New Jaylen Brown Trade Rumors Reveal 5 First-Round Draft Picks Celtics Wanted from Mystery NBA Team

The Boston Celtics' asking price for star Jaylen Brown in one specific instance could be instructive about their vision for the 2026-27 NBA season.

At the 15:03 mark in the newest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported the Celtics are "actively making calls" on Brown. They may not be determined to flip the five-time All-Star for a player of equal value.

"I have been told that, maybe not everyone that they're trying, but Boston in some talks with some teams has been seeking heavy draft capital from teams as they discuss Jaylen Brown trades," Windhorst said. "I heard of one team where they asked for five future first-round picks."

The NBA insider added this may not apply across the board but that Boston has shown a desire to prioritize draft picks in certain negotiations.

The Celtics tried and failed to get Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks. With their interest in Antetokounmpo and willingness to include Brown in the trade being so out in the open, they may have reached a point of no return with the 2024 NBA Finals. Welcoming him back could be tricky when he was deemed expendable to a certain degree.

One problem is that there almost certainly isn't going to be a trade chip as good as Antetokounmpo for the rest of the summer. With that chance now gone, perhaps Boston is willing to take a step backward in order to set itself up better for the future.

The organization basically did that when it traded Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis last summer. Trading Brown for draft picks and what amounts to salary filler would go much further than that.

Heading into the 2025-26 season, Boston could justify the plan because Jayson Tatum was recovering from a major Achilles injury. Nobody expected the team to seriously contend for a title.

Taking another gap year could be a harder sell when Tatum is healthy. You'd expect a franchise to be all in when it's anchored by a 28-year-old star.

Now, the Celtics could turn around and use multiple first-round picks from a Brown trade to pursue a Giannis-level name down the road. That plan still hinges on finding a realistic blockbuster.

Boston has been competitive for so long it's difficult to comprehend a scenario where it's closer to a .500 team rather than one winning 50-plus games. Maybe the front office believes that's a worthy sacrifice to extend the title window for as long as possible with a new, younger core around Tatum.