 points and 6.1 rebounds in 60 games played. He was a part of a 3-team trade in February.
Jaylen Brown helped the Boston Celtics return to a championship pedigree, and because of that, he deserves to be remembered as a franchise icon forever.
Brown’s tenure with the Celtics ended Wednesday when he was reportedly traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks.
This trade closes the book on a 10-year journey for Brown in Boston — one that included plenty of ups and downs, but most importantly resulted in the Celtics securing Banner 18 in 2024.
Getting to that point where Brown was holding the Larry O’Brien Trophy wasn’t easy, though.
Taking a chance
The Celtics deserve a lot of credit for selecting Brown with the No. 3 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. It was one of several lottery picks Boston ended up getting from the Brooklyn Nets in the famous Paul Pierce/Kevin Garnett trade from 2013. And he wasn’t the consensus third-best player in that draft. Many mock drafts had Jamal Murray or Kris Dunn going to the Celtics. Brown went as low as No. 7 or 8 in some mock drafts.
But former C’s president of basketball operations Danny Ainge clearly saw a special talent in Brown, who had the physical prowess, basketball IQ, and raw talent to be an impact player early in his career.
The addition of Brown was not universally praised among fans. There were a lot of rumors at the time about the C’s being interested in trading for star players such as Jimmy Butler or Paul George. So when a blockbuster trade didn’t materialize on draft night and the C’s instead drafted a kid from the University of California, some fans were disappointed. There were boos at the Celtics’ draft party at the Garden.
But it wouldn’t take too long for Celtics fans to start cheering for Brown and embracing him.
Early growing pains
Brown started 20 games as a rookie but played only 17.2 minutes per game that season. His all-around skill set was on display in his third ever game — a showdown against LeBron James and the Cavs on the road — in which he scored 19 points with five rebounds, two assists, one block and three steals.
Overall, Brown played well enough to earn a spot on the All-Rookie second team.
Brown really started to blossom in his second season. The roster around him was better after the C’s drafted Jayson Tatum and traded for Kyrie Irving. They also signed Gordon Hayward in free agency.
Hayward’s scary season-ending injury on Opening Night opened the door for Brown to play a larger role than anticipated in Year 2, and he capitalized on the opportunity. Brown averaged 14.5 points per game in 2017-18, which was more than double his output as a rookie. He also shot 39.5 percent from 3-point range. Brown was even better in the playoffs. Irving and Hayward were both sidelined in the postseason due to injuries, but led by Brown and Tatum, the C’s exceeded all expectations and advanced all the way to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Brown scored 30 points in a Game 2 win over the Bucks in the first round. He scored 24 points in a Game 5 clincher over the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round. He also scored 23-plus points in four of the seven games against James and the Cavs in the conference finals. But the C’s ultimately came up short in an 87-79 Game 7 defeat at TD Garden.
There was a lot of optimism surrounding Brown and the entire Celtics team entering the 2018-19 season. Irving and Hayward were back healthy. Tatum and Brown had proven in the 2018 playoffs they were legit contributors. All the stars were aligning for a potential title run.
But the 2018-19 campaign was a major disappointment, for many reasons. The uncertainty over Irving’s future with the team and whether he’d re-sign was a huge story. The C’s didn’t meet expectations on the court, either. Brown started only 25 games after starting in all 70 of his appearances the year before. Many of his stats decreased, as did his playing time by about five minutes per game.
Reaching All-Star status
The 2019-20 season was a bounce-back for Brown. He averaged career highs of 20.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. His 3-point shooting also improved a lot. The C’s finished third in the East, and in the bubble playoffs in Orlando they advanced all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, where the Miami Heat won in six games.
Brown played even better in the 2020-21 season, raising his scoring average to a career-high 24.7 points and shooting just under 40 percent from 3-point range. He was selected to the All-Star Game for the first time. Unfortunately for Brown, a wrist injury prevented him from playing in the postseason, and the C’s were eliminated in the first round in five games by the Brooklyn Nets.
Adversity in the playoffs
After a couple trips to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics finally broke through and made it to the NBA Finals in 2022 after defeating the Miami Heat on the road in Game 7. Brown scored 24 points with six rebounds and six assists in that Game 7, and he scored 20-plus points in six of the seven games in the conference finals, including a 40-point outburst in Game 3.
The 2022 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors started off with a bang. The Celtics trailed by double digits in Game 1, but Brown helped lead a second-half comeback that resulted in a 120-108 victory. Brown scored 27 points in a Game 3 win in Boston, giving the C’s a 2-1 series lead.
But the more experienced Warriors won the next three games, including the Game 6 clincher at the Garden. Brown was one of the few C’s players who came to play in Game 6 with a team-leading 34 points.
The Finals loss was difficult, but the experienced gained was valuable, and expectations going into the 2022-23 season were enormous. Brown was again an All-Star in 2022-23 and, for the first time, was selected to an All-NBA team (second team) after averaging a career-high 26.6 points per game.
Brown did not play at his best in the 2023 conference finals against the Heat.
Miami shockingly took a 3-0 lead on the C’s, including a pair of victories in Boston to begin the series. Brown scored just 16 points in Game 2 and 12 in Game 3. The Celtics were able to force a Game 7 and give themselves a chance to become the first NBA team ever to win a series after trailing 0-3. Tatum sprained his ankle early in Game 7, and Brown was unable to pick up the slack as the Heat cruised to another East title. Brown shot 8-for-23 from the field and 1-for-9 on 3-pointers in Game 7, in addition to eight turnovers.
“We failed. I failed. We let the whole city down,” Brown said at his press conference after Game 7.
He later added: “My team turned to me to make plays and I came up short, I failed. It’s tough. I give credit to Miami, but just a terrible job.”
It was a crushing loss for Brown and the Celtics. But it ended up fueling them for a historic 2023-24 campaign.
Becoming a champion
The Celtics made bold roster changes going into the 2023-24 season. They traded away fan favorites Marcus Smart and Robert Williams III, and made deals to acquire veteran point guard Jrue Holiday and center Kristaps Porzingis.
The C’s were loaded, and they dominated all competition in one of the most impressive regular seasons in recent memory. Brown made a third consecutive All-Star team as Boston cruised to a league-best 64-18 record.
The 2024 playoffs were arguably the best stretch of Brown’s career with the Celtics. He was locked in from the start, and he scored 25-plus points in nine of Boston’s 19 games that spring.
Brown earned Eastern Conference Finals MVP after a sweep of the Indiana Pacers. His heroics in Game 1, including a game-tying 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter, helped the C’s escape with an overtime victory.
He followed that up with a sensational 40-point performance in Game 2. Brown scored 29 points in the Game 4 clincher, and he made a couple huge defensive plays late in that matchup.
Brown played fantastic in the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks.
After playing well in the first two games, Brown gave a signature performance in Game 3 to help the C’s take a commanding 3-0 series lead. He scored 30 points with eight rebounds and eight assists, including a bunch of clutch plays in the fourth quarter. None were more important than his jumper that gave Boston a 102-98 lead with 1:01 remaining.
Jaylen Brown knocks down the midrange to put Boston back up 4!
“I think this team has trusted me, especially in this playoffs and those moments to just be who I am,” Brown told reporters at a press conference after Game 3.
“I felt like I’ve been able to just deliver just by being patient and being poised. Those opportunities have presented themselves, and I’ve been able to take advantage of them. But I give all my credit to my teammates for the trust they had in me to have the ball in my hands and to be able to make those plays.”
Brown scored 21 points with eight rebounds and six assists as the Celtics eliminated the Mavericks in Game 5 for the franchise’s record-breaking 18th championship. He was voted the winner of the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Trophy. Not only did Brown hit a bunch of important shots, he played great defense on Dallas superstar Luka Doncic throughout the series.
An emotional Brown, with the Finals MVP trophy on the table to his left, explained in his postgame press conference how all of the past failures helped both him and the team finally accomplish the ultimate goal.
“I think we learned. I think we learned from all of our mistakes. All of our adversity has made us stronger, made us tougher,” Brown said. “All season you could see it. We started from the jump. We made all the sacrifices. We played both ends of the ball at a high level. We didn’t skip any steps. And this was the result.
“But all of those experiences, like, led to here. All of moments where we came up short, we felt like we let the city down, let ourselves down, all of that compiled is how we get to this moment. And it makes it feel even that much better that we had to go through all the journey, the heartbreak, the embarrassment, the loss, to get to the mountaintop. It’s great. And shout out to all the supporters and the city of Boston.”
An MVP-caliber season
Tatum’s Achilles injury in the 2025 Eastern Conference semifinals resulted in Brown being the No. 1 option on the Celtics during the 2025-26 campaign, and he took advantage of the opportunity.
Brown set career highs of 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. He was an All-Star starter for the first time, and he was voted to the All-NBA second team for the second time in his career. Brown was in the MVP conversation at times during the season and ended up finishing sixth in the voting.
He helped the Celtics exceed all expectations during the regular season as they finished with the second-best record in the East.
The first-round playoff exit to the Philadelphia 76ers was a difficult ending to the season, especially when you consider the C’s had a 3-1 series lead. Brown didn’t play his best in the series, but there were plenty of reasons why Boston failed to advance.
All-time numbers
Climbing the all-time leaderboards for a team like the Celtics that has so many Hall of Famers is no small feat.
Brown leaves the Celtics ranked in the top 10 in several notable statistical categories:
Points scored: 10th
Points per game: 8th
Field goals per game: 9th
3-Point shots: 3rd
Defensive rebounds: 8th
Brown also earned four All-Star appearances, a second team All-Rookie selection, two second team All-NBA appearances, an NBA Finals MVP and Eastern Conference MVP awards, and one championship during his Celtics career.
He is one of the best and most accomplished Celtics of the 21st century. His No. 7 deserves to be in the rafters at TD Garden someday. The impact he made on the franchise and the city in the last 10 years was immense, and it will be felt for a long time.
The Celtics took a shot on Brown in 2016 and it paid off tremendously.
CHONGQING, CHINA - DECEMBER 01: Giant panda Mang Cancan plays outdoor at Chongqing Zoo on December 1, 2024 in Chongqing, China. The panda was nominated as Chongqing's ambassador for the 13th National Traffic Safety Day, which falls on December 2. (Photo by Zhou Yi/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)
Not the best day for links, as everybody was writing about Jaylen Brown and LeBron James. You’d been cool thinking those things should be separated by a good 10 years or so, but they’re not, somehow. Here are some.
You have probably heard about this by now, but Mitchell Robinson is officially gone, and worse, he’s gone to Boston. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the three-year, $47.4 million deal with the Celtics, ending his eight-year run in New York. Mitch posted a farewell on Instagram, thanked the Knicks and fans for the best years of his life, and got love back from Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and others. I hate the destination. I do not hate the man. Once a Knick, always a Knick, unless you do something truly unforgivable. This is not that, even if the jersey will hurt the eyes.
The Knicks don’t have any big men rostered and still need to fill a few open roster spots. Meanwhile, Stefan Bondy reported they’re not close to signing Kevon Looney, but it could still happen.
If you’re interested, which probably are more than the Knicks are (at least that’s how they are making it look like), the best FA centers still available are not what you call enticing. Remove Mamu, Bagley, and Hayes from that list, by the way.
Already touched on this in yesterday’s notes, but the New York Post discussed Mike Brown’s appearance on the Roommates Show, quoting him as revealing Dillon Jones as someone who played a real behind-the-scenes role during the Knicks’ championship run.
“Throughout the course of this run, I got help with the messaging from different people. I’m gonna tell you guys, you may know this or may not, Dillon [Jones] was fabulous.
“I spoke to Dillon often during this playoff run because he had just gone through it with Oklahoma City,” Brown added. “I said, ‘Hey, when you guys were in this position, what was [head coach] Mark [Daigneault] saying? What was [general manager] Sam Presti saying? What were you guys saying to each other? What do you think here?”
Mike Brown also opened up about his two toughest moments of the year, naming both the discussions and decision to start the season with Josh Hart on the bench, and some early-season clashes with Karl-Anthony Towns. If you didn’t watch the show, go catch it in full now.
The Celtics got robbed by the 76ers. Sister site CelticsBlog is already asking what Brad Stevens was thinking.
Per Kevin O’Connor, LeBron James is in discussions to film a documentary (The Final Tango?) wherever he goes to play basketball next season. Full circus is coming!
The New York Post’s Zach Braziller argued Cleveland, not New York, makes the most sense for LeBron… saying that move could be great for the Knicks in a different way.
Josh Hart summed up the last couple of days nicely.
Victor Oladipo is a free agent. Made you know about it.
Page Six reported that Travis Kelce and his fiancée invited the Knicks’ starting lineup to their wedding after watching Game 4 of the Finals at Madison Square Garden.
Won’t even hide the headline here cause it’s so good: “Tim Hardaway Sr. won’t let son wear No. 10 with Heat: ‘My legacy is my legacy.’”
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 13: Jacob Toppin #0 and Eli John Ndiaye #30 of the Atlanta Hawks celebrate game winning three point basket in overtime during the game against the Miami Heat on October 13, 2025 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Joe Boatman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s not a surprise that Atlanta’s last three first-round picks, Asa Newell, Kingston Flemings, and Zuby Ejiofor will lead the summer league team into battle in two separate campaigns — Salt Lake City and Las Vegas.
But now the entire team has been finalized and announced as young Hawks look to make their first (or second) impression on fans:
Guards RayJ Dennis and Keshon Gilbert join the team after playing on two-way contracts last season almost entirely with the College Park Skyhawks. Additionally, the summer teams see the return of forwards Jacob Toppin and Eli Ndiaye, two players previously on two-way contracts who both suffered 2025-26 season-ending injuries.
With two competitions come two head coaches. From the Atlanta Hawks:
Hawks assistant coaches Antonio Lang and Sanjay Lumpkin will serve as Atlanta’s Summer League head coaches. Lang, who is entering his fourth season with Atlanta, will serve as the team’s head coach in Salt Lake City. This will be his second time leading a Hawks Summer League team, as he served as the team’s head coach in 2023. Lumpkin, also entering his fourth season with the Hawks, will serve as Atlanta’s head coach at the 2026 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, his first stint at the helm of a Summer League team.
Who are you most excited to see during the summer leagues games? Please let me know in the comments below.
The Spurs are in the planning phase of their new arena. While between seasons, Spurs Sports & Entertainment are hosting a series of community meetings to share updates and ger feedback.
Per a Spurs press release:
“Spurs Sports & Entertainment (SS&E) will host 10 Community Conversations and Open House beginning the week of July 13 to gather public input on the proposed downtown arena district and future home of the San Antonio Spurs. The family-friendly meetings are open to everyone across San Antonio. Locations were selected across the city to make it easier for people to participate near where they live, work or spend time.”
Residents will receive an update, have an opportunity to ask questions and air concerns regarding the new arena and surrounding area.
Dates and Locations Mon., July 13 – Pope Francis Center 263 Felisa Tue., July 14 – Alamo Community College: Dr. Bruce H. Leslie Boardroom 2222 N. Alamo St. Wed, July 15 – St. Phillip’s College TSC Conference Room 216 1801 Martin Luther King Dr. Thur., July 16 – St Vincent de Paul 4222 SW Loop 410 Thur., July 16 – San Antonio Shrine Auditorium 901 N Loop 1604 W Mon., July 20 – San Antonio Food Bank 5200 Historic Old Hwy 90 Mon., July 20 – San Antonio Board of Realtors 9110 IH-10 W Tue., July 21 – St. Paul’s Community Center 1201 Donaldson Ave Wed., July 22 – Our Lady of the Lake University 411 S.W. 24th Street – Library Thur., July 23 – Morgan’s Wonderland 5223 David Edwards
Each meeting will convene at 6:30 p.m. with displays and an opportunity to meet the project team. At 7:00 p.m. there will be a brief presentation followed by small-group discussions, interactive activities, and a share of ideas.
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NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Gabe Vincent #4 of the Atlanta Hawks looks to pass the ball as Jordan Clarkson #00 of the New York Knicks plays defense during the game during Round One Game Five of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 28, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Good morning folks. It’s Thursday, July 2 and the third day of free agency. Jamir Watkins is back on a two-way deal.
And Gabe Vincent is rumored to be one of the Wizards’ targets.
The Washington Wizards are a potential landing spot for Gabe Vincent, per @JakeLFischer
The Boston Celtics dealt Jaylen Brown, a 10-year veteran and former Finals MVP, to the rival Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a 36-year-old Paul George and draft picks. The move sent shockwaves across the NBA, with players, analysts and fans scratching their heads at the Celtics’ thought-process.
It wasn’t the first time in recent memory that an NBA trade has stunned social media and shaken up the NBA. With that in mind, here’s a look back at five of the most shocking trades in league history:
5. Chris Paul to the Los Angeles… Clippers?
The deal:Los Angeles Clippers acquire Chris Paul; New Orleans Hornets Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu and 2012 first-round pick. The bigger deal, though, was the one that didn’t happen. Paul seemed poised to join the crosstown Lakers before the league, which owned the Hornets at the time, vetoed the trade that would’ve paired him with Kobe Bryant.
The fallout: Paul’s run with the Clippers was the most successful in franchise history. He helped turned the club in a perennial contender out West, but they often fell short in the postseason (topping out in the second round). Paul and Blake Griffin formed an electric duo for six seasons before the point guard was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2017. The Hornets missed the playoffs for three straight seasons but did draft Anthony Davis.
4. Celtics send stars to Nets for draft picks
The deal: Brooklyn Nets acquired Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry; Boston Celtics acquire Gerald Wallace, Keith Bogans, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Kris Joseph, three first-round draft picks and a first-round pick swap.
The fallout: At the time, the Celtics’ decision seemed foolish. None of the players were major contributors for their suddenly rebuilding team, and the Nets seemed too good for the picks to end up being valuable. Well, the veteran club slowly deteriorated and bottomed out, leaving the Celtics with the picks that eventually became Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. This was the trade that rebooted Boston and set Brooklyn back for years.
3. Thunder deal James Harden to Rockets
The deal: Houston Rockets acquire James Harden, Cole Aldrich, Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward; Oklahoma City Thunder acquire Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, two first-round picks and a second-round pick.
The fallout: Fresh off an NBA Finals loss with three stars under 25, the Thunder looked like the NBA’s next dynasty. But they wouldn’t pay the full rookie max extension for Harden, so they sent him to the Rockets before he could hit restricted free agency in a stunning deal days before the season started. The Thunder never made it back to the Finals with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. The Rockets also never reached the big stage, but Harden transformed from a sixth man to a league MVP as Houston became a contender.
2. Jaylen Brown to Philly, Paul George to Boston
The deal: Philadelphia 76ers acquire Jaylen Brown; Boston Celtics acquire Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks.
The fallout: We still don’t know how this deal will play out on the court, but the buzz is that this deal heavily favors the Sixers. Time will tell if the Celtics sold Brown at the right time, or if the draft picks end up panning out like they did in the 2013 Nets trade. For now, the Sixers appear to be an East favorite and the Celtics are being pushed down the pecking order.
1. Lakers get Luka Doncic from Mavericks
The deal: Los Angeles Lakers acquire Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris; Dallas Mavericks acquire Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick; Utah Jazz receive Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.
The fallout: Like the Celtics-Sixers trade, we’re still waiting for the full picture to be painted from this trade. Unlike Brown, Doncic was never even discussed as a trade target when he was dealt late on a February night before the trade deadline. Then, when you look at the return package, it made this even more stunning. The Mavericks eventually got the first pick with some lottery luck, and the Lakers haven’t gone past the second round in Doncic’s first two seasons. But the Mavs have already traded away Davis and are rebuilding around Cooper Flagg, with GM Nico Harrison fired less than a year after the trade.
The Boston Celtics dealt Jaylen Brown, a 10-year veteran and former Finals MVP, to the rival Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a 36-year-old Paul George and draft picks. The move sent shockwaves across the NBA, with players, analysts and fans scratching their heads at the Celtics’ thought-process.
It wasn’t the first time in recent memory that an NBA trade has stunned social media and shaken up the NBA. With that in mind, here’s a look back at five of the most shocking trades in league history:
5. Chris Paul to the Los Angeles… Clippers?
The deal:Los Angeles Clippers acquire Chris Paul; New Orleans Hornets Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu and 2012 first-round pick. The bigger deal, though, was the one that didn’t happen. Paul seemed poised to join the crosstown Lakers before the league, which owned the Hornets at the time, vetoed the trade that would’ve paired him with Kobe Bryant.
The fallout: Paul’s run with the Clippers was the most successful in franchise history. He helped turned the club in a perennial contender out West, but they often fell short in the postseason (topping out in the second round). Paul and Blake Griffin formed an electric duo for six seasons before the point guard was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2017. The Hornets missed the playoffs for three straight seasons but did draft Anthony Davis.
4. Celtics send stars to Nets for draft picks
The deal: Brooklyn Nets acquired Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry; Boston Celtics acquire Gerald Wallace, Keith Bogans, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Kris Joseph, three first-round draft picks and a first-round pick swap.
The fallout: At the time, the Celtics’ decision seemed foolish. None of the players were major contributors for their suddenly rebuilding team, and the Nets seemed too good for the picks to end up being valuable. Well, the veteran club slowly deteriorated and bottomed out, leaving the Celtics with the picks that eventually became Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. This was the trade that rebooted Boston and set Brooklyn back for years.
3. Thunder deal James Harden to Rockets
The deal: Houston Rockets acquire James Harden, Cole Aldrich, Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward; Oklahoma City Thunder acquire Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, two first-round picks and a second-round pick.
The fallout: Fresh off an NBA Finals loss with three stars under 25, the Thunder looked like the NBA’s next dynasty. But they wouldn’t pay the full rookie max extension for Harden, so they sent him to the Rockets before he could hit restricted free agency in a stunning deal days before the season started. The Thunder never made it back to the Finals with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. The Rockets also never reached the big stage, but Harden transformed from a sixth man to a league MVP as Houston became a contender.
2. Jaylen Brown to Philly, Paul George to Boston
The deal: Philadelphia 76ers acquire Jaylen Brown; Boston Celtics acquire Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks.
The fallout: We still don’t know how this deal will play out on the court, but the buzz is that this deal heavily favors the Sixers. Time will tell if the Celtics sold Brown at the right time, or if the draft picks end up panning out like they did in the 2013 Nets trade. For now, the Sixers appear to be an East favorite and the Celtics are being pushed down the pecking order.
1. Lakers get Luka Doncic from Mavericks
The deal: Los Angeles Lakers acquire Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris; Dallas Mavericks acquire Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick; Utah Jazz receive Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.
The fallout: Like the Celtics-Sixers trade, we’re still waiting for the full picture to be painted from this trade. Unlike Brown, Doncic was never even discussed as a trade target when he was dealt late on a February night before the trade deadline. Then, when you look at the return package, it made this even more stunning. The Mavericks eventually got the first pick with some lottery luck, and the Lakers haven’t gone past the second round in Doncic’s first two seasons. But the Mavs have already traded away Davis and are rebuilding around Cooper Flagg, with GM Nico Harrison fired less than a year after the trade.
No Jayson Tatum for the night, a DNP for Nikola Vucevic, and Jaylen Brown is on the block with a posted-up Joel Embiid.
And this wasn’t some small ball hard trap. Jaylen Brown is on an island with a 280-pound former MVP. With nine minutes left in the third quarter, a brief dig from Baylor Scheierman is slight help, but Embiid is unbothered. Easy bucket.
Three minutes later, it’s truly an island. Near the high post, Brown slaps his hands together hard, and swipes furiously as Embiid jab steps and drives into another hook shot. Two more points.
They met inside two more times in the fourth quarter. Of course Philly wants that matchup every time. It hasn’t failed. The first time, Brown does everything possible to prevent the entry pass, but Embiid successfully gets the inside edge, and as he’s about to go up for another easy bucket, in comes Brown, swatting the ball off the backboard into the hands of Derrick White.
It happens again in clutch time in a 1-point game. Embiid is backing down Brown on the low block, but the smaller Brown is standing his ground. Embiid can’t reach the restricted area and settles for a hook shot that barely reaches the front rim (Neemias Queta actually did help late this time, but it’s Brown’s stop).
We didn’t know it then, but it’s the last game of Brown’s 10-year Celtics run, and the bridge that leads to him joining one of Boston’s most historic rivals, a team that has played a part in Brown’s own playoff legacy as a Celtic.
We have now seen the full picture of Jaylen Brown’s Celtics career. Brown went to war for Boston, just like he said he promised on his draft night. Even if it often meant failure on the biggest stages, even if it meant the brunt of the blame alongside Jayson Tatum as the duo that couldn’t work together. Even if he’s left completely alone on a ginormous elite scorer in a Game 7. Jaylen Brown is never afraid of the moment, and all the consequences that come with it.
On the night confetti rained down on the Garden as the Celtics captured their first NBA title since 2008, Brad Stevens sounded like a man vindicated. The duo he coached, the duo he stuck with through years of trade rumors and breakup headlines, had finally won an NBA title.
“The criticism is stupid,” he said. “[Tatum & Brown] achieved more than most 25, 26-year-olds ever had. The scrutiny was because they were playing in May & June…I’d rather be in the mix and have my guts ripped out, than suck. And those two have been really good for a long time.”
It’s hard to fathom that two years later, after offseasons enduring trade ideas floated toward the biggest names in the league (including Paul George himself), Brad Stevens settled for a trade offer that, from any outside perspective, is an underwhelming return for an All-Star fresh off a career scoring season.
It finally happened, and it happened for that?
Paul George, who admittedly had a good season and an even better postseason, attached to a pair of first round picks and two seconds hardly seems like the proper value from trade talks that ESPN’s Shams Charania reported were with “8-10 teams.”
It finally happened, and it happened for that?
It’s pretty unbelievable that the process of trade discussions surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo ultimately ended here, and with the Philadelphia 76ers of all teams. There is not a soul on this Earth that predicted that even weeks ago, and if they did, they either have insider information, or are psychic.
It’s impossible to consider this the very end of the line for the Celtics’ offseason. After all, it’s only been two days of free agency, and it’s hard to imagine this was a one-step plan, but really consider what’s out there, and what conceivably could be obtained by re-routing Paul George, or moving Derrick White and/or Sam Hauser.
George and four picks pulled an All-NBA talent, sure, but at 36 years old with an eyesore of a contract featuring a player option, what are the moves that really put the Celtics in a significantly better position to contend in the immediate future than if they just held onto Brown and attempted to figure it out?
Maybe this ends with the popular Portland or New Orleans packages we’ve seen rumored all along, now with additional draft capital to sweeten any deal. Maybe it’s that long-rumored trade for Kevin Durant that was once offered in 2023. Maybe it’s the first domino to acquire Anthony Davis and LeBron James in what would be one of the most wildly incomprehensible jersey swaps you’ve ever seen. What Brad Stevens does next, I have no idea.
Whatever it is, was it really worth it while Jaylen Brown gets slotted into a starting lineup that features Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Joel Embiid, one the Celtics will have to face multiple times, and possibly in a series?
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 08: Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers is introduced before the game against the New York Knicks in Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on May 08, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Let’s go over the numbers: 17.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game on 49% from the field and 55% (!) from three. Those are the stats that Paul George averaged in the Celtics-76ers first round series this past season. Now, those percentages won’t hold up over a regular season and his age and injury concerns are real, but the Celtics are getting a good player in Paul George.
He isn’t better than Jaylen Brown and the rest of the return does feel like it is lacking. However, when he is on the floor, George remains a good player.
An elite three-point shooter, George shot 39% from three in the regular season last year and 49% in the playoffs. Sure, PG is overpaid (he has a year and a player option at $110.7 million left on his current deal) but he remains very high level 3 and D wing at this point in his career, who can still put the ball on the floor and get to his spots.
His athleticism isn’t what it once was, but his silky-smooth scoring ability remains, as does his defensive prowess.
On the ball, he gave both Brown and Jayson Tatum a ton of problems in their playoff series and off of it, he doesn’t have the silly mistakes that Jaylen was susceptible to.
George is also an analytics darling, of which Brown is not.
— jaylen brown is off my team (@EuroHarden) July 1, 2026
(I feel it is important to note here that I am not implying that George is a better player than Brown by giving you these numbers, just that George is good.)
We do have to talk about the games played issue that has plagued George over the past few seasons. Since his trade to the Clippers in 2019, over the past seven seasons, five with the Clippers and two with the Sixers, George has played in 48, 54, 31, 56, 74, 41 and 37 games. That is 341 of 554 potential games, 62%.
That certainly is not ideal and the Celtics are hoping George will remake his 2023-24 campaign when he played in 74 games but that seems like a stretch.
I think George’s fit with Jayson Tatum is also smoother than Brown’s was. George is a better off-ball player than Brown is with his three point shot being a big part of that. According to Second Spectrum, George shot 42% on catch-and-shoot threes a season ago, while shooting 34% on pull up threes last season (in the playoffs he shot 68% on pull up threes).
George is also someone who is still good at attacking closeouts. He doesn’t get to the rim at all, ranking in the 15th percentile of wings in rim rate, but he does get to the mid-range well to knock down some of those. You’d like to see some of those mid-range shots become threes, however.
No, Paul George is not a better player than Jaylen Brown is, but that doesn’t mean the Celtics are getting a bad player in this deal. If he is on the floor, and that is a big if, Paul George is going to help the Celtics win games next season.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 30: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics reacts against the Atlanta Hawks during a game at State Farm Arena on March 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When the offseason began, it felt inevitable that Jaylen Brown would spend the summer answering questions about his future, whether it happened in Boston, Milwaukee, or elsewhere.
What nobody expected, however, was that those questions would end with Brown wearing a Philadelphia 76ers jersey.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Celtics traded Brown to Philadelphia in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks.
BLOCKBUSTER: The Boston Celtics have agreed to trade Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/xNcNlIV2mh
Now, being entirely honest, the writing was very much on the wall. Just a few days after trying to include Brown in a Giannis Antetokounmpo package, after endless rumors and commentary on the Celtics’ plans to get rid of Brown, and even after Brown himself never said he wanted out of Boston, we all knew where this was going.
Again, waht no freaking body could see coming was a trade that sent the 2024 Finals MVP to the team that knocked it out of the playoffs last May.
If Brown had been traded for Giannis, most people would’ve understood it, and nobody would have batted much of an eye. Instead, Boston pivoted to deal after deal, asked teams for up to four or five first-round picks, and ultimately found no real market for a seemingly overvalued player that ended up near-dumped by the C’s.
For context, Brown averaged career highs in 2026 with 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists while leading the Celtics to 56 wins, even with Jayson Tatum missing most of the season recovering from his Achilles injury. He finished sixth in MVP voting and made Second Team All-NBA.
In exchange for that Brown, all the Sixers sent the other way was a package centered around a 35-year-old Paul George (who missed ample time last season with a suspension and is more injured than not) and four future draft picks (definitely not the ones the Celtics wanted).
There’s been nonsensical trades this season, but this one puts the cherry on top of the poop sundae Boston has been carefully preparing. Shout-out, Philly, you got a good one here.
George is still a very good player when he’s available, but availability has become an inevitable part of the PG8 equation. He played just 37 games last season, only more than 56 once since he left OKC in 2019, and he’ll turn 36 before next year’s playoffs. Will the draft picks help Boston? Probably, but this is most definitely not another KG-Nets-like trade for the C’s.
For the Sixers, not only do they get rid of Paul George and replace them with a younger, ten-times better player, but Brown also gives them another star capable of carrying the offense when Joel Embiid isn’t on the floor, which they know will happen at some point during both the regular season and the playoffs.
Brown also joins VJ Edgecome and Tyrese Maxey, none of whom will need to create that much by themselves anymore, let alone after Brown proved he can be a 1A leader after becoming Boston’s primary option last year. The former Leprechaun has also played at least 63 games in each of the last five seasons, a bill of health Philadelphia isn’t accustomed to seeing around those places.
As for the Knicks, this trade feels a little like a wash. I wouldn’t call it a win, but with a little bit of time to let it marinate, I might end up leaning that way.
For one, Boston signed Mitchell Robinson from the Knicks on Wednesday, and the lineup was looking complete with a healthy Tatum ready to go. Now, the PG-Celtics are definitely worse than they were 12 hours ago. Not only that, but the Celtics have replaced a player smacked right in the middle of his prime with one nearing the end of his.
The Sixers, on the other hand, are definitely much better. But there’s always a but, and we all know what the but is here. Maxey is a budding star. VJ is another one. Embiid was one. Brown is a superstar. Have you seen all Sixers play together for more than two games in a row? I bet you’ve not. Let’s see how the joints hold up heading into April and go from there.
I was going to write a bit about the impact of the trade in the broader Eastern Conference picture, but I’m doing that in a separate post because this one is running too long.
Let me finish with this. The Knicks are 7-3 against the Celtics in the last two seasons. They are 14-2 against Philly. I just don’t see those records flipping any time soon.
When we woke up on July 1, all the talk — including from league sources speaking to NBC Sports — was about how there was no market for a Jaylen Brown trade. The question was whether Brad Stevens and the Boston front office would be forced to tell Brown there was no trade and that they needed to work things out, or whether the relationship was too fractured. Well, we got that answer.
Let's pick the winners and losers from this trade, but first a reminder of who was involved.
Philadelphia receives: Jaylen Brown Boston receives: Paul George, two first-round picks (2028, 2031), two second-round picks (2028, 2030)
Winner: Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia was already a win-now team (Joel Embiid is already 32, the clock is ticking), and it just landed an All-NBA player in his prime, someone who just finished sixth in MVP voting last season. And as a bonus, they got off a contract considered one of the worst in the league in Paul George.
Philadelphia got the best player in this trade, and now look at their starting five: PG: Tyrese Maxey SG: VG Edgecombe SF: Jaylen Brown PF: Dean Wade C: Joel Embiid
There is a price for Philadelphia here, and that starts with Brown being owed more than Paul George, a little over $180 million across the next three seasons — and he's eligible for a two-year extension worth over $140 million. Then there is giving up the draft picks, there is real value in two first-round picks.
But that's the cost to turn a team into a contender, the 76ers would gladly pay it. And if Embiid is healthy, this team can compete with the Knicks (and maybe Detroit or Indiana or anyone else) to win the East.
That's the definition of a win.
Loser: Boston Celtics
The Celtics flat out got worse with this trade.
This was a team that won the title a couple of years ago and entered this year's playoffs as the betting favorite. This trade made them actively worse while Jayson Tatum is in his prime. They are not as bad as some pundits want it to sound — they still have Derrick White, Tatum, George (if he's healthy), Payton Pritchard and more. This is still a top-six team in the East. But they got worse and are not contenders as we stand here.
I'm not in the room and it's hard to get my head around what Brad Stevens and company were thinking. According to the reporting from people close to the Celtics, Brown did not ask for a trade. Stevens said multiple times that he and Brown had a good relationship. Yet this relationship was somehow so broken that Stevens felt forced to make a below-market offer in what feels like a panicked, rushed trade.
It's not all bad. Boston got two very valuable picks, and George is a solid role player at this point in his career who can help the Celtics, but I don't get giving up an All-NBA player for this package. It's not enough. And that the Celtics let it get to the point that they felt they had to make this trade is an indictment of them.
Winner: Baylor Scheierman
Maybe we should throw Hugo Gonzalez into this mix as well, but the Celtics' young backup wings had earned more run based on their play last season. Now, they are about to be thrust into a much bigger role and get a real opportunity. They earned the chance, we'll see what they do with it.
Winner: Jaylen Brown
I don't know that Jaylen Brown wanted out of Boston. What I do know is he said this past season — with the ball in his hands as the primary shot creator, the guy on the top of opponents' scouting reports — was his favorite in the NBA. Then he should love this next season. It's not that Philadelphia doesn't have other shot creators and guys who need touches — Maxey, Embiid — but Brown is going to get the chance to be the headliner of a contender. You don't trade for Brown to play a role, you trade for him to take charge, and that's what the 76ers will ask him to do.
Loser: Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum is in his prime and wants to win — and his team just took a step backward. I don't pretend to know how tight Tatum and Brown are, or what Tatum says about Brown away from the cameras, but he cannot be happy about his team trading away a Finals MVP and turning a division rival into a contender. More is going to fall on Tatum's shoulders, and while that may be good for his personal stats, it's not going to be good for the team. Or helping them win another ring.
Winner: 76ers fans
Do I even need to explain this one? Philadelphia fans have every reason to be hyped up heading into next season because their team just made the leap to contender status. That's not a ring, but there is a genuine hope for one now and that's all a fan can ask for.
The Boston Celtics dealt Jaylen Brown, a 10-year veteran and former Finals MVP, to the rival Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a 36-year-old Paul George and draft picks. The move sent shockwaves across the NBA, with players, analysts and fans scratching their heads at the Celtics’ thought-process.
It wasn’t the first time in recent memory that an NBA trade has stunned social media and shaken up the NBA. With that in mind, here’s a look back at five of the most shocking trades in league history:
5. Chris Paul to the Los Angeles… Clippers?
The deal:Los Angeles Clippers acquire Chris Paul; New Orleans Hornets Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu and 2012 first-round pick. The bigger deal, though, was the one that didn’t happen. Paul seemed poised to join the crosstown Lakers before the league, which owned the Hornets at the time, vetoed the trade that would’ve paired him with Kobe Bryant.
The fallout: Paul’s run with the Clippers was the most successful in franchise history. He helped turned the club in a perennial contender out West, but they often fell short in the postseason (topping out in the second round). Paul and Blake Griffin formed an electric duo for six seasons before the point guard was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2017. The Hornets missed the playoffs for three straight seasons but did draft Anthony Davis.
4. Celtics send stars to Nets for draft picks
The deal: Brooklyn Nets acquired Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry; Boston Celtics acquire Gerald Wallace, Keith Bogans, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Kris Joseph, three first-round draft picks and a first-round pick swap.
The fallout: At the time, the Celtics’ decision seemed foolish. None of the players were major contributors for their suddenly rebuilding team, and the Nets seemed too good for the picks to end up being valuable. Well, the veteran club slowly deteriorated and bottomed out, leaving the Celtics with the picks that eventually became Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. This was the trade that rebooted Boston and set Brooklyn back for years.
3. Thunder deal James Harden to Rockets
The deal: Houston Rockets acquire James Harden, Cole Aldrich, Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward; Oklahoma City Thunder acquire Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, two first-round picks and a second-round pick.
The fallout: Fresh off an NBA Finals loss with three stars under 25, the Thunder looked like the NBA’s next dynasty. But they wouldn’t pay the full rookie max extension for Harden, so they sent him to the Rockets before he could hit restricted free agency in a stunning deal days before the season started. The Thunder never made it back to the Finals with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. The Rockets also never reached the big stage, but Harden transformed from a sixth man to a league MVP as Houston became a contender.
2. Jaylen Brown to Philly, Paul George to Boston
The deal: Philadelphia 76ers acquire Jaylen Brown; Boston Celtics acquire Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks.
The fallout: We still don’t know how this deal will play out on the court, but the buzz is that this deal heavily favors the Sixers. Time will tell if the Celtics sold Brown at the right time, or if the draft picks end up panning out like they did in the 2013 Nets trade. For now, the Sixers appear to be an East favorite and the Celtics are being pushed down the pecking order.
1. Lakers get Luka Doncic from Mavericks
The deal: Los Angeles Lakers acquire Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris; Dallas Mavericks acquire Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick; Utah Jazz receive Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.
The fallout: Like the Celtics-Sixers trade, we’re still waiting for the full picture to be painted from this trade. Unlike Brown, Doncic was never even discussed as a trade target when he was dealt late on a February night before the trade deadline. Then, when you look at the return package, it made this even more stunning. The Mavericks eventually got the first pick with some lottery luck, and the Lakers haven’t gone past the second round in Doncic’s first two seasons. But the Mavs have already traded away Davis and are rebuilding around Cooper Flagg, with GM Nico Harrison fired less than a year after the trade.
