Hawks dubbed favorites to land Jaylen Brown if traded

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The Celtics just lost to the Heat in heartbreaking fashion in the Eastern Conference Finals. They came all the way back from 3-0 and had a chance to make history on their home floor, but they came out flat in Game 7, and their superstar duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown didn’t show up. Now, they have a decision to make.

Jaylen Brown has one year left on his contract and is eligible for a super-max contract extension after making an All-NBA team this season. If exercised, that will pay him nearly $300 million over five seasons. Brown’s a star player, and perhaps even a superstar, but that might be a little too rich for a player of his caliber, especially given the Celtics’ failure to get over the hump with this current group. Handing him that much money will only make it more difficult for the Tatum and Brown tandem to win a championship, so while it’s still likely he remains in Boston, internal conversations must be had about what might be the best course of action.

If the Celtics find themselves hesitant to give him that kind of deal, a trade is a legitimate possibility, and the early betting markets have pegged the Hawks as the most likely landing spot.

Per Bet Online, Atlanta is listed as a 2/1 favorite if Brown is traded. They are followed by the Bucks at 3/1, Warriors 4/1, Trail Blazers at 5/1, Bulls at 6/1, and Knicks at 7/1.
I have a difficult time believing the Celtics will actually pull the trigger on a Jaylen Brown trade, and I have an even more difficult time believing that they will trade him to an Eastern Conference foe that they will likely have to play in the playoffs. That’s just not good business, but the Hawks do have some pieces that could interest the Celtics, beginning with Dejounte Murray.
Brown has made it abundantly clear how fond he is of Atlanta–his hometown. Unfortunately, that doesn’t matter too much in the business that is the NBA. There’s virtually no chance he turns down a super-max deal from the Celtics, and even if he does, the Hawks would have to move mountains to acquire him, gutting the rest of the roster and what’s left of their picks. I do think he would be a fantastic fit for a facilitating point guard like Trae Young, but a lot of dominos must fall before I get excited about what oddsmakers believe is the most likely landing spot if Brown were traded.

 

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Photo: Photographer: Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire

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