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This could be great, someday
At first glance, trading Jaylen Brown for so little seems ridiculous (“Celtics trade Jaylen Brown to 76ers for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks,” Page A1, July 2). Did the Celtics really feel that “we tried to trade him to the Bucks but that fell through, so now it’s just way too awkward to keep him”? Aren’t we all adults here?
And I’ve agreed all along with Brown’s misunderstood “favorite year” remark — this season was one of my favorites, too! We got to see Jaylen at his career best, with a fun collection of overachievers who blossomed into rotation players. Brown’s game improved by leaps and bounds (literally). And now … Paul George? Oh, and don’t forget Mitchell Robinson! Great, now we don’t have just one stiff, but two!
I’m hesitant to give up on my “In Brad We Trust” philosophy, dismayed as I am by this deal, but Stevens truly had done a fine job up to this point, in terms of trades and signings. Let’s hope that the package of draft picks, while nowhere near the steal Danny Ainge got from the Brooklyn Nets in 2013 (which ultimately led to the team drafting Brown and Jayson Tatum), may turn into something great, someday, somewhere down the line.
Rich Feinberg
Boston
He wasn’t just an athlete; he was a community member
It is difficult to fathom how the Celtics can justify trading Jaylen Brown; he has played brilliantly in his tenure here and his improved skills and abilities helped the team. If not for Brown, the absence of Jayson Tatum in the past season would’ve been disastrous.
He played great basketball, mentored and encouraged younger Celtics, and collaborated with all of his teammates to find ways to win. But his prodigious athleticism and continual development of his skills are not the only contributions that Boston will miss.
We will miss his community involvement and dedication to augmenting opportunity, education, and self-confidence among less-advantaged young Bostonians. This trade decision does not appear likely to provide immediate or longer-term benefits for anyone except the 76ers.
Gail Ames
Newton Highlands
A heartless trade
It used to be that the Red Sox were the local team that made the stupidest trades. But now the Celtics have outdone them. There is no rational reason why the team decided to swap Jaylen Brown to one of their archrivals, the Philadelphia 76ers. This is the same Jaylen Brown who was MVP of the NBA playoffs when the Celtics won the title two years ago. This is the same Jaylen Brown who put this year’s Celtics on his broad shoulders and led them to the playoffs in the absence of fellow star Jayson Tatum.
This is the same Jaylen Brown that Boston Magazine recently chose as its eighth most influential Bostonian out of a list of 100. This is the Jaylen Brown who engaged in more community activities in the city than many other sports figures have done over the last decade. That alone should’ve been enough for the Celtics to want to retain his services.
This transaction showed Celtics management to be heartless and insensitive to its fan base. As someone who has followed the team for more than 60-plus years, from Bob Cousy and Bill Russell to the present day, this trade represents a broken promise. Now all I will look forward to is watching Jaylen Brown throw down 30 points against his old team each time the 76ers play the Celtics next season.
Sam Kafrissen
Arlington