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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 25: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at TD Garden on March 25, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics defeat the Thunder 119-109. 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 Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Boston Celtics missed on Giannis Antetokounmpo, but their reported pursuit of the former MVP may have revealed something important about Jaylen Brown’s future.
The Milwaukee Bucks traded Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat in a blockbuster package built around Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, the No. 13 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, future first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2030 pick swap and a 2033 second-round pick, according to Reuters. Boston was reportedly one of the finalists, with the Celtics offering Brown and two first-round picks before Milwaukee chose Miami’s deeper package, according to the New York Post.
That does not mean Brown is suddenly being shopped. It does mean Boston was at least willing to discuss him for a franchise-changing player, and it brings a new reality that the Celtics now have to enter a lockeroom in which they just put one of their best players into trade talks.
Brown’s contract also complicates any future move. He is owed about $57.1 million in 2026-27, while Jayson Tatum is at about $58.5 million, according to NBC Sports Boston.
The timing matters, too. The 2026 NBA Draft begins Tuesday, June 23, with first-round coverage starting at 8 p.m. ET from Barclays Center in Brooklyn. If teams want to use 2026 picks in a major deal, draft night could shape what is possible.
Here are seven Brown trade frameworks the Celtics could at least explore if the Giannis talks were the beginning of something bigger.
Celtics get Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Stephon Castle and picks; Spurs get Jaylen Brown.
This is one of the best upside plays for Boston if it wants youth, depth and flexibility. San Antonio would be betting big on a Brown-Victor Wembanyama-De’Aaron Fox core, but including Castle would make this a real all-in offer.
Celtics get Franz Wagner, Anthony Black and draft compensation; Magic get Jaylen Brown.
This is the cleanest basketball fit. Brown would give Orlando a playoff-tested scorer next to Paolo Banchero, while Boston would get a younger wing in Wagner who can help now and still fit a longer timeline.
Celtics get Kevin Durant; Rockets get Jaylen Brown.
This is the simplest star-for-star salary concept. Boston would only do it if it believes Durant gives Tatum a better immediate title partner, while Houston would get younger and more durable around Alperen Sengun.
Celtics get Devin Booker; Suns get Jaylen Brown.
This is probably unlikely without major pressure from Booker or Phoenix changing direction. Still, it is one of the few swaps where Boston could argue it is getting a true offensive engine rather than a lesser package.
Celtics get Jerami Grant, Shaedon Sharpe and Blake Wesley; Trail Blazers get Jaylen Brown.
This would still be more of a “Boston pivots to youth and flexibility” trade than a win-now move, with Sharpe as the upside piece and Grant/Wesley helping balance salary. Still, Boston has shown a propensity to aquire Blazers scoring guards in the past in the Anfernee Simons move.
Celtics get Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray; Kings get Jaylen Brown.
This would be complicated because Sabonis changes Boston’s roster identity, but it is a real talent-for-talent idea. Sacramento would get the two-way wing it has lacked, while Boston would get a star big and a younger forward.
Celtics get Anthony Davis; Wizards get Jaylen Brown.
This is the wild-card star swap. It would only make sense if Washington wanted to reset around a younger two-way wing and Boston wanted a frontcourt star next to Tatum, which, as evidenced in the playoffs, is a real need.
Brown was reportedly available for Giannis because Antetokounmpo is one of the few players good enough to justify that kind of move. That is different from putting Brown on the open market.
Still, the Celtics now have proof of concept, and a potential disgrunted star to appease. If a true superstar becomes available, Brown can be the centerpiece. If Boston decides the Tatum-Brown salary structure is too expensive, teams like San Antonio, Orlando, Portland and Detroit could offer younger packages. If the Celtics want another star, Houston, Phoenix, Sacramento and Washington are the cleaner places to start.
The Giannis trade did not guarantee a Brown deal. It did show Boston has options.
Erik Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA, MLB and NFL for Heavy.com. He also focuses on the trading card market. His work has appeared in nationally-recognized outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press , USA Today, and ESPN. More about Erik Anderson
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