Jaylen Brown headed to 76ers for Paul George in trade that reshapes Sixers and Celtics

Another All-NBA name is on the move.

After failing to move him during their foray in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, the Boston Celtics have agreed to a blockbuster trade that ships star forward Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for veteran Paul George, two first-round draft picks and two second-round selections, according to ESPN.

The deal breaks up the nine-year partnership of Brown and Jayson Tatum as the faces of the franchise and presents something of a new era in Boston.

Brown was stellar for Boston this season, most of which was played without fellow star Tatum, who missed the first five months of the campaign as he recovered from his ruptured Achilles tendon suffered deep in the 2025 playoffs.

Brown averaged career-highs in points (28.7) and assists (5.1), while trying his career mark in rebounds (6.9), as the Celtics exceeded external expectations en route to a 56-26 record, granting them the No. 2 seed in the East.

Boston raced out to a 3-1 series lead in the first round of the playoffs against the 76ers but lost three consecutive games to crash out.

That early exit led to several weeks of angst and uncertainty, as the franchise weighed its future and roster construction. Despite Boston being two years removed from an NBA championship, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens clearly felt the team was not built to compete for another title.

The Celtics engaged with the Milwaukee Bucks for Antetokounmpo but lost out to the Miami Heat, who offered a blend of young players and draft capital. Brown was a significant part of those discussions and was eventually dangled out in trade talks.

Later, Stevens had called Brown integral to the team’s identity and culture, but he stopped short of reaffirming his future with the franchise.

“Jaylen Brown is a big part of us,” Stevens said June 24. “I’m never going to predict the future. Every indication, everything I think about over the last few years, has been building around those guys. You never know.

“But at the same time, the one thing I want to make very clear is how valued he has always been. He has been amazing. He has been an amazing teammate and a great person to be around.”

Brown, the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, is a five-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jaylen Brown headed to 76ers for Paul George in trade that reshapes Sixers and Celtics

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