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Jaylen Brown trade grades for 76ers, Celtics after shocking blockbuster
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- Jaylen Brown trade grades for 76ers, Celtics after shocking blockbuster
Jaylen Brown trade grades for 76ers, Celtics after shocking blockbuster appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The 2026 NBA offseason continues to get wilder . In a stunning trade that has a chance to upset the balance of the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics have traded Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George , two first-round picks, and two second-round picks. Shams Charania reported the news on Wednesday evening.
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The trade comes after widespread speculation and reports that the team was shopping Brown , despite his not asking for a trade. Brown now goes to a 76ers team that pulled off an upset victory over the Celtics in the playoffs. As the shock of the trade wears off, here are the trade grades for this transaction.
Boston Celtics : F+
There's no other way to describe how shocking and horrible a trade this is. Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics' front office agreed to trade away the 2024 Finals MVP that led the team to the second seed in the East, despite Jayson Tatum recovering from his ruptured right Achilles tendon that he suffered in the 2025 playoffs. Many in the NBA community wrote off the Boston Celtics after Tatum suffered his injury, predicting they would be a play-in team or, worse, fail to make the playoffs.
But Brown raised his level of play and kept the Celtics in the conversation for contention until Tatum ultimately returned in the weeks prior to the end of the season. And while the 76ers did emerge victorious over the Celtics in their seven-game series, Jaylen Brown stepped up to the mantle. He averaged 25.7 points per game, 3.3 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and shot 45% from the field and 40% from three in the seven-game series against the 76ers.
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In Game 7 against the Sixers, he scored 33 points, grabbed nine rebounds, handed out four assists, and blocked three shots, while hitting three three-pointers. While he was an inefficient 12-of-27 from the field, he certainly stepped up to the occasion and kept the Celtics in the game before the 76ers ultimately pulled away with the victory. Even in his last game in a Celtics jersey, Brown gave his all to the team.
So why would the Celtics trade a player who clearly has the potential to be a 1A-level talent to a team that is their division rival who just beat them in the first round? This trade appears to be a massive bet on Jayson Tatum returning to form post-injury, as well as a bet that more moves could be made by the Celtics to make up for losing a dynamic wing talent like Brown. But for right now, it looks like a horrible trade because it appears that they salary-dumped a five-time NBA All-Star and an All-NBA talent who is still in the prime of his career and doesn't turn 30 until the start of the new season.
Philadelphia 76ers : A+
There's no other way to describe this trade except as a massive win for the Philadelphia 76ers. You acquired a star-level talent in Brown for Paul George and some picks, upgrading yourself at the forward position while still retaining Joel Embiid , V. J. Edgecombe, and Tyrese Maxey . You also weaken a perennial contender in the Celtics, who will have to make major roster moves to remain a contender in an Eastern Conference that is sure to get even tougher next season.
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The Sixers have had to deal with major injury misfortune over the past few seasons, specifically with Joel Embiid. The 2023 NBA MVP consistently raised the floor of the team when he was able to suit up. He ultimately played only 38 games in the 2025-2026 season and was out for the first three games of the team's series against the Celtics, returning in Game 4, where he had a massive impact that ultimately led to the team's upset victory.
Brown proved with the Celtics that he can lift the floor of the team with his level of play, so he serves as an injury insurance policy of sorts. Brown has showcased throughout his career that he can be durable. Last season, he played 71 games for the Celtics and averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and one steal while shooting 47.7% from the field.
While the 76ers aren't favorites to win the championship, they should certainly be seen as one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, and potentially the NBA. And when it's all said and done, Philadelphia might emerge as the ultimate winner of NBA free agency as they fortified themselves as a contender in the present, and potentially for the next half-decade, assuming Brown continues his high level of play.
Related: Where Celtics, 76ers rank in Eastern Conference after shocking Jaylen Brown trade
Related: NBA rumors: Would Jaylen Brown's harsh Bronny comments stop LeBron James from joining 76ers?
