The Boston Celtics have a shot at the No. 3 pick in the upcoming 2025 NBA draft.
Boston’s path forward remains unclear heading into the offseason.
Last week during an episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, Simmons speculated about GM Brad Stevens’s next move.
The discussion started off with Simmons brainstorming a deal sending Paul George and the No. 3 pick from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Utah Jazz for Lauri Markkanen.
After guest Zach Lowe waved off that idea, Simmons spun a new angle: “I’d pitch that straight to Boston for Jaylen Brown right now,” he proclaimed.
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Surely, the Sixers would jump at the opportunity to place Brown alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, but would the Celtics immediately hang up on this proposal?
Maybe not. The No. 3 pick in a loaded draft class could be a ticket to a near-future superstar. Plus, trading Brown’s deal for George’s would trim a year of hefty cash—George hits free agency in 2028, Brown not until 2029.
Jaylen Brown | Player Profile
- Age: 28
- 2024-25 stats (41 games): 22.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 46.3% FG
- Upcoming salary (per Spotrac):
- 2025-26: $53.1M
- 2026-27: $57M
- 2027-28: $61M
- 2028-29: $65M
- 2029-30: Unrestricted FA
Paul George | Player Profile
- Age: 35
- 2024-25 stats (41 games): 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 43% FG
- Upcoming salary (per Spotrac):
- 2025-26: $51.7M
- 2026-27: $54M
- 2027-28: $56.6M (player option)
- 2028-29: Unrestricted FA
This swap still feels like a stretch, though. The Celtics feel that Brown and Tatum can compete for more banners once Tatum returns from injury in 2027. Locked into a five-year, $285.4 million supermax, Brown probably isn’t going anywhere, not for this package.
Stevens could ask Philly for extra first-rounders in 2029 and 2031 to cushion George’s injury concerns, but on the whole, this proposal is closer to imagination than reality.
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