You’ve got to take Bill Simmons, founder of The Ringer, with a grain of salt. He combines entertainment and sports reporting in such a way that the line can be blurred, and what he says requires some scrutiny. But he did say something this weekend that caught a lot of attention, and does have some truth in it as well: The Warriors really did not want to trade for former Celtics star Jaylen Brown when Boston was searching for a partner just before the opening of free agency late last month.
There had been speculation that Brown, who played at California before going to Boston in the 2016 NBA draft, would welcome a return to his old stomping grounds. And there was speculation, too, that the Celtics had eyes on the three first-round picks the Warriors have on hand.
Ultimately, not only did the two sides not find a match, but they were never really even close–the Warriors were not going to overpay to get Brown, and the Celtics were not going to ship their star to Golden State for an injured Jimmy Butler, who is recovering from an ACL tear and might not play until January.
Bill Simmons: Warriors ‘Not Interested’ in Jaylen Brown
On his podcast, Simmons wondered why the Warriors did not get involved with the Celtics in the Brown mix, before answering his own question.
He said of the Warriors: “They weren’t interested. They were like, they didn’t even counter, when the Celtics were canvassing the league doing the Jaylen fire sale, the Warriors by all accounts, both sides, just not interested for Jimmy Butler’s expiring and some picks.”
Simmons then threw in a speculative curveball on what might have happened with the Warriors had the Celtics sent them Brown: “And the irony is, if they do that, I think LeBron (James) goes there.”
Warriors Criticized for Lack of Action
There would have been some advantages for the Celtics to deal with the Warriors rather than the Sixers, because they likely could have gotten three picks–2028, 2030 (with protections) and either 2032 or 2033–from Golden State for Brown. The Celtics ultimately took on Paul George, who is 36 and has had injury issues, but taking back Butler would have given them an expiring contract that could have brought financial flexibility faster.
The Warriors have been repeatedly called out this offseason for not doing enough to bolster a roster that was battered by injuries last year and finished with 37 wins before exiting in the play-in tournament. There’s no telling if James would have come to the Warriors with Brown on board, but would have raised their ceiling in his eyes, no doubt.
Issues With Jaylen Brown’s Game
But though Jaylen Brown was an MVP candidate and an All-NBA player, Golden State, like a lot of teams, had reservations about his efficiency. Brown is at his best in the midrange, and that’s is not a place where a lot of NBA teams like to live. He’s also ball-dominant, turnover prone and a subpar 3-point shooter. A team could likely live with one of those flaws, but not three.
Additionally, there is some insistence from team circles that they’re not going to trade Butler after he suffered the knee injury last January. They could go back on their word at any time, of course, but the sense is that they plan to keep him and hope for a strong second-half push when he gets back on the floor.
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