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Celtics Trade Jaylen Brown to 76ers for Paul George

Sport
July 2, 2026
Pop-art illustration of an anonymous basketball player mid-stride between two zones, symbolizing a trade.

The Jaylen Brown trade saga ended with a stunner. Jaylen Brown is now a Philadelphia 76er. The Boston Celtics dealt Jaylen Brown to the 76ers on July 1 for Paul George and four picks. ESPN insider Shams Charania broke the news.

Boston Blows Up Its Core After Missing on Giannis

The Philadelphia 76ers acquired Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics in a stunning July 1 swap. Boston received Paul George plus two first-round picks and two second-round picks. The package sends a 2028 first-rounder and a 2031 first-rounder to Boston. Philadelphia also included second-round picks in 2028 and 2030. Jaylen Brown now joins Joel Embiid and guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe in Philadelphia.

Jaylen Brown delivered career-best numbers in the 2025-26 season. Jaylen Brown averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists across 71 games. Brown earned a fifth All-Star selection and finished sixth in MVP voting. Brown carried Boston to 56 wins while Jayson Tatum sat out with injury. The 2025-26 campaign marked the finest statistical year of Jaylen Brown’s career.

Boston pivoted to Paul George only after missing on Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Milwaukee Bucks instead sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat. The Jaylen Brown talks first surfaced in June as part of the Giannis chase. CBS Sports graded Philadelphia an A-plus and labeled Boston’s return baffling. The Ringer questioned the logic behind the Boston Celtics moving Jaylen Brown at all.

The Jaylen Brown trade reshapes the Eastern Conference entering 2026-27. Philadelphia pairs Jaylen Brown with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe. The 76ers already eliminated the Celtics in the first round of the 2026 playoffs. Boston now holds four extra draft picks to rebuild around Jayson Tatum. The Paul George contract gives Boston veteran scoring during a reset year.

Jaylen Brown gives Philadelphia a two-way wing beside Joel Embiid. Jaylen Brown averaged 28.7 points and 5.1 assists last season for Boston. Adding Brown lets Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe play off a proven scorer. Philadelphia bet future draft capital on winning now with Joel Embiid. The 76ers surrendered two first-round picks to land Jaylen Brown.

Philadelphia opens the 2026-27 season as a retooled Eastern contender behind Jaylen Brown. Boston enters a transition year anchored by Paul George and four fresh picks. The open question is whether Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid stay healthy together. NBA free agency continues, so both the 76ers and Celtics could add pieces before training camp.

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Sources: ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the Jaylen Brown trade on July 1, 2026. Additional reporting and grades came from CBS Sports, NBC Sports Boston, and The Ringer.