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Celtics Deal Jaylen Brown to Sixers for Paul George, Picks

7/5/2026

41 8 Full Breakdown

Summary

Celtics Trade Brown

The Celtics traded Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, a 2028 and 2031 first-round pick and second-round picks.
Brown’s $285 million contract pays $57.1 million (2026-27), $61 million (2027-28) and $64.9 million (2028-29).
The Celtics said the trade lets them build around Jayson Tatum and avoids personal concerns after team fell to 56-26 and lost the first round despite a 3-1 lead.

Summary

Nurse Balances Hierarchy

Coach Nick Nurse must balance the hierarchy of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and newcomer Jaylen Brown.
Dean Wade’s low-usage three-point shooting adds spacing that could ease the stars’ handling burden.
VJ Edgecombe, who logged a 20.1% rookie usage rate, may see minutes shrink after Brown’s arrival.
Tyrese Maxey, after a year of 28.2 points and 6.6 assists, enjoys full coach confidence.

History

Historical Context

In 2008 the Celtics assembled a ‘Big Three’ of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, leaping to 66 wins and capturing their first championship since 1987. That super-team blueprint later influenced moves like the Lakers’ 2008 Pau Gasol trade and now the 2024 Celtics swap of Jaylen Brown for Paul George and multiple first-round picks.

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Celtics Trade Brown

The Celtics traded Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, a 2028 and 2031 first-round pick and second-round picks.
Brown’s $285 million contract pays $57.1 million (2026-27), $61 million (2027-28) and $64.9 million (2028-29).
The Celtics said the trade lets them build around Jayson Tatum and avoids personal concerns after team fell to 56-26 and lost the first round despite a 3-1 lead.

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