Danny Green watched the Celtics trade Jaylen Brown to Philly for Paul George and some picks, and his first instinct was to bury them. Then he caught himself. Sort of.
The former NBA guard went on the No Fouls Given show and called Boston a play-in team, flat out. But a few seconds later he pulled it back a little. Not all the way, just enough to say they’d probably finish top six in the East. That’s still not exactly a ringing endorsement for a team that just made the conference finals.
“This is a Play-In team,” Green said. “They took two steps back, bro. This was a bad move. They’re not contenders. I’m serious. I’ll give them a top six seed. They’ll get a top 6 seed but they’re not contenders.”
So Green thinks they’ll be better than the play-in but still a tier below the real threats. That’s his stance. And honestly, a lot of people around the league are saying something similar. Losing Brown hurts. Paul George is 36 and has his own injury history. The draft capital Boston sent out wasn’t nothing either.
Boston did make other moves though
Before the Brown trade went down, Brad Stevens had already gone to work. The Celtics signed Mike Conley Jr., a 20-year veteran who can actually run an offense without turning it over constantly. That was a real weakness for Boston last season — just having someone who could get guys in the right spots and keep the locker room from getting weird.
They also grabbed Mitchell Robinson away from the Knicks. The guy is a rim protector and a rebounding machine, and he shores up a frontcourt that needed some muscle. Two smart moves. Two moves that address specific problems. But does any of that make up for losing an All-NBA wing in his prime to a division rival? Green doesn’t think so, and he’s not alone.
Stevens and the new owner are about to have to explain this one
Brad Stevens will hold a press conference on Monday, according to Marc Stein. He’ll be joined by new majority owner Bill Chisholm. This will be the first time either of them has answered questions directly about the Brown trade since it happened.
The timing matters — the league’s annual moratorium lifts that day, which is when the deal becomes official. No word yet on whether Paul George will be in the room for the whole thing, but it would make for an awkward photo op if he shows up and fans are still trying to figure out what the long-term plan actually is.
Boston is better than a play-in team, probably. But Danny Green isn’t the only one wondering if they’re actually better than they were three weeks ago.
Leave a Comment