The Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets are both at very different crossroads. The Celtics will have to decide whether to offer Jaylen Brown a supermax contract this summer worth $295 million or trade him. Meanwhile, after failing again to land the top pick in the NBA Draft, the Rockets will have to decide whether to continue with their rebuild or focus on winning now.
With James Harden appearing likely to return to the Rockets this summer, they may have an aging star to go along with a very young roster. That would make for a usual roster, and Houston may look to move on from some of those players in hopes of dramatically improving. That’s where the Celtics come in.
NBA Trades: This Celtics and Rockets swap is a must for both teams
Moving Jaylen Brown for Jalen Green and the fourth pick is a trade of contrasts, color pun intended. Brown would give the Rockets a star in their mid-20s to pair with Harden. On the other hand, Green gives the Celtics a player who is five and a half years younger, much cheaper (even after an upcoming rookie extension), and has star potential.
The fourth pick is the icing on the cake and gives Boston a chance to find a cheap rotation player with high upside. That could be Amen Thompson, a 6’7 point guard with elite athleticism and defensive potential. Trading Brown for Green and a top-five pick would mean that Boston would probably take a step back next season. However, it could be one step backward and two steps forward for their franchise if they agree to this deal.
Given the financial benefits of this deal for Boston, including $15 million next season, it might be a trade that they strongly consider with the new collective bargaining agreement targeting teams like the Celtics. Under the new rules, teams get heavily penalized for being significantly over the luxury tax, and Boston would be unable to make significant moves to improve their team if they signed Brown to an extension that would pay him $57 million a year on average.
While Boston could technically still sign Brown, it likely isn’t feasible long-term, especially with Tatum likely being one of the first players to sign a $300 million+ extension in two seasons. Based on that, moving Brown for a rising star that is much cheaper and a high lottery pick gives the Celtics a chance to build a more sustainable contender.
As for the Rockets, they have had back-to-back 60-loss seasons and are looking to win with new head coach Ime Udoka. They are already reportedly open to moving Green and their lottery pick and have also been linked to Brown, making this hypothetical trade seem like the perfect deal for Houston. With Harden and Brown potentially in their backcourt, they would still have enough cap space to sign a third star and enough assets to trade for one.
Ultimately, a possible deal hinges on what the Celtics decide to do with Brown. If they are unwilling to offer him the super max, then a deal with the Rockets seems like a realistic option.