'They couldn't bring him back': NBA execs react to...

'They couldn't bring him back': NBA execs react to the shocking Jaylen Brown tradeBoston Celtics36mTim MacMahonC's Robinson: Playoff injury followed family issueNew York Knicks21hSources: Ewing joining Wizards as assistant coachWashington Wizards1dShams CharaniaPeterson, Boozer strong in summer league debutsMemphis Grizzlies1dTim MacMahonAgent: LeBron eyeing Heat, Cavs, Sixers, othersMiami Heat3dDave McMenaminSources: Lakers trading center Ayton to WizardsLos Angeles Lakers3dDave McMenaminKnicks find Robinson replacement in DrummondNew York Knicks3dVincent GoodwillSources: 76ers, with Brown on board, eye LeBronPhiladelphia 76ers4dAnthony SlaterSources: Rockets' Finney-Smith dealt to HornetsHouston Rockets3dOhm YoungmisukWinners, losers and dominoes from NBA free agency's wild weekMiami Heat4dBen GolliverNBA free agency is here! Updates on deals, trades and latest intel1dESPNWindhorst: NBA execs on the Brown trade, big-money bigs and an unexpected salary cap3dBrian WindhorstSix huge questions after the Lakers' 35-minute flurry of free agent dealsLos Angeles Lakers3dDave McMenaminFantasy basketball: Jaylen Brown loses volume in Philly, but remains a top-25 pick5dEric MoodyplayWill Celtics live to regret trading Jaylen Brown? (0:50)Tim MacMahonJul 6, 2026, 07:00 AM ETCloseJoined ESPNDallas.

com in September 2009Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas MavericksAppears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FMFollow on XMultiple AuthorsEmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNot since the Dallas Mavericks dumped Luka Doncic, shipping him to the Los Angeles Lakers in the middle of the night in early February 2025, has the NBA collectively been so stunned by a trade.In that instance, the shock hit on two fronts.

It seemed unfathomable that Doncic, a perennial first-team All-NBA selection entering his prime who was only months removed from leading the Mavericks to the NBA Finals, would get traded when his intention was to sign an extension to stay in Dallas. And the return in the deal was immediately considered to be ridiculously low value.Nobody was flabbergasted that the Boston Celtics made the decision to trade Jaylen Brown, the Finals MVP in that series over Doncic's Mavericks only two years ago, considering that he had been blatantly shopped for weeks.

But to a bitter rival for that return? Eyebrows raised and jaws dropped across the league."I mean, the guy got traded for less than Walker Kessler," one general manager told ESPN, referring to the promising young big man who has yet to earn an All-Star bid.

"That's baffling to me."Indeed, the Utah Jazz landed a pair of unprotected first-round picks and a pair of unprotected swaps from the Lakers in the sign-and-trade deal that delivered Doncic the center he so strongly desired. And the Jazz didn't have to take back any salary, much less a bloated contract.

By contrast, the Celtics netted one unprotected first-rounder, another first-round pick or swap depending on where it lands, and a pair of second-rounders from the Philadelphia 76ers for Brown, a five-time All-Star in his prime. Plus, the Sixers unloaded oft-injured 36-year-old Paul George in the deal, shedding what's widely considered one of the NBA's worst contracts (two years, $110.7 million remaining).

Why was the trade market so chilly for a star who just had his best statistical season and finished sixth in MVP voting? Why was Boston president of basketball operations Brad Stevens -- selected by his peers as Executive of the Year in two of the past three seasons -- in such a hurry to pull the trigger on an underwhelming trade? Why didn't the Celtics go all-in on their offer to the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo if moving on from Brown was deemed a must?"

I'm asking all the same questions," another general manager said.Value, especially in today's NBA, is in the eye of the beholder.Without question, the 29-year-old Brown is one of the league's most productive players.

He ranked fourth in the league in scoring with a career-high 28.7 points per game last season. He also averaged career bests of 6.

9 rebounds and 5.1 assists, joining Doncic and multitime MVPs Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic as the only players to average at least 25 points, six rebounds and five assists. And Brown, unlike Doncic and Jokic, is a good defender who frequently guards the opponent's top scorer.

The Celtics far exceeded expectations with Brown as their No. 1 offensive option, going 56-26 despite Jayson Tatum missing most of the season while recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon. Brown won a lot in Boston -- more than any other player over the past decade, as he pointedly mentioned on social media over the weekend.

Those are all facts that have fueled the popular perception -- from media, fans and other players -- that Brown ranks among the league's elite. The advanced analytics tell a different tale."The stats guys in every room don't see him close to that -- probably the widest gap in the league," the second general manager said.

"They're