The Boston Celtics are the winningest franchise in league history with 18 championships, but their dominance could be put on hold. They just traded Jaylen Brown, who just came off his best statistical season with averages of 28.7 points per game, 6.9 rebounds per game, and 5.1 assists per game, while shooting 47.7% from the field. Brown finished the year in sixth place for MVP voting, and carried a Boston team to second in the Eastern Conference that many wrote off to begin the season. What they got back for a player of his caliber was very underwhelming: Paul George, who is 36 years old, and some draft compensation. 

The Celtics Might Have Made A Huge Mistake

Boston is still trying to be competitive, so why would they trade for a player that is much older and not as reliable as Brown? George only appeared in 37 games this past season, and they are pairing that with Jayson Tatum, who is coming off an Achilles tear. Not to mention, this trade barely helps the Celtics financially, as George is set to make $54 million this upcoming season, while Brown will make $57 million. Boston does get off the Brown contract a year earlier with George, but is it that important when the talent that you received back does not come close to what you sent out?

Full trade details:

To Philadelphia 76ers: Jaylen Brown

To Boston Celtics: Paul George, 2028 First-Round Pick/Swap, 2031 Unprotected First-Round Pick, and two future second-round picks (2028, 2030)

Apr 28, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes (5) and forward Paul George (8) defend against Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) in the second half during game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images

Contract details: 

Jaylen Brown Contract

Brown is in the middle of a five-year, $285 million supermax extension.

  • 2026–27: $57,080,000
  • 2027–28: $61,000,000
  • 2028–29: $64,900,000

Paul George Contract

George is in the final two seasons of a four-year, $211 million contract he signed in 2024.

  • 2026–27: $54,100,000
  • 2027–28: $56,600,000 (Player Option)

Boston clearly lost this deal, and not only does this hurt them, but it makes one of their Eastern Conference rivals even better. A projected starting lineup that consists of Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, and Neemias Queta just doesn’t move the needle in the East. This could go down as even worse of a trade than Luka Doncic being traded from the Dallas Mavericks at the 2025 trade deadline. Bradley Beal and LeBron James are still available in free agency, and both are close friends to Tatum and could make an immediate impact on this roster. 

It’s hard to see this current Celtics team as contenders right now, especially in an Eastern Conference that has seen plenty of improvements from many teams. Giannis Antetokounmpo is now on the Miami Heat, Kawhi Leonard is back with the Toronto Raptors, the New York Knicks are defending champions, and Jaylen Brown is now on the Philadelphia 76ers. Boston still has chances to improve the roster by making more trades and signing free agents, but this move might have cost them everything. 

End Of Celtics Rant

This can’t be the last move that Boston makes before heading into the 2026-27 season. Brad Stevens must see a lot of potential in his young guys like Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, and their most recent first-round pick, Chris Cenac Jr. to make a trade as risky as this. The developmental stage is where the Celtics are headed, and that alone could make or break the prime years of Tatum’s career.