Jaylen Brown Has Been a Trade Chip Before. That Makes Boston’s Situation Worse.

The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade saga is over. The Miami Heat got him. The Boston Celtics didn’t. And now they’re left sitting in a pretty awkward spot with Jaylen Brown.

Brown was reportedly the centerpiece of Boston’s offer to Milwaukee — Brown plus two first-round picks. The Bucks said no. That’s fine for them. But for the Celtics, it opens up a whole new can of worms with a guy who already wasn’t thrilled with the front office after last season’s first-round exit.

And here’s the thing: this isn’t the first time Boston has tried to ship him out.

Deja Vu All Over Again

ESPN’s Bobby Marks pointed out that this is actually the second time in four years Brown has been dangled in trade talks. The first was back in 2022 when Kevin Durant wanted out of Brooklyn. The Celtics offered Brown, Derrick White, and a first-round pick for Durant. The Nets passed.

Now history repeats itself with Antetokounmpo. Brown’s name gets thrown around. The deal falls through. And Brown gets to sit there knowing his team tried to move him — again.

He’s under contract for three more seasons and eligible to sign a two-year, $141 million extension starting July 26. That’s a lot of money to offer a guy who might not feel wanted.

The Relationship Mending That Has to Happen

Marks also noted that Boston’s priority this offseason was shoring up the frontcourt. That still needs to happen. But the more pressing issue might be fixing things with Brown.

Last month, Brown talked up his “great relationship” with president of basketball operations Brad Stevens. He said he could see himself playing in Boston for the next 10 years. That was before this Giannis stuff went public. It’s fair to wonder how he feels now.

The Celtics aren’t exactly in crisis mode. They still have a talented core. But you can’t keep shopping a guy and expect him to just smile about it. Brown has leverage here too — he’s a legit two-way player entering his prime. If Boston isn’t careful, they could end up with a disgruntled star who remembers everything.

For now, the Celtics move on from the Giannis dream. They still need frontcourt help. And they need to make sure Jaylen Brown still wants to be part of the plan.