The NBA offseason is very close, with few games left to be played before it ends, and a new champion is defined. But on the other side of the coin are the franchises that want to fight next season, and one of them is the Houston Rockets, where there is already a rumor that they are interested in Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown.
NBA insider Marc Stein revealed Monday that three teams are said to have “legitimate interest” in trading for Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown, one of those being the Houston Rockets.
Brown was just named to the All-NBA Second Team Sunday night after posting 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and one steal in the regular season. With Jayson Tatum sidelined for most of the year, Brown took off, leading Boston to the second seed in the Eastern Conference and finishing sixth in the MVP voting.
The others interested in Brown
According to Marc Stein, the Celtics are not the only ones, as the Atlanta Hawks and Portland Trail Blazers also have real interest in the Finals MVP. Stein references Brown within a story largely centered on the uncertain future of Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is believed to have interest in joining Boston, though whether the Celtics feel the same way is not yet known.
Jaylen Brown of Boston Celtics.
The framework of a possible blockbuster trade between Milwaukee and Boston that sees Antetokounmpo land with the Celtics would likely have to involve at least three teams, according to Stein, with Brown rerouted to a third club, potentially Atlanta, Houston, or Portland, and the Bucks receiving unspecified assets.
Something that could define Brown as a trade player
With a projected salary of more than $183 million over the next three seasons, Brown would become a likely trade target if the Celtics considered his salary, combined with Tatum’s, to be too high.
Brown had a career season this past year, helping the Celtics finish with a 56-26 record, which earned them the second overall seed in the Eastern Conference, despite being without Jayson Tatum for most of the NBA season.
The Rockets face a tough offseason this summer, as they will have to decide whether to make yet another aggressive move for a proven superstar, like Brown, much like they did last summer when parting with some of their draft capital and young talent to the Phoenix Suns for Kevin Durant.
