The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers just pulled off a trade that rearranges the Eastern Conference furniture. Jaylen Brown is heading to Philly. Paul George lands in Boston. And now everyone’s trying to figure out who actually won the deal and where these teams land next season.
Let’s start with the 76ers. They’re getting a guy who just put together the best season of his career. Brown carried a heavier load last year with Jayson Tatum missing significant time, and he earned All-NBA honors for it. Put him next to Joel Embiid and suddenly Philly has two legit scoring threats who can create their own shot. That’s a problem for the rest of the conference. It also means they can manage Embiid’s minutes more carefully during the regular season. Maybe even rest him on back-to-backs without falling apart.
The Celtics side is interesting too. George isn’t the same player he was five years ago, but he’s still a two-way wing who spaces the floor and defends multiple positions. He shot 41 percent from three last season. And with Tatum back at full strength, Boston doesn’t need George to be the guy. They need him to be the guy who complements the guy. That could work.
The East was already a mess last season with key guys missing games everywhere. Boston finished with the second-best record despite Tatum’s absences. Losing Brown hurts, but adding George and getting Tatum back healthy should keep them firmly in the top six. Maybe higher.
Philadelphia finished seventh last season, but they were rolling before injuries derailed them late. Brown plus Embiid plus whatever else they add around them gives them top-four potential. Honestly they might end up better than Boston on paper.
Of course paper doesn’t win games. Chemistry matters. Fit matters. Health matters most. But if you’re projecting right now, here’s how the top of the East could stack up:
- Knicks
- Cavaliers
- 76ers
- Heat
- Raptors
- Celtics
New York and Cleveland have the continuity advantage. The Heat got Giannis Antetokounmpo, which changes everything about their ceiling. Toronto traded for Kawhi Leonard, and if he stays healthy they could be scary. The 76ers and Celtics slot right into that mix.
Nobody knows how this will look in February. But for now the East just got a lot more interesting.
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