One Celtics reporter foresees a big push from other teams to acquire the Celtics superstar, even if Boston isn't shopping him.
Will Jaylen Brown be on the roster of the Boston Celtics when the 2026-27 season opens this fall? While the Celtics won't necessarily make him available for trade, a prominent Celtics reporter said he envisions a strong push from teams across the NBA to acquire Brown.
Brown has been no stranger to trade rumors during his 10-year career, with his name linked to deals involving superstars Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant in swaps that never materialized.
In a video posted Saturday afternoon, Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports Boston's Chris Mannix discussed the drama surrounding the Celtics and their MVP candidate, Brown.
"If there was an opportunity for Boston to trade Jaylen Brown, this would probably be the offseason," he said.
Mannix's logic is simple: There are going to be six or seven teams in the running to trade for Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks, but of course, only one can land him. And "that's going to leave five or six teams with young players, picks ... that they could potentially offer Boston for Jaylen Brown," Mannix said.
"I wonder how many of them would call Boston and say, 'What would it take to get Jaylen Brown from you, that's why I think this could be another offseason where we hear a fresh batch of Jaylen Brown trade rumors, even if they aren't originating from Boston."
Potential trade No. 1
The first team Mannix mentions is Brown's hometown Atlanta Hawks, whom the reporter said had preliminary talks with Boston during the 2025 offseason.
Ultimately, he said, Atlanta backed away due to the size of Brown's deal and the Hawks' belief that they were not yet ready to go all in. After a trade deadline deal that sent Trae Young to Washington this year, Atlanta is flush with the draft capital necessary to swing a trade for Brown. But if they were not in a position to make a bold move in 2025 with Young on the roster, it seems unlikely that they would feel differently in 2026.
Potential trade No. 2
The Miami Heat is another team that has been heavily linked to Antetokounmpo, which Mannix mentioned also could pursue Brown's services. Miami big man Bam Adebayo could be of interest to Boston, which saw its 3-1 lead in the first-round series in the Eastern Conference playoffs against Philadelphia turn into a loss in seven games when 76ers star center Joel Embiid returned from injury.
Potential trade No. 3
If Boston were to deal Brown, it surely would not be their preference to move him to a fellow Eastern Conference foe. One team to keep an eye on in the Western Conference is the Houston Rockets, where Brown could reunite with former Celtics coach Ime Udoka.
Houston is flush with young talent, much like Miami. Rockets center Alperen Sengun might attract Boston's interest, especially if he came paired with a bevy of first-round picks in upcoming NBA drafts. After acquiring Kevin Durant in the 2025 offseason, Houston figures to be aggressive as they look to build off of their own first-round playoff exit.
The truth is, even if no offer is made, that doesn't mean that teams won't have internal discussions about Brown, 29. What team wouldn't be interested in a five-time All-Star who won an NBA championship? By the way, he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists over 71 regular-season games in 2025-26.
As Mannix said, there is yet another long offseason ahead for Jaylen Brown as his name floats around in trade speculation.
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