Jaylen Brown on Wednesday was traded by the Boston Celtics to the Philadelphia 76ers, and many fans had the same reaction to the deal.
Brown was traded to Philly for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks. Fans all thought that the Celtics got fleeced by Philly in the trade.
If this is true we got absolutely fleeced. Trading Jaylen to a division rival for a washed star and lottery picks makes no sense. Feels like a panic move but I fail to see how it makes us better. Honestly can’t think of a worst possible outcome for this offseason. https://t.co/YVGHkKbct9
— Andrew Markowitz (@amarkowitzWX) July 1, 2026
Celtics gave Jaylen Brown to the Sixers and instead of getting back VJ Edgecombe, they got Paul George. Who is on one of the worst contracts in the NBA.
— Austin (@AustinPlanet) July 1, 2026
Even with the picks, Brad Stevens got fleeced.
They tried saying Jaylen Brown would fetch Giannis
— Matthew S. (@MatthewMKE98) July 1, 2026
Meanwhile all it got em was a washed 36 year old Paul George
Celtics got fleeced 😭😭😭 https://t.co/Ro1WOkcfay
Brad Stevens is widely recognized as an excellent executive, so the thought of him getting the short end of a trade is a surprise. Many people feel that the perception of Brown around the league was down, which is why they got back an aging George and four draft picks in return for him. There was one report saying that analytically-oriented teams do not regard Brown so highly, which helps explain the market for him. Additionally, once the Celtics’ trade efforts for Giannis Antetokounmpo fell through, the Celtics may have felt pressed to move Brown, which led them to lose leverage.
