Boston’s biggest fan and founder of The Ringer, Bill Simmons, recently proposed a trade that has Celtics fans scratching their heads. What Simmons proposed was a way for the Celtics to stay under the second apron of the salary cap by shipping away one of its biggest stars, Jaylen Brown.
“Repeatedly said I want them to keep Jaylen. Was only saying if they decided as a last resort they had to deal him cuz of the 2nd apron — it would have to be a deal that looked something like this, where they shed 20+ million in trade and get a few assets back.”
Trading Jaylen Brown for peanuts might not work for the Celtics
This was a hypothetical scenario from Simmons, but you know, fans in Boston were not happy about this. After watching Jayson Tatum rupture his Achilles to end the season, trading Brown would be the biggest punch in the gut to a franchise only one year removed from winning a championship.
Simmons’ comments make sense if the Celtics are potentially looking to avoid the second apron luxury tax as stated. Boston has been a contender for the better part of the last decade and haven’t missed the playoffs since the 2013-14 campaign. A move like this would undoubtedly signal a reboot in Bean Town, especially with Tatum likely missing most, if not all, of next season.
Like it or not, the notion of Boston reconstructing this team isn’t breaking news, as those rumors have floated around recently. Tatum and Brown have been a staple on this team for years, leading them to multiple deep runs, including three consecutive Eastern Conference Finals appearances, which culminated in last year's title run. While nothing is for certain, the idea of a new era of Celtics basketball being on the horizon isn’t as farfetched as it may have sounded a few months ago.