The Boston Celtics are not trading Jaylen Brown at the deadline.
We’ve reported before that league sources have told NBC Sports Brad Stevens wants to add star talent around Brown and Jayson Tatum, not break them up. We are far from the only outlet to report just that. Brown himself said, “I think we can play together. We have played together well for the majority of our career and things like that...So we’re on the same page. I get where all the other frustration comes from, but as long as I’m on the same page with him and he’s on the same page with me, that’s where we’re most focused on.”
But if all of that doesn’t convince you, long-time Celtics reporter Brian Robb of Masslive.com wrote this in his Q&A when asked about the Celtics possibly trading for John Collins of Atlanta (who is reportedly available).
Brown for Collins is an extension of the Brown for Ben Simmons speculation that Celtics fans have batted around all season. The Simmons talk never had legs, neither does the Collins speculation.
When Brown and Tatum share the court this season, the Celtics have a +5.6 net rating, with an elite defense. It’s the offense, ranked 23rd in the league overall this season, that has held the Celtics back.
The Celtics may be active at the deadline, but not by trading Jalen Brown.