The Boston Celtics offered the Brooklyn Nets Jaylen Brown in a deal to acquire Kevin Durant.
Kevin Durant could be going to a division rival, as the Boston Celtics offered Jaylen Brown in a huge trade proposal for the Brooklyn Nets star.
News of this massive trade offer first broke overnight in the early hours of Monday morning in the final week of July. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported “the Celtics appear no closer to acquiring Durant than others in discussions with the Nets, but Boston’s ability to include All-Star forward Jaylen Brown as a centerpiece in offers does help make the team formidable in its pursuit.”
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Brooklyn turned down the Celtics’ initial trade offer and then proceeded to counter with a new proposal of their own.
Rarely do we see star players be traded in-division, but things could be heating up in the Atlantic.
Kevin Durant rumors: Boston Celtics offer up Jaylen Brown in big trade package
Wojnarowski added that the Celtics view All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum as an untradable asset, but Boston could offer Brooklyn up to three unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027, and 2029), as well the rights to two future first-round pick swaps (2024 and 2026). Boston swept the Nets in the first round of the playoffs, but fell to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals in six games.
Pairing Durant with Tatum would make the Celtics the overwhelming favorite to come out of the East again. However, there are no guarantees this iteration of the Celtics would be better than Golden State, or whoever comes out of the West. Regardless, it is rather interesting Brown and Tatum first became Celtics by way of trades involving picks that had once belonged to Brooklyn…
Ultimately, the Celtics have a reputation of being this close to pulling off a blockbuster trade. That may have had more to do with Danny Ainge having final say in a deal, but now that he is out of the building, what is stopping the Celtics from changing their fortunes? It has been over 14 years since they last won an NBA Finals. Championship banner No. 18 remains an elusive one for the Celtics.
Though Boston has offered up Brown, other teams are still in the mix to possibly trade for Durant.