Free Agent/Trade Thread 2026-27, Part X (It's a Tragedy to See the Dream is Over)

[cloverleaf]

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/07/08/opinion/celtics-jaylen-brown-trade-analytics/?p1=Article_Feed_ContentQuery

[165bows]

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[Fencer reregistered]

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/07/08/opinion/celtics-jaylen-brown-trade-analytics/?p1=Article_Feed_ContentQuery

It's a reasonable argument. And it's long enough already that I can forgive obvious omissions (such as defensive FG% when on-ball, which is the one defensive area Jaylen supposedly excels at).

[Larry_Russell]

Payton watson would still be nice.

[ryan in Maine]

Well, I don't want to argue right move or wrong move. I just want to say it was a hell of an era. Respect to JB. Good luck to him, except when he's playing us.

JB's finest...

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#18 is my #1

[Ben-N1ce]

I still dont like the haul but no point in beating that to a dead horse boy I do find the takes funny. Pro Jaylen " Jaylen is the winningist player " counter " they win at a higher clip when he doesn't even play " Pro Jaylen" that doesn't count though " lol

[celtxman]

I still dont like the haul but no point in beating that to a dead horse boy I do find the takes funny. Pro Jaylen " Jaylen is the winningist player " counter " they win at a higher clip when he doesn't even play " Pro Jaylen" that doesn't count though " lol

I'm neither pro or anti Jaylen. I could have gone either way about trading him. I also believe the haul was terrible. But does anyone seriously believe the Celtics win anywhere near 56 games without Brown last year?

[165bows]

I still dont like the haul but no point in beating that to a dead horse boy I do find the takes funny. Pro Jaylen " Jaylen is the winningist player " counter " they win at a higher clip when he doesn't even play " Pro Jaylen" that doesn't count though " lol

I'm neither pro or anti Jaylen. I could have gone either way about trading him. I also believe the haul was terrible. But does anyone seriously believe the Celtics win anywhere near 56 games without Brown last year?

No but it’s about role. And the role JB wasn’t going to be happy with unless he got it was super max contract guy that takes historic levels of shots at sub par efficiency and turnover rates while not creating for others efficiently enough.

In the regular season he took that burden for everyone else on the team who frankly couldn’t handle that. And allowed them to flourish in their own best roles, which was an elite level supporting cast.

But the on off numbers also reflect the reality above as well, basically that his contribution had a ceiling his salary and age curve didn’t favor.

[Ben-N1ce]

I still dont like the haul but no point in beating that to a dead horse boy I do find the takes funny. Pro Jaylen " Jaylen is the winningist player " counter " they win at a higher clip when he doesn't even play " Pro Jaylen" that doesn't count though " lol

I'm neither pro or anti Jaylen. I could have gone either way about trading him. I also believe the haul was terrible. But does anyone seriously believe the Celtics win anywhere near 56 games without Brown last year?

If he's not on the the team at all of course not but I find it funny he gets credit for all the career wins but if they will at even higher pace when he doesn't even play and play generally as good or better when he's on the bench you can't just say that's a fluke. Besides the haul what really sucks about the trade is that they will shoot just as many 3's maybe more and try to cleanup the glass more and turn it over less. Their style is going to be Identical and then some 0_o

[cloverleaf]

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/07/08/opinion/celtics-jaylen-brown-trade-analytics/?p1=Article_Feed_ContentQuery

It's a reasonable argument. And it's long enough already that I can forgive obvious omissions (such as defensive FG% when on-ball, which is the one defensive area Jaylen supposedly excels at).

You say on-ball defensive %? Funny, I only see one of the Jays on this list (and it's not Jaylen): https://www.82games.com/top_nba_defensive_players.htm

[brackdan70]

Well, I don't want to argue right move or wrong move. I just want to say it was a hell of an era. Respect to JB. Good luck to him, except when he's playing us.

JB's finest...

Watch on YouTube

Some great clips.
I was at the game with good seats for number 24 against the Jazz. Back in the Gobert/ Mitchell days.
That game winner by Brown and Ojeleye flashing his abs and the Mormon lady next to me saying “Oh My!!!l” were memorable.

She might not have been Mormon but she was impressed with Semi’s 12 pack.

[165bows]

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/07/08/opinion/celtics-jaylen-brown-trade-analytics/?p1=Article_Feed_ContentQuery

It's a reasonable argument. And it's long enough already that I can forgive obvious omissions (such as defensive FG% when on-ball, which is the one defensive area Jaylen supposedly excels at).

You say on-ball defensive %? Funny, I only see one of the Jays on this list (and it's not Jaylen): https://www.82games.com/top_nba_defensive_players.htm

Wow 82games is back. I used to use this site back in the day and then at one point it stopped updating, I figured it was getting shut down.

At any rate I sued to be ahead of the curve with this stuff, now no way I am way behind.

But even the upgrade looks 15 years out of date so that might be about more my speed lol

[cloverleaf]

It's a reasonable argument. And it's long enough already that I can forgive obvious omissions (such as defensive FG% when on-ball, which is the one defensive area Jaylen supposedly excels at).

You say on-ball defensive %? Funny, I only see one of the Jays on this list (and it's not Jaylen): https://www.82games.com/top_nba_defensive_players.htm

Wow 82games is back. I used to use this site back in the day and then at one point it stopped updating, I figured it was getting shut down.

At any rate I sued to be ahead of the curve with this stuff, now no way I am way behind.

But even the upgrade looks 15 years out of date so that might be about more my speed lol

I was surprised to come across it as well.

[hugepatsfan]

What would it take to get Peyton Watson? would Denver do a Hauser + a 1st and 2 2nds?

Not sure, but from what I understand the most we could offer Watson is $18,339,463 in a trade just for Hauser as we are hard capped at the first apron. I'm guessing that changes if we also sent Walsh or someone else.

Well, we have 15 players right now with Banton's non-guaranteed deal. They can waive him along with sending Hauser out and then be $21,140,809 below the 1st apron with 13 players so Watson or whoever coming in would be the 14th that we need to have. Just to keep numbers round, let's say they started Watson at $21M flat (leaves the $1.1M extra for a little in-season maneuvering if they have a rash of injuries and need some 10-days or whatever). That would translate to a 4 year, $90.3M million deal with maximum raises.

[phincsfan]

What would it take to get Peyton Watson? would Denver do a Hauser + a 1st and 2 2nds?

Not sure, but from what I understand the most we could offer Watson is $18,339,463 in a trade just for Hauser as we are hard capped at the first apron. I'm guessing that changes if we also sent Walsh or someone else.

Well, we have 15 players right now with Banton's non-guaranteed deal. They can waive him along with sending Hauser out and then be $21,140,809 below the 1st apron with 13 players so Watson or whoever coming in would be the 14th that we need to have. Just to keep numbers round, let's say they started Watson at $21M flat (leaves the $1.1M extra for a little in-season maneuvering if they have a rash of injuries and need some 10-days or whatever). That would translate to a 4 year, $90.3M million deal with maximum raises.

At a 4yr/90mil deal, does he solve the attacking the rim issue that Stevens talked about? I don't see him as that half court threat to break down a defense. If he's a shooter, why not just keep what you have in Hauser and see what players become available at the deadline?

[bucknersrevenge]

Finally kinda put this together in my head here over the last couple of days. Both Siegel and Lowe reported that Jaylen put it out there that he wouldn't go to certain teams. There was the Spears report earlier suggesting that he wouldn't want to play in Milwaukee. At the presser Brad said that he had been in complete transparent communication with Jaylen about every team that showed interest. We all know Brad operates in silence. So how does this information get out there? Jaylen. While acting all dumb about not being communicated to on his Twitch stream Jaylen was behind the scenes steering this thing through leaks. And you know he likely green-lighted the Philly trade. Hell, PG didn't even know his name was being spoken about until 90 minutes before the deal even happened. Those leaks by Jaylen affected how those other teams navigated those trade talks. And Brad KNEW this at the presser and still he didn't say ****. Could've emptied the clip on Jaylen but let him save face and he became the bad guy for Jaylen, and for the franchise.

Bottomline: anyone in here still upset about our trade haul and why we got back so little need look in only ONE place: Jaylen **** Brown

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[hugepatsfan]

I still want Brandon Williams as a bench guard and elevate Pritchard to starting.

We're currently $1.1M over the tax with 15 players. We only need to have 14. Waive Banton's nonguaranteed deal and we're $1.7M under the tax with 14 players signed. NOT SAYING TO ACTUALLY TRADE HIM NOW, but if we did trade Jordan Walsh (our lowest salaried player) for 2nd(s) then we'd be $4.1M under the apron with 13 players signed. We could use the bi-annual exception to offer Brandon Williams $4M. Give him a second year fully guaranteed too.

Pritchard / BWilliams / Conley
White / Hugo / Harper Jr.
PG / Hauser / Walsh
Tatum / Scheierman / Cenac Jr.
Queta / Robinson / Garza

You go into the year with those 15 guys. You'd be over the tax and have to dump one player at the deadline to get back under. Since I calculated BWilliams' $4M salary off how much room we have if it's Walsh, our lowest salaried player, the math to get back under the tax works if ANYONE on the roster is traded. Trade away any one player at the deadline and we're under, or you could move someone for a few million lower salary instead of an outright dump, but practically speaking that would only really apply to Hauser most likely.

Maybe Cenac Jr. as a rookie and AWilliams on a 2-way give you such great minutes that you are ok dumping Garza at the deadline. Even though I had him 3rd unit there Walsh would play whenever PG is out (should be almost half the games even if he's healthy for load management) and if he doesn't click maybe you just give him away ahead of FA. Maybe all the young play so well you can't justify dumping any of them and you just send Conley somewhere he agrees to (though that feels like bad juju for a vet). Maybe Hauser gets outplayed and you just do a deal with him for a player making a little less money. Maybe BWilliams is an unmitigated disaster here and you just cut the chord.

[hugepatsfan]

Not sure, but from what I understand the most we could offer Watson is $18,339,463 in a trade just for Hauser as we are hard capped at the first apron. I'm guessing that changes if we also sent Walsh or someone else.

Well, we have 15 players right now with Banton's non-guaranteed deal. They can waive him along with sending Hauser out and then be $21,140,809 below the 1st apron with 13 players so Watson or whoever coming in would be the 14th that we need to have. Just to keep numbers round, let's say they started Watson at $21M flat (leaves the $1.1M extra for a little in-season maneuvering if they have a rash of injuries and need some 10-days or whatever). That would translate to a 4 year, $90.3M million deal with maximum raises.

At a 4yr/90mil deal, does he solve the attacking the rim issue that Stevens talked about? I don't see him as that half court threat to break down a defense. If he's a shooter, why not just keep what you have in Hauser and see what players become available at the deadline?

I wasn't specifically advocating to add him, just explaining the math of what we could offer.

I think he's a good player who helps our athleticism in transition. He seems to be a good off-ball cutter and has enough floor game to attack closeouts so I think he can contribute to getting more looks at the rim even though he's not going to break the defense down in half court and create for himself like that. I just don't think he's a good enough player that they're going to go into the tax for.

Overall though, I don't think Brad is going to push for the rim pressure to come from one guy barreling his way to the rim. I think he's going to want good overall spacing that creates lanes for people to cut. And with Tatum, as opposed to Brown handling playmaking duties more now that produces sharper/more accurate kickout passes that give you more opportunities to attack closeouts and swing the ball. Tatum is a much more fluid playmaking on the drive and kick so you get more secondary shots off the kickout pass. Brown is much slower and more deliberate when he drives and kicks which a lot of times limits you to only the shot off the kickout pass which is going to be a 3. Tatum's kickout are more authoratative and on target, so if the guy does catch and shoot he's a half step more open but that half step also opens up more secondary shot opportunities too which can include looks at the rim.

[Curmudgeon]

The thing about Englemann's article is that if you understand the game, your eyes would tell you the same thing that the numbers do. Take easy shots, take care of the ball, box out and get the rebound. That's how you win. You don't win with spectacular plays.

[playa-hater]

At a 4yr/90mil deal, does he solve the attacking the rim issue that Stevens talked about? I don't see him as that half court threat to break down a defense. If he's a shooter, why not just keep what you have in Hauser and see what players become available at the deadline?

Watson definitely is not an attack the Rim player, but outside of being a shooter he is also a high level finisher and a more physical, defender. Now is he worth the trade and salary in comparison to waiting to see what might become available, is the million dollar question I guess.