Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) drives toward the basket against Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) during the first half of Game 2 in the first‑round NBA playoffs series, April 21 2026, in Boston (AP Photo/Charles Krupa).
Eight weeks ago, the Philadelphia 76ers closed their regular season with a 30‑point home defeat to the New York Knicks, culminating in a second‑round playoff sweep. The arena was largely filled with Knicks supporters who purchased tickets through 76ers fans already accustomed to postseason setbacks.
Today, hope is reignited for the franchise. On Wednesday, the 76ers agreed to trade forward Paul George, two first‑round draft picks and two second‑round picks to the Boston Celtics in exchange for guard Jaylen Brown, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The move follows the Celtics’ earlier attempts to acquire Miami Heat guard‑forward Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks. Instead, the Bucks traded Antetokounmpo to Miami for four players and three first‑round picks. Boston’s persistence ultimately led them to their own asset: Brown, a 2016 third‑overall pick who has blossomed into a key contributor.
Brown, who turns 30 next October, finished the most productive season of his career with averages of 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. He earned second‑team All‑NBA honors and placed sixth in MVP voting.
Brown is entering the third year of a five‑year, $285.4 million contract that began in 2024, with earnings of $57 million this season, $61 million in 2027‑28, and nearly $65 million in 2028‑29. By contrast, George receives $54.1 million this year and holds a player option for $56.6 million in 2027‑28, after which he could become an unrestricted free agent.
For the 76ers, Brown represents a clear upgrade over George. The latter, now 36, has struggled with injuries and played only 41 games this season and 37 last, including a 25‑game suspension late in the 2024‑25 season for violating the league’s drug policy.
In the first round of the playoffs, George helped Philadelphia rally from a 3‑1 deficit to defeat Boston in seven games, delivering solid effort against Brown and forward Jayson Tatum with averages of 17.4 points and a career‑high 23 in Game 6. However, he was less effective in the second round, where the Knicks claimed the franchise’s first title since 1973.
With Brown on board, the 76ers are now better positioned to challenge the Knicks and other top Eastern Conference teams. The club has invested heavily in a roster centered around the new acquisition: center Joel Embiid, entering the first year of a three‑year, $187.9 million contract, and guard Tyrese Maxey, owed $130.7 million over the next three years. The organization also looks to the promising 20‑year‑old guard VJ Edgecombe, who averaged 16 points per game last season and finished third in Rookie‑of‑the‑Year voting. Edgecombe earns $11.6 million this year with club options for $12.2 million and $15.4 million in the following seasons.
Embiid, a 7‑foot center who turns 33 next March, remains one of the league’s elite when healthy. After earning the 2022‑23 NBA MVP, he has missed 39, 19, and 38 games in the past three seasons.
Adding Brown mitigates the uncertainty around Embiid’s health. Brown has played at least 63 games over each of the past five seasons, is a premier two‑way forward, and should mesh seamlessly with Maxey, a 6‑foot‑2 guard turning 26 this November, who averaged a career‑high 28.3 points and 6.6 assists per game last season.
Brown also brings valuable playoff experience—having appeared in 142 postseason games, the most by any NBA player during that span. He helped the Celtics reach six conference finals, advance to the 2022 NBA Finals, and secure the 2024 championship, where he earned Finals MVP honors.
The 76ers have not reached the conference finals since 2001, before Brown’s fifth birthday. Since then, the franchise has added high‑profile talent such as Jimmy Butler, James Harden, and George in attempts to build around Embiid, with limited success.
Now that Brown joins the team, the 76ers are poised to enter the upcoming season as a credible Eastern Conference contender, with a clear path to contention bolstered by both individual excellence and improved roster depth.
