The C's traded Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers over the summer.
The Boston Celtics made the biggest trade of the NBA offseason this July when they officially traded superstar Jaylen Brown to the rival Philadelphia 76ers for a package headlined by Paul George and draft picks.
Not only was the move big on its own, but it set off a domino effect that led to LeBron James also signing with the 76ers. The 76ers are now one of the biggest favorites to win the NBA title this year.
For Celtics fans, the move was shocking. Brown has been a career Celtic, playing 10 years in Boston and getting to the playoffs in each of them. He helped lead the Celtics to two NBA Finals appearances, and one championship, in which he was named MVP of that series. He's coming off a year in which he finished sixth in the MVP voting and earned a spot on the All-NBA Second Team after averaging 28.7 ppg.
However, despite his absence, there seems to be a real consensus that the Celtics can stay very strong in the regular season. Even without Brown, experts think the Celtics can win a bunch of games from October-May. However, where they will miss Brown, is in the playoffs, according to Jason Timpf of 'The Volume.'
Speaking on Tuesday, Timpf emphasized his point, saying that the NBA Playoffs are all about problem solving, and that sometimes the best way to solve a problem is just by having a "dude," which Brown is.
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) drives against Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) during the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesI fully agree with that: I do not believe the Celtics are any more likely to win a playoff series, let alone the NBA championship, without Brown.
Where I disagree though is that I don't think the Celtics are in line to perform just as well or better in the regular season. Boston went 56-26 last season and captured the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. Given the newfound strength of the Eastern Conference, I think they are headed for a stepback on that front. There are also questions about the Celtics heading into 2026-27.
The questions about Paul George's health are real, as are the questions about Derrick White's shooting slump from last year. How will Jayson Tatum do in his first full year back from tearing his Achilles? It all remains to be seen.
Up next
The Celtics will report for training camp on Monday, when they will host Media Day. We've outlined the things we want to know from the media sessions. The preseason begins on Oct. 8.
