The Philadelphia 76ers pulled off the stunner of the NBA offseason as they sent Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks to the Boston Celtics in exchange for 2024 finals MVP Jaylen Brown. The Celtics had been dangling Brown for weeks, mainly in hopes of acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo, but after that failed attempt, the Cs agreed on the deal with the Sixers.
Brown is coming off a season in which he showed everybody that he can be a No. 1 option. In a year in which the Celtics were supposed to be in a “gap year” due to the Jayson Tatum injury, Brown just went on to average 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists while shooting 47.7% from the floor and 34.7% from deep on 5.7 attempts per night. The 10-year man from California has his warts, including shot creation and ball-handling, but he is a tough shot maker and will now join Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid to contend in the East.
One can argue that Brown is a bit controversial. He hasn’t been shy about letting everybody know that the 2025-26 season was his “favorite year” as he was able to be the No. 1 option with Tatum sidelined. He went after Embiid for flopping after the Celtics saw their 3-1 lead slip away to the Sixers in Round 1 of the playoffs. He hears all of the criticism surrounding his game and what he does out on the floor, and the Sixers appear to be getting a very motivated Brown as he promises to be a “monster” while out on the floor. He isn’t shy about speaking his mind.
Now, the contract is something of a concern. For Brown, here are the remaining numbers on his deal:
- 2026-27: $57,078,728
- 2027-28: $61,015,192
- 2028-29: $64,951,656
Those are big numbers. Especially, when considering the hefty Embiid extension that kicks in the upcoming season. Either way, Brown is an upgrade over what Philadelphia was getting from George.
As for George, when looking at the totality of his 2-year tenure in Philadelphia, it wasn’t great. He was limited to 78 games due to injury and a 25-game suspension and averaged 16.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists while shooting 37.5% from deep and is set to make $54.1 million in 2026-27 and has a $56.6 million player option for 2027-28. The Sixers being able to get off that contract and acquire a player like Brown is a huge win for Mike Gansey and Co. in the front office. One has to give George credit for having great moments, especially against Brown and the Celtics in the playoffs, but this trade is an absolute win for Philadelphia as the Sixers move forward.
Final grade: A
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Initial thoughts, grading 76ers acquiring Jaylen Brown for Paul George
