The Philadelphia 76ers have made some of the biggest moves of the offseason, and while nobody is underscoring the significance of their ability to sign LeBron James in free agency, their trade with the Boston Celtics for Jaylen Brown could end up being one of the most important moves in the history of the league.
Not only did the Sixers swing a deal with one of their top rivals, but in the eyes of many, they swindled the C’s by landing the 2024 NBA Finals MVP for a fairly minimal return. There’s no doubt that Philadelphia is thrilled to have landed Brown, but according to general manager Mike Gansey, it sounds like Boston was more than ready to move on from its longtime star.
Mike Gansey Makes Eye-Opening Admission on Jaylen Brown Trade
The dynamics that led this trade to take place have been the subject of much discussion. While Brown is fresh off the best individual season of his career (28.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 5.1 APG, 47.7 FG%), the Celtics publicly tried to move him in a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Once that fell through, the cat was out of the bag, and there was no going back.
While there were a handful of suitors for Brown, the 76ers were not believed to be one of them. They already had Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe at their disposal, which seemingly didn’t leave them with any room to take on a player of Brown’s caliber. Instead, they flipped Paul George to the Celtics, in addition to a pair of first- and second-round picks.
Adding Brown to an already star-studded roster was a no-brainer decision for Gansey and the rest of the front office. And yet, while this group operated with a sense of urgency, Gansey admitted that he never thought his team would be able to land Brown, seemingly hinting at Boston’s desire to move on from the five-time All-Star.
“I would have never thought Jaylen Brown would be a 76er, but we just kept at it,” Gansey said when speaking to reporters. “It was a process of talking to them, going back-and-forth. We just kept at it. Boston kept calling, we kept calling, trying to figure something out. Credit Brad (Stevens). We really kept this thing quiet. They got Paul. Paul still can really play.”
Sixers Take Big Swing With Jaylen Brown Trade
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – AUGUST 6: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers talks to the media at Francis J. Myers Recreation Center on August 6, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Philly now possesses arguably the best starting five in the league, but that doesn’t minimize the risk this team has taken when it comes to swinging this deal. Brown, who is guaranteed $185 million over the next three years of his current contract, is now eligible for a new deal, which means that for as expensive as this roster already is, the front office will have even more balls to juggle down the line.
James signing a two-year, $8 million deal in free agency certainly helped, but if this team doesn’t win immediately, it’s going to be in trouble down the line. The Celtics prioritized long-term flexibility, which is why they traded Brown. The Sixers, on the other hand, are going for it all now, and if they don’t hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the next few years, this trade will ultimately wind up going down as a failure.
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