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Who said free agency was dead?
We’re not even 48 complete hours into July and the league has already seen the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ja Morant, Kawhi Leonard and now Jaylen Brown change addresses. The Lakers pulled off a massive sign-and-trade for a coveted restricted free agent, the reigning champs lost a key piece to a fierce rival and contenders appear to be shaping up for an intense arms race.
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Let’s take a look at some things that have stood out on a wild Day 2 of free agency.
Boston traded Jaylen Brown for … what?
I’m sure my esteemed colleagues will have more fleshed out thoughts in the coming days — Brown was traded literally 89 seconds ago at the time of writing — but this is, um, odd?
Let’s start with the obvious: the 29-year-old All-NBA wing, who just finished fifth in MVP voting … who has the most regular season and playoff wins since entering the NBA nearly a decade ago … who won Finals MVP just two years ago, was dealt to Philadelphia for checks notes Paul George, a 2028 first that can be converted to a swap with Boston, a 2031 unprotected first and 2028 and 2030 seconds.
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What?
Brown’s future with the franchise always seemed murky following a very public pursuit of Giannis, so much so that league sources say his frustration with the Celtics had reached a point of no return, ultimately forcing their hand.
“They had no intention of bringing him back,” one league executive said Wednesday afternoon.
Boston was forced to pivot quickly. The scuttlebutt regarding any Brown trade, because of Jayson Tatum’s presence, was that the Celtics were seeking either a plug-and-play star that could mesh with Tatum or substantial draft compensation. In the end, neither was achieved.
An aging George (his game has quietly evolved to a strong third option) and middling draft picks unfortunately says more about Brown’s value around the league than it does about Boston’s dealings. Sure, George has aged gracefully and settled quite nicely into a third (or fourth) option — the veteran averaged 16.4 points per game during the playoffs, shooting nearly 50% from deep on…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/jaylen-brown-blockbuster-lakers-makeover-and-a-wild-day-2-of-nba-free-agency-233200215.html
Author : Kelly Iko
Publish date : 2026-07-01 23:32:00
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