NBA Trades: 5 Jaylen Brown trades the Celtics must consider

Denver Nuggets

Celtics trade – Jaylen Brown, Payton Pritchard

Nuggets trade – Michael Porter Jr., Zeke Nnaji, Christian Braun, 2026 first-round pick swap, 2029 unprotected first-round pick, two second-round picks

How it benefits the Celtics

This trade would be somewhat of a balance between building for the future and trying to win right now for Boston. Despite both players being under 22 years old, neither Nnaji nor Brown are seen as particularly high-ceiling players, but they both have already proven to be solid role players in Denver.

Porter Jr., on the other hand, is a big upside play. That’s not to say he isn’t already a good player; he’s averaging 17 points per game on 48% shooting from the field and 41% from three. But his upside is even more appealing that his current impact. At 6’10” with a seven-foot wingspan and a silky smooth scoring game, Porter Jr. has drawn comparison to Kevin Durant (like every other tall wing who shows some ability to shoot and handle the ball). But Porter Jr. is extremely talented, and if he can even come close to the player that Durant is today, he would make this trade a steal for the Celtics.

How it benefits the Nuggets

Entering the playoffs as the first seed in the Western Conference, Denver has a chance of winning it all this year. If they do, then disregard this trade. But if they fail to win the title, then this trade is a real possibility.

Without much draft capital at their disposal, Denver’s chances of acquiring a star, specifically Brown, are slim. But if Boston believes in Porter Jr.’s talent, which is quite polarizing, then Brown would make the Nuggets championship favorites.

A player that talented might be what Denver needs to win it all. We’ll see if that’s the case this postseason.