The Philadelphia 76ers have landed a five-time All-Star, and the full picture of how they did it has come into focus. Philadelphia acquired Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The specifics of the draft capital are notable. Per Charania, the Sixers sent Boston a 2028 first-round pick that can convert into a swap more favorable to the Celtics, an unprotected 2031 first-rounder, a 2028 second-round pick (the most favorable of Golden State, Oklahoma City, and Milwaukee), and a 2030 second-rounder (the most favorable of Washington, Portland, and Phoenix).
What stands out is how little it ultimately took. New president of basketball operations Mike Gansey landed a 29-year-old former Finals MVP coming off arguably the best season of his career, all while shedding George’s two-year, $110.7MM contract. Entering the offseason, there was a sense the Sixers might have to attach assets simply to move off that deal. Instead, they turned it into a star.
Boston’s leverage eroded over time. Charania reported that the Celtics set an enormous asking price early, seeking four or five first-round picks and a young player of VJ Edgecombe‘s caliber in any Brown deal. That bar scared off other suitors, but Philadelphia stayed patient while rival teams moved on to other targets.
“At the end of it, they were the last team standing,” Charania said of the Sixers. He added that executives around the league had anticipated Boston’s price would crater, with one telling him the Celtics would eventually have to move Brown for “40 cents on the dollar.”
The context matters. Boston had explored trading Brown as part of a failed pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, who instead landed with the Heat. Left without that blockbuster, the Celtics pivoted to Philadelphia. The trade can become official as early as Monday, once the July moratorium ends, pairing Brown with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe in a suddenly formidable Philadelphia core.
