In arguably the most stunning move in the NBA this year, the Philadelphia 76ers somehow managed to get their hands on Jaylen Brown from the Celtics while only giving up Paul George, two first-round picks, and a couple of second-rounders, which makes for an absolute fleece job on Boston. However, before things came to a head, the Celtics reportedly asked a steep price from Philly.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Boston's brain trust initially wanted standout rookie VJ Edgecombe to be part of the deal for Brown. Obviously, the 76ers were unfazed by their demand and the Celtics had to settle for an aging George and some draft capital. That is an impressive display of restraint and reason on the part of Philly's new-look front office.
As everyone knows, the Celtics tried to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo for a package centered on Brown, though they failed in the end. Their strained relations with the latter then culminated in this blockbuster trade, although no one had really penciled the 76ers in as a potential suitor for the 2024 Finals MVP.
The 76ers dodged a major bullet by refusing to include VJ Edgecombe in the Jaylen Brown blockbuster trade
Edgecombe had a hell of a rookie season such that the 76ers simply branded him as an untouchable in any and all trade talks. As a result, even under a new leadership, it is no surprise that Philly opted against including him in trades, even if the return is someone like Jaylen Brown who is coming off an impressive campaign where he mounted a legitimate bid for MVP.
Had the 76ers traded Edgecombe, they would have thrown away their entire future. Instead, they doubled down on their offer consisting of George and draft capital while the incoming sophomore not only gets to play with, but also learn from, an established star like Brown who had already led a team to a championship.
It is good to know that the 76ers front office was patient and prudent enough to recognize that given the situation, the Celtics did not really have any leverage nor pull to demand a premium asset like Edgecombe. So far, the Mike Gansey-brain trust deserves glowing reviews, and this blockbuster trade will remain his best work until further notice.
Now, Philly has kicked the offseason off in probably the best way imaginable. Their ambitious track is not ending anytime soon, but most importantly, they doubled down on winning without need to mortgage their brightest star for the foreseeable future.
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