After trading LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Charlotte Hornets are looking to acquire Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics.
The Charlotte Hornets are interested in trading for Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown.
Boston is in active trade conversations, and Charlotte is one of the teams trying to acquire the 2024 Finals MVP.
The Hornets already made one blockbuster trade this offseason, sending LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Charlotte re-signed Coby White after trading Ball, so the team's current starting lineup is White, Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, Naz Reid and Moussa Diabaté.
Brown will make $57.1 million next season. He is under contract through the 2028-29 season. The swingman is eligible for a two-year, $142 million extension in July. Brown signed a massive five-year, $285 million extension with the Celtics in 2023.
One of the best two-way players in the NBA, Brown averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game for the Celtics this past season. The five-time All-Star put up 25.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2026 playoffs, a series Boston lost in seven games despite taking a 3-1 lead.
Brown has career averages of 20.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game in the regular season and 19.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game in the playoffs. The California product was the third overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Some insiders believe Brown wants his "own team" rather than sharing the spotlight with Jayson Tatum. The Hornets need a "1-A" guy, and Brown fits that bill.
Along with the Hornets, Brown has been linked to the New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons in trade rumors. It will be fascinating to see where the talented wing is playing next season.
In this year's draft, Charlotte selected Hannes Steinbach from Washington with the 14th overall pick and Texas Tech's Christian Anderson Jr. with the 18th overall pick. In the post-Ball era, the Hornets are building around Miller, Knueppel and White. Only time will tell if Brown is part of that group soon.
It's worth mentioning that Hornets head coach Charles Lee worked with Brown on the Celtics. Lee was an assistant coach in Boston during the 2023-24 season. That's the year the Celtics won the championship against the Dallas Mavericks.
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