Knicks Trade Idea: Would Celtics Move All-Star Jaylen Brown?

A radical idea has the New York Knicks landing Boston Celtics staple Jaylen Brown in a trade ... for a price.

Even without a pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, the New York Knicks have the theoretical assets to make a big trade. Do the Boston Celtics have a real-life desire to make a change to their Eastern Conference Finals roster in the form of a blockbuster trade this summer centered around Jaylen Brown?

A trade proposed by Fansided would see the Knicks send R.J. Barrett, Quentin Grimes, Josh Hart, and two draft picks to the Celtics in exchange for Brown, the blue-chip player, two-time All-Star, and third overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

The hypothetical is largely based on the idea that Boston would like to move on from the star swingman, who averaged 26.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists this season en route to their fifth conference finals appearance over the last seven seasons. 

“If there is an all-out bidding war for Jaylen Brown this offseason, the New York Knicks have to be considered one of the favorites,” Fansided writes. “New York arguably has the best and most trade assets heading into the offseason, headlined by numerous trade-eligible future first-round picks and a plethora of young players that would be appealing to opposing teams on the open market."

Boston might be motivated by the financial side of things, as Brown, who will make $28.5 million next season and hit unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2024 if the Celtics don’t sign him to an extension, is now supermax-eligible, meaning a $295 million contract could be done between him and the Celtics. 

Is that what those parties want? If there is any doubt, should the Celtics look to move Brown in a trade that'd be made, in part, to ensure they don't him for nothing in unrestricted free agency? 

This concept - and again, at this stage it is only that - would threaten the balance of power in the East, where the resurgent Jalen Brunson-led Knicks advanced to the conference semifinals before losing to eventual NBA Finals entrant Miami.

For that reason ... while we don't have insight into Boston's thinking ... it's certainly understandable to see the value in the Knicks wanting to add another marquee player.

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