Жэйлен Брауныг солилцоонд оруулах магадлал өндөр байна

Jaylen Brown’s name continues to circulate in trade rumors following the Boston Celtics’ failed attempt to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo using Brown as a trade chip.

Now, it looks increasingly possible that the Celtics will move Brown and start building a different core around Jayson Tatum. Of course, if Boston isn’t satisfied with the offers, it could simply keep him and try to make another deep playoff run next season with a fully healthy Tatum back in the mix.

And that’s where it gets tricky. Brown is a relatively polarizing player around the NBA. No, I don’t think there is a single front-office person who actually believes Brown is the seventh-best player on the Celtics. I speak to dozens of front-office executives throughout the season, and I’ve never heard anyone value Brown that way, even if some analytical models don’t believe his overall impact is as strong as his stats suggest. But executives place different valuations on him that complicate determining what his trade return would be, especially considering that he’s on a supermax contract paying an average of $61 million over the next three seasons.

Some front-office personnel think that when Brown is at his best — like he was this past season when he averaged 29 points, seven rebounds and five assists while making second-team All-NBA — he is a top-12 player in the league because of his dynamic driving ability, shot-making and physicality. Because he’s improved as a ballhandler while maintaining his powerful athletic gifts, he tends to overwhelm the opposition when he gets driving lanes.

He also has improved his pace and patience as a driver, allowing him to let lanes open while still being respected as a pull-up shooting threat. Those evaluators also tend to value Brown’s defense, as he is a good on-ball defender at the point of attack and is switchable onto different players. They also will point to his 2024 NBA Finals MVP, remarking that he plays up in the playoffs and that he’s worth his contract.

Others who I speak with see him more in the ballpark of a top 25-to-30 player — an All-Star, but one better suited to being a No. 2 option on a great team. Those front-office executives note his struggles with passing and making decisions for his teammates compared to other elite players. Those evaluators tend to like players who make sharper, quicker choices; one specifically pointed to the Philadelphia 76ers’ first-round playoff win against the Celtics, when they clouded Brown’s vision on drives once Joel Embiid returned to protect the rim. In the final three games of that series, Brown shot just 42 percent from the field, 32 percent from 3 and turned it over nearly four times per game.

Brown can also struggle within team defensive concepts, where he will be a step late reacting to what’s happening around him and get caught behind the play while getting screened or caught ball-watching. Some executives say that Brown’s game exploded once coach Joe Mazzulla took over in Boston and implemented an offensive scheme predicated upon five-out spacing, giving him driving lanes more consistently than he would get on other teams. These evaluators don’t bring these factors up to speak poorly of Brown as a player; they simply point out that he’s more flawed than other superstars, and that they would have more concerns about acquiring Brown at his significant salary.

All this leads to confusion about what the Celtics should expect as a return for Brown. I have tried my best to come up with what I see as that market, but he’s one of the most difficult players in the league to determine a fair value on.

If I’m Boston, I need to acquire a player who can effectively recreate Brown’s scoring ability while being a strong fit in Mazzulla’s offense. Depending on the player coming back, I would also likely need serious draft-pick capital to even out the deal. I’m willing to trade Brown and get a worse player in return, but I’d need to be compensated with value that allows me to improve my team in the near future.

Here are the best six potential landing spots for Brown:

LA Clippers

Clippers trade Kawhi Leonard, Cam Christie and a future first-round pick for Brown

Why the Clippers do this:If LA decides it can’t come to terms with Leonard on an extension, Brown is probably the best player it could theoretically acquire to stay competitive in the West. He’s under contract for three more years and would be surrounded by strong guard play with Darius Garland and incoming rookie Keaton Wagler. This would be his team, meaning Brown gets what he seems to want in a bigger market.

Why the Celtics do this:If it’s all about maxing out their title chances for next season, Leonard is the best player they could get. Brown received more votes than Leonard for All-NBA this past season, but if you ask any front-office executive who the better player was between the two, they would say Leonard. From Christmas onward last season, Leonard was a clear top-five player in the league. He is still an assassin as a scorer who averaged 28 points per game while shooting 50.5 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3 and 89 percent from the foul line. He makes better decisions than Brown by keeping his game simpler and is a better defensive player. He’s five years older than Brown and has a penchant for missing games to injury, but Leonard is still one of the NBA’s apex players.

Why this doesn’t happen:It feels like the Raptors might beat the Celtics to the punch in a Leonard deal, and reports have surfaced throughout the week that Leonard would be willing to sign an extension with Toronto. The Clippers could try to retain Leonard, a hometown player who remains elite when he’s on the court. But if they don’t, the Clippers would probably be better off embracing a youth movement centered around Wagler and Garland. And if Leonard isn’t willing to agree to an extension with Boston, it would leave the Celtics awfully vulnerable to him leaving after just one season.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Cavaliers trade Evan Mobley and Sam Merrill for Brown and Luka Garza

Why the Cavaliers do this: If the Cavs want to contend but believe that the double-big combination of Mobley and Jarrett Allen has run its course, they could do worse than taking an upside swing on Brown next to Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Allen. Brown would be the first All-NBA wing whom the Cavaliers have had since LeBron James and would give them the lineup versatility and flexibility they’ve lacked in this era of team-building. Because Cleveland’s best wing over the last three years has been Max Strus and because the De’Andre Hunter experiment did not go to plan, the team hasn’t been able to maximize smaller, more athletic lineups. Sliding Brown down to the four at times with Strus — or playing him at the three if the Cavs retain Dean Wade — could allow them to match up with playoff teams in a wider variety of ways and make them more switchable on defense, a scheme that would be preferable for Harden’s defensive skill set.

Why Boston does this:It cashes in for a younger, cheaper player in Mobley, who would be a strong scheme fit in Boston with his ability to dribble, pass and shoot at the four and five positions. His ability to scramble everywhere on defense would theoretically allow the Celtics to stay in their preferred five-out scheme in the playoffs. Offensively, I also wonder if getting Mobley into the spacing that Boston’s system provides could help unlock his offensive game. Per Databallr, Mobley averaged 22.5 points per 75 possessions with Allen off the court versus 16.8 points per 75 with him on, likely because Mobley doesn’t play with force as a driver when there are more bodies on the interior due to his higher center of gravity. Mazzulla’s scheme could help, even in lineups with Neemias Queta, because of how often Boston puts its bigs out on the perimeter as screeners and dribble-handoff threats. Merrill would also be a great fit in Boston’s scheme offensively and has long been an underrated defensive player.

Why this won’t happen:I’d guess that both teams would value their player as a better asset than the other. Mobley is younger and cheaper, and you can sell yourself on him still having upside. Brown is a better player right now. Both teams would look at it from the perspective of wanting something attached to the other to make the deal, thus killing the conversation. Also, I included Merrill and Garza here to make the deal essentially cash-neutral, but also because the Cavaliers would desperately need another playable frontcourt option. I don’t know that Cleveland would love leaving itself with only Allen, Nae’qwan Tomlin and Garza as its forwards and bigs.

Denver Nuggets

Nuggets trade Jamal Murray, Zeke Nnaji, Julian Strawther and swap rights to their first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 for Brown

Why the Nuggets do this: If the Nuggets believe it’s time to shake things up around Nikola Jokić, they could do worse than acquiring Brown. Mixing him with Jokić and Aaron Gordon would create the best, most formidable frontcourt in the NBA, even above what Miami has built around Bam Adebayo, Antetokounmpo and Andrew Wiggins. Then, maybe Denver could trade Cam Johnson or Christian Braun in a deal for another guard while retaining Peyton Watson in restricted free agency to even out the roster. If the Nuggets had a real option there, I would understand this idea better.

A better option from Denver’s perspective would be to center a deal around Gordon and Johnson, but because the Nuggets are so bereft of young players and draft assets, I don’t think that satisfies the Celtics’ objective of retaining a second star and creating long-term flexibility. Murray would have to be in the trade, if I were the Celtics.

Why Boston does this:Murray would be an excellent fit in Mazzulla’s offense as a big-time ball-screen playmaker and shooter. He’s a quicker decision-maker than Brown, so I think he would actually improve the Celtics’ offense. Defensively, there would be some questions on the ball against bigger wing groups, but I would understand thinking that this is the kind of shake-up move worth making for Boston. Murray isn’t as complete a player as Brown, but I think he has a better offensive game because of his pull-up gravity and passing ability. The Celtics would have to take back Nnaji and Strawther to even out the money and allow the Nuggets to continue operating below the second apron. My theory was that it would cost one swap right to take back Nnaji’s deal, which is seen as exceptionally underwater league-wide, and then a second to even out the value with Murray and Brown.

Why this won’t happen: I would not do this if I were Denver, even if it is clear that it has interest in Brown. Moving Murray would so drastically alter the shape of the Nuggets’ offense, which is predicated upon the synergy between Murray and Jokić in ball-screens, as to not be worth it. If the Celtics were willing to do the deal with Gordon and Johnson, plus all of Denver’s (little) remaining draft capital, that makes more sense for the Nuggets. But I don’t think it works as well for Boston.

If the Nuggets have any lingering concerns about Murray’s long-term health with his left knee, I could understand cashing in now. But he’s coming off the best season of his career, and I don’t think this is the deal that solves Denver’s needs. It makes the Nuggets bigger and more athletic on defense, but it also makes them worse on offense for this coming season while Brown and Jokić iron out their games together, on top of whatever other moves would need to occur to even the roster in the backcourt.

Orlando Magic

Magic trade Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs to the Celtics for Brown and Sam Hauser

Why the Magic do this:The deal gives them a star wing next to Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane, and one who should fit pretty well between those two players. While Brown is expensive, this deal actually makes the Magic’s books easier to solve in the future by consolidating Wagner and Suggs into one player who is less expensive than the two of them combined. Orlando could look to move the Hauser deal at a later date if it wants, which would open about $15 million in cap flexibility that the team can use to extend Anthony Black after his rookie-scale deal expires next year. This would require the Magic to see the Suggs deal as slightly underwater from a value perspective and to see Brown as a significant upgrade on Wagner.

Why the Celtics do this:Wagner and Suggs, on some level, feel made in a lab to play in Mazzulla’s scheme on both ends. Suggs’ ability to think quickly on offense and wreak havoc on defense would be incredibly fun to watch next to Derrick White, although that duo’s shooting inconsistencies could be frustrating. Wagner’s all-around game and his ability to play out of ball screens and dribble, pass and shoot would make him a matchup nightmare and Boston even bigger across the wings. You’d be betting on Wagner’s playoff struggles improving by getting him out of Orlando’s gross offensive scheme under Jamahl Mosley, but it might be a bet worth making.

Why this wouldn’t happen:The Magic see Wagner as a critical piece moving forward and don’t want to move him. Suggs is also crucial to the team’s defensive identity. I wouldn’t make this move if I were running the Magic, although I think there is something to the idea of consolidating a couple of their expensive players for a truly awesome one. I’m just not sure that Brown is the guy who makes sense for this deal.

Utah Jazz

Jazz trade Lauri Markkanen, Brice Sensabaugh, a 2028 first-round pick (most favorable of theirs or Cleveland’s), and a 2030 unprotected first-round pick for Brown

Why the Jazz do this: Jazz CEO Danny Ainge drafted Brown in 2014, and his son Austin — who’s the president of basketball operations for the Jazz — was the director of player personnel for the Celtics at the time. Jazz coach Will Hardy was an assistant for the Celtics in 2021-22, too. So there is some synergy here. Beyond that, the Jazz frontcourt is messy positionally. Markkanen can play the three but is better off at the four. However, Utah traded for Jaren Jackson Jr. at the deadline to help its defensive infrastructure and could retain Walker Kessler in restricted free agency as a rim-protecting center. Trading Markkanen for a playmaking wing eases some of the roster fit concerns. The Jazz are also running out of cap flexibility with Kessler’s deal and Keyonte George’s extension forthcoming, so moving Sensabaugh now before having to decide on paying him long-term seems useful.

With a starting lineup of George, Darryn Peterson, Brown, Jackson and Kessler and a bench unit of Ace Bailey, Jusuf Nurkić, Kyle Filipowski, Isaiah Collier, Cody Williams, John Konchar and Svi Mykhailiuk, the Jazz would be ready to take the next step in the Western Conference and potentially even enter a contention window, depending on how quickly Peterson and Bailey develop.

Why the Celtics do this:Markkanen is another player who would fit really well in Mazzulla’s scheme as a big-time shot-maker and cutter. He averaged 27 points per game last season and is a terrific shooter and finisher. He’s more limited as a decision-maker, ballhandler and passer than Brown, making him not quite a star-level player as a creator. But he’d absolutely get buckets in this offense. Then the Celtics would get to take a flyer on Sensabaugh, who’s also a big-time shotmaker and creator on the wing who would fit well in the scheme, even if his defense leaves a lot to be desired. He was one of the more undervalued offensive players last season in the NBA, averaging 15 points while shooting 46 percent from the field, 37 percent from 3 and 83 percent from the line. The Celtics would also get a couple of first-round picks to top up their stash.

Why this deal wouldn’t happen:Because of their past with the Celtics, the Jazz would likely know more about Brown than any other team outside of Boston. It’s possible they’d decide to pass. Utah would also probably want to explore what Bailey and Peterson can be long-term, and Brown could hinder their development. Finally, don’t sleep on the financial piece of this deal, as the extra $10 million per year that Brown makes compared to Markkanen could make this complicated for the Jazz. Guys like Kessler and George have to get paid. This would all depend on how dead set the Jazz are on taking a step forward next season, how much they value the jump from Markkanen to Brown and how much they would like to even out their roster.

Brooklyn Nets

Nets trade Michael Porter Jr., Noah Clowney, 2028 top-eight protected 76ers first-round pick, their own 2028 unprotected first-round pick, a 2030 unprotected first-round pick and Denver’s 2032 unprotected first-round pick

Why the Nets do this:The Nets have been on the hunt for a star, so let’s get them one. Brooklyn could offer Brown an opportunity to prove that he is good enough to be the primary playmaker on his own team. Sure, he’ll turn 30 at the start of the season, but the Nets could hang onto Mikel Brown Jr., Egor Demin and all the picks they’ve made over the last two years along with Julius Randle while those players develop. I’d guess the Nets would make the playoffs as a top-eight team under this construction, given the way that Brown and Randle have proved to raise their teams’ floors. Brooklyn also has enough picks that it can attach a bucketload of them and still have a surplus of draft capital. The Nets can structure this deal creatively, too, by using a large amount of their cap space to try to improve around Brown, then executing the Randle deal and this one.

Why the Celtics do this: Porter isn’t Brown on the offensive end as a shot creator or as an on-ball switch defender, but he averaged 24 points per game last season as a big-time shooter who would fit perfectly within Mazzulla’s offense. He’d help replicate what the team would lose in Brown, or Boston could flip his expiring contract for something else. Moreover, the Celtics get to take a flyer on Clowney, who is still developing as a big, long forward with potential to shoot, though he hasn’t found his role as a defensive player or rebounder yet. Boston would also get four valuable first-round picks.

Why this won’t happen:The Celtics might not stay good enough with this deal while having Tatum in his prime. But this is the best deal I could come up with that solves what Boston seemingly wants to accomplish. It gets a bevy of future-facing assets while maintaining the ability to compete next season, or it could trade some of these assets with Porter’s deal for a different star player. The Nets also keep their prized young players, maintain the cap space to improve around Brown for next season and keep nine future first-round picks in their cache.

Brooklyn seems like the suitor that can offer what the Celtics most want in a potential Brown trade.