Celtics trade Jaylen Brown to 76ers for Paul George

The Boston Celtics have reached an agreement on a high-impact trade that will send winger Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for veteran Paul George and four draft picks, as reported by several media outlets this Wednesday (1st).

The compensation in the draft, according to "ESPN", includes two first-round picks (one in 2028, which could be a more favorable position swap for Boston, and another unprotected in 2031), as well as two second-round picks (2028 and 2030).

In return, the Celtics give up Brown, who finished last season ranked sixth in NBA MVP voting, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game - all career bests.

Jaylen Brown's future in Boston has been the subject of speculation since he was named as the key player in the Celtics' failed bid to acquire star Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks. The winger still has three years remaining on his five-year, $285 million "supermaximum" contract (around R$1.48 billion at current exchange rates), signed in July 2023.

At 29 years old, Jaylen averages 20.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 674 games over ten seasons for the Celtics, who selected him with the eighth overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. A five-time All-Star and member of the league's ideal second team on two occasions, Brown was named Finals MVP in 2024, when Boston defeated the Dallas Mavericks to win the title.

In Philadelphia, he will form a standout trio alongside former MVP Joel Embiid and guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, on a team that is suddenly seen as a strong contender in the Eastern Conference.

Paul George, 36, spent the last two seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, after previously playing for the Indiana Pacers (2010-2017), the Oklahoma City Thunder (2017-2019) and the Los Angeles Clippers (2019-2024).

During his time with the Sixers, George faced physical problems with his knee, adductor muscle and finger, which limited him to just 78 games over the last two seasons. A nine-time All-Star, he has career averages of 20.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 945 games over 16 NBA seasons.

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Source: CNN