If there is one thing typically frowned upon in most circles around the NBA, it is trades between teams that are in close competition with each other, such as those involving division rivals. Well, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics did exactly that this summer, with the latter sending All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown to the former in one of the most shocking swaps the league has seen in recent years.
The blockbuster trade was so unrealistic at first, that apparently, the 76ers did not even repose much trust in their ability to pull it off. As reported by The Athletic's Tony Jones, Philly viewed itself as a long shot for Brown as conventional wisdom pointed to Boston's brass refusing to send him to a division rival. Lo and behold, the Celtics were cudgeled into going against that edict, ultimately breaking the unwritten cardinal rule.
76ers trade win gets sweeter as Celtics shoot themselves in the foot
Jaylen Brown heading to the 76ers is a win in and of itself, but what makes it sweeter lies on the tail side of the coin. The Celtics doing the taboo and sending the 2024 Finals Most Valuable Player to their most bitter rival gives Philly a dub, but it is largely for moral purposes. The bigger deal is the fact that in agreeing to that deal, Boston also yielded to strengthening their nemesis and weakening its footing.
The 76ers basically swapped out an aging star in Paul George (and some valuable, but ultimately disposable draft capital) for an All-Star who was just in the inner circle for the MVP plum last season. Conversely, the Celtics gained a two-way forward, but lost the very person who hard-carried them to a second-place finish in the East last season despite Jayson Tatum missing all but 16 regular-season games.
It is too early to definitively say that the Celtics have a weaker team now, but Brown is being talked about as if he was not the biggest reason why they remained in contention last season. At this juncture, they have become less formidable whereas the 76ers have only bolstered their bid for the championship and then some (uhh, LeBron James, anyone?).
Obviously, the Celtics will continue to draw flak for their decision to send Jaylen Brown to the 76ers of all teams, and if Philadelphia can reach their goal next season, one can only imagine how intensely the outcry will grow in Boston.
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