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May 2, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) on the court before game seven of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
Jaylen Brown is now among the hottest commodities on the offseason trade market.
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, there could be a bidding war for the NBA Finals MVP after the Boston Celtics failed to swap him for Giannis Antetokounmpo in a blockbuster trade.
CBS Sports’ Jack Maloney floated the idea of the Celtics swapping Brown for an underwhelming $252 million San Antonio Spurs duo.
“Barring a major surprise, no other deal would bring back anyone close to Antetokounmpo's level. It's also much more difficult to judge the value of future picks given the league's new anti-tanking rules,” Maloney wrote Tuesday.
“Let's run through a few possible trade partners and what they could offer for Brown: De'Aaron Fox, Carter Bryant to the Celtics for some combination of picks and swaps.”
After spending 7.5 seasons with the Sacramento Kings and having only one postseason appearance to show for it, Fox joined a Spurs squad poised for near-immediate contention in February of 2025.
To the two-time All-Star’s credit, he was a plus contributor with San Antonio for most of the 2025-26, operating as a dependable veteran point guard who uses his cheetah-like speed to get paint touches and make prolific plays regularly.
Fox averaged 18.6 points and 6.2 assists during the regular season, shooting 48.6% from the field and 33.2% from three. The postseason was a different story, though, as he struggled mightily with his shooting and decision-making vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder and New York Knicks in the first two rounds (the Spurs defeated the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals but lost to the Knicks in the NBA Finals).
Bryant is a high-energy 6-foot-6 rookie forward who still has a long way to go before he’s a regular part of Mitch Johnson’s rotation in the foreseeable future. That said, the Arizona product's above-average athleticism and nonstop activity make his NBA future relatively bright.
For the Celtics, it’ll come down to whether they’re willing to work with a disappointing 28-year-old lead guard in Fox and a 20-year-old project in Bryant.
Regardless, it’s safe to assume Boston will receive plenty of alluring offers for Brown this offseason.
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