Celtics Would be Insane to Trade Jaylen Brown for Domantas Sabonis
By Ryan Flores
The NBA regular season hasn't even officially begun, yet there's already talk of a young and impactful player being on the trade block.
The Indiana Pacers have reportedly engaged with multiple teams this past week over star forward Domantas Sabonis. The Pacers had recently engaged in contract negotiations with Sabonis, but the two sides are very far apart.
Domantas Sabonis may be on the trading block after contract extension talks with Pacers are far apart, per @sam_amick
— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) October 18, 2019
He averaged 14 PTS, 9 REB & 3 AST last season pic.twitter.com/czfyKTeJ7I
This caused wild speculation across the NBA, as fans and analysts have been picking out the best landing spots for Sabonis should he be traded. One team that has been linked to Sabonis countless times is the Boston Celtics. The C's have an abundance of wing players, and the Pacers have already extended Myles Turner, which would make Sabonis expendable.
However, the Pacers would likely demand Jaylen Brown in any deal for Sabonis. Brown too has had his contract battles with the Celtics, as he reportedly turned down an $80 million extension over four years.
Jaylen Brown is betting on himself this season?https://t.co/VqTZJiiEoO
— HotNewHipHop (@HotNewHipHop) October 16, 2019
Should the Celtics be unable to sign Brown before the October 21st deadline, they'll still own his rights, and could match any deal he receives in restricted free agency in the 2020 offseason. However, if Celtics GM Danny Ainge can't agree with Brown, it's possible that he could explore flipping Brown for Sabonis.
There is no way that Ainge should ever consider this sort of deal. Yes, Sabonis is one of the best young big men in the game. Yes, his father Arvydas Sabonis is a huge Boston fan. However, that doesn't change the fact that Brown's ceiling is undoubtedly higher.
I like Sabonis and he makes sense for the C's but it’s too early to trade Brown unless it’s for a star. Brown showed some interesting improvements this preseason and still has a ton of untapped potential. I would hate to see the Celtics trade him and end up regretting it big time
— StrengthIN#'s (@StrengthinS) October 19, 2019
Brown spent valuable time with Team USA this offseason, which helped his game grow to new heights. He looks like a more confident player and is showing fans that he has an improved handle and is ready to attack the basket with gusto. Not to mention the Celtics drafted him with the No. 3 overall pick a few years ago.
Brad Stevens on Jayson Tatum’s play with Team USA, then his thoughts on how Jaylen Brown did: pic.twitter.com/D1cBPnNW0U
— Nick Friar (@Nick_Friar) September 30, 2019
While the thought of Sabonis in a Celtics jersey is enticing, Ainge and Boston fans alike shouldn't lose sight of the big picture. Brown and Jayson Tatum look like they could be a powerful tandem, and will likely be the core of the Celtics for the rest of their careers. Brown has a bright future ahead of him, and it would be a shame to trade him now.