New Celtics Trade Rumors Reveal Jaylen Brown Landing Spots Amid Giannis Buzz

The Boston Celtics reportedly are open to trading star Jaylen Brown, and a handful of potential suitors have emerged.

Per NBA insider Marc Stein, the Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks have "interest" in Brown, though Stein noted that "the sheer salary numbers do add a layer of complexity to any talks."

Brown is entering the third year of a five-year, $285.4 million contract and is owed $57.1 million in 2026-27, making him one of the league's highest-paid players.

As the Celtics' No. 1 option this season, he proved that he's well worth that deal, putting together a career year in which he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. He helped Boston reach the playoffs in a season that was widely expected to be a down year.

The Celtics' willingness to trade Brown comes amid rumors that the team is interested in landing Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel explained on 104.3 WQAM's The Joe Rose Show that the Bucks are "trying to find a third team" to redirect Brown to in a possible deal with Boston.

"They don't want a player like that," Winderman said of Milwaukee's interest in Brown. "They don't want a mid-career player if they're trading Giannis. So from what I've heard, they are looking at Jaylen Brown in terms of flipping him to another team. I've been told possibly Atlanta. ... I've been told possibly New Orleans, who have young players."

Winderman mentioned a possible deal with the Hawks that would send Brown to Atlanta, Antetokounmpo to Boston and Jonathan Kuminga, plus "a boatload of picks" to Milwaukee.

While the Celtics may have some interest in Antetokounmpo, NBA insider Jake Fischer noted that the Heat and Trail Blazers have been the most aggressive in the race for the two-time MVP.

Boston perhaps isn't as pressed to add Antetokounmpo since the pairing of Brown and Jayson Tatum has already delivered the Celtics a championship, and could very well compete in the Finals as soon as next year.

Regardless, the situation is one to monitor, since trading a player like Brown would completely alter the NBA landscape.