Brad Stevens says Jaylen Brown trade was about Celtics’ salary cap and future flexibility

BOSTON — Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens and team owner Bill Chisholm want to make one thing clear: The decision to trade perennial All-Star Jaylen Brown wasn’t arrived at lightly.

But from their perspective, it was necessary to give the franchise the flexibility it needs to compete with the changing landscape of an NBA in which managing the team’s balance sheet will be more important than retaining multiple homegrown stars with pricey contracts.

That said, Stevens said Monday that he is fully aware of the criticism that surrounds Boston’s front office in the aftermath of its stunning decision last week to trade Brown to the Celtics’ division rival Philadelphia for Paul George and multiple draft picks.

“As Jaylen and I sat down in early June and we talked about potential future in Boston and elsewhere, I told him if we were ever to trade Jaylen that would be a sad day for me personally,” Stevens said. “And certainly the emotions that all of us have felt… I do think we are empathetic and understand. This is a really hard thing.”

Hard, but also what Stevens said the front office collectively deemed vital for the ability of the Celtics to compete going forward despite coming off back-to-back 50-plus win regular seasons following their 2024 NBA championship.

“The path looked a little bit more challenging to me,” Stevens said. “I might be wrong. I’m not going to stand up there and be defensive about that. But the path looked a little bit more challenging with 70% of our (salary) cap, and such a high percent of our usage tied into two players.”

Salary cap concerns

Brown enters next season with more than about $185 million remaining on the then-record, five-year, $304 million contract he signed with Boston in July 2023. Had he stayed, the team would have to decide whether to give him a two-year extension of around another $140 million.

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That, combined with the almost $190 million left on Jayson Tatum’s $314 million deal, was deemed too much for the Celtics to carry and maintain roster flexibility.

George will make $54 million this coming season, which combined with Jayson Tatum’s $58 million will constitute about 70% of the Celtics’ salary cap in 2026-27.

With George having only one season and a player option remaining after that, Stevens said the future flexibility and draft compensation is what they value.

Additionally, Chisholm was adamant that there was no directive from him about keeping the salary cap at a certain level.

“This was all about basically trying to win, and really trusting in our process,” Chisholm said.

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Stevens says return gives flexibility

Stevens also defended against a sentiment that the trade return, which includes two first-round picks and two second-round picks, was low.

In George, the Celtics get back a six-time All-NBA and nine-time All-Star wing, but a player who has played 50 or more games just three times since 2019 (74 in 2023-24) due to various injuries.

“We like Paul. Paul’s a really good player,” Stevens said. “We’re not very far removed from all sitting, in our series against Philadelphia and watching Paul be a guy that could carry you…but also play a complementary role on both ends of the floor at the highest of levels.”

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Stevens says he, Brown had several discussions

Stevens spent a fair portion of Monday’s news conference pushing back on the suggestion by Brown that he was kept in the dark about the Celtics’ plans.

In a statement posted on his social media platforms after the trade became public, Brown said he had mixed emotions after the 2024 NBA Finals MVP learned he was being dealt away from the only NBA team he’s known.

That night he took to the streaming platform Twitch to elaborate on what he described as a lack of communication at points during the trade process.

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“I wasn’t thrilled with how the conversation was facilitated. I did feel like it was a lack of respect,” Brown said. “At one point it was fine, and then out of nowhere it just went left. I definitely think there’s more to it.”

Stevens said that he didn’t feel the team’s relationship with Brown was irreparable even after initially including Brown in a failed trade offer to Milwaukee for Giannis Antetokounmpo.

“I will say we had several talks. If he feels that way, then I’m sorry about that,” Stevens said.

Jayson Tatum was not consulted

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Along with ending Brown’s 10-year tenure in Boston, it also ends the nine-year partnership between Brown and Tatum, who played in seven conference finals and two NBA Finals together – ultimately propelling team to the 2024 title.

Tatum celebrated the duo in an Instagram post in the days after Brown’s trade.

“From first round exits to winning a champ together and respect for you as a player and as a person,” Tatum wrote.

Stevens said Tatum was not consulted about the decision to ultimately trade Brown.

“I know how little I sleep. I don’t think anybody else needs to feel that,” Stevens said.