Celtics cut ties with 4-time All-Star in clever Rockets trade idea

Are the Boston Celtics preparing to make a franchise-altering trade this summer?

Boston’s President of Basketball Operations, Brad Stevens, didn’t foreshadow such a move on Monday when he met with reporters. Stevens communicated the opposite, noting that he didn’t expect any fireworks to happen this offseason for Boston.

Nonetheless, speculation persists that Stevens could receive humongous trade offers that are difficult to refuse, including packages for Jaylen Brown.

Yahoo’s Kevin O’Connor suggested during a new episode of The Kevin O’Connor Show that this summer’s sweepstakes for Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo could have the domino effect of teams calling Stevens about Brown. O’Connor even had one specific team in mind for Brown.

“If a team misses out on Giannis, could they pivot to Jaylen Brown?” O’Connor wondered aloud.

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“And could that team be the Houston Rockets?”

“Could you see Ime Udoka, the head coach of Houston, reunite with Jaylen Brown … with some type of offer like Fred VanVleet, the no. 10 pick this year, and some number of future first-round picks?

“VanVleet has a team option that can be declined. If this deal were to happen before July 1, VanVleet’s option could be declined … (bringing Boston) under the second apron by declining that option, (giving) them immense flexibility, (and) tons of future draft capital.”

“Without Jaylen Brown, you get to see what Derrick White could do or (what) Payton Pritchard could do with a ton more touches next season.”

“I do think the team that loses out on Giannis, whoever those teams are … I think you're going to see them make calls to Boston for Jaylen Brown, a Finals MVP, a guy still in the prime of his career … (who) maybe could be even better next season.”

The most interesting element of O’Connor’s musings here is the VanVleet situation. With the ability to turn VanVleet into immediate cap space by declining his team option, the Celtics could render him an invisible but highly valuable asset in a Brown trade, effectively shedding Brown’s immense contract for juicy draft picks, including the No. 10 overall pick in 2025, which Boston could use to snag a potential star. It's a clever idea, fiscally-speaking.

The Celtics still hold their own first-round pick in 2026, too, and O’Connor suggested that Boston could tank in 2025-26 (no Jayson Tatum) and set themselves up for another lottery pick next summer.

All of this is enticing, no doubt. The opportunity to clear Brown’s salary without taking significant money back … the chance to procure two lottery picks over the next two drafts … if presented with these opportunities, you have to think Stevens wouldn’t hang up the phone right away.

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