Celtics agree to send Jaylen Brown to 76ers for Paul George, picks
The reported deal would move the 2024 NBA Finals MVP to a division rival and bring Paul George plus draft assets back to Boston.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
3 min read
The Boston Celtics have agreed to trade Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers, according to a person with knowledge of the deal who spoke to The Associated Press. The move would send the 2024 NBA Finals MVP to one of Boston’s oldest rivals and break up his long-running partnership with Jayson Tatum.
The person told AP on Wednesday night that Boston would receive Paul George and draft compensation that could become two first-round picks and two second-round picks. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade still needs league approval.
ESPN first reported the agreement, and The Boston Globe later confirmed the terms, according to AP.
Brown leaves after a decade in Boston
Brown spent 10 years with the Celtics and was central to their 2024 championship team. AP described him as a five-time All-Star and said he was the NBA’s fourth-leading scorer this past season.
With Tatum missing most of last season while recovering from an Achilles tear suffered in the 2025 playoffs, Brown took on a larger role. According to AP, he posted career highs of 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.
The deal also follows signs of strain between Brown and the organization. AP reported that Brown appeared to feel underappreciated after it became known Boston had discussed him in trade talks with Milwaukee when Giannis Antetokounmpo was available.
Brown pointed to Boston’s success during his tenure in a social media post over the weekend. “Nobody has won more combined regular-season and playoff games since I entered the league 10 years ago,” he wrote. AP said the Celtics won 523 regular-season and playoff games with Brown in the lineup, six more than Denver won with Nikola Jokic over the same span.
Philadelphia adds another scorer
In Philadelphia, Brown would join guard Tyrese Maxey and center Joel Embiid. AP noted Maxey was the league’s fifth-leading scorer this past season, while Embiid is a two-time NBA scoring champion.
Brown recently criticized Embiid during a livestream, according to AP. “Joel Embiid is a great player. One of the best bigs in f****** basketball history flops,” Brown said. “He know it. This ain’t breaking news.”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro celebrated the reported deal on social media. “Welcome to Philly, JB!” Shapiro wrote. “Sixers get way better and, as a bonus, the Celtics got worse!”
For Boston, the trade brings in George after two difficult seasons in Philadelphia. AP reported that George was moved with two years remaining on a four-year, $212m free-agent contract.
George, a nine-time All-Star, averaged 16.7 points over his two seasons with the 76ers, according to AP. The report said he had averaged more than 20 points per game in nine straight seasons with Indiana, Oklahoma City and the Los Angeles Clippers before his Philadelphia stint, which also included a 25-game suspension last season for failing a drug test.
The Brown deal adds to a busy NBA offseason. AP reported that LeBron James is leaving the Los Angeles Lakers as a free agent, while Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard and Brandon Ingram are also changing teams.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.