Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket against Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets at TD Garden.

Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket against Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets during the first half at TD Garden on November 01, 2025. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)

Jaylen Brown Trade Proposal Sends Boston Celtics Star To Houston Rockets

Ashish MathurMay 30, 2026 12:13 PMMay 30, 2026 1:13 PM

DHJ Quick Take: Four-Team Jaylen Brown Trade Proposal

Star to Houston: A complex four-team trade proposal by Dan Favale of Bleacher Report lands Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown and guard Marcus Sasser with the Houston Rockets.
Boston’s Return Package: In exchange for the 2024 Finals MVP, the Celtics would absorb a haul of young talent and draft capital, receiving Jabari Smith Jr., Trey Murphy III, Saddiq Bey and a 2027 first-round pick (via Phoenix).
Pistons and Pelicans Hauls: The Detroit Pistons would acquire veteran point guard Fred VanVleet and a second-round pick, while the New Orleans Pelicans would net Dorian Finney-Smith, Caris LeVert and four future draft assets (two 2026 first-rounders and two 2027/2029 first-rounders).

A blockbuster Jaylen Brown trade proposal sending the Boston Celtics star to the Houston Rockets has been created.

Dan Favale of Bleacher Report created the following trade proposal between the Celtics, Rockets, New Orleans Pelicans and Detroit Pistons:

Boston Celtics Receive: Saddiq Bey, Trey Murphy III, Jabari Smith Jr., Phoenix’s 2027 first-round pick (via Houston)

Detroit Pistons Receive: Fred VanVleet*, No. 39 pick (via Houston)

Houston Rockets Receive: Jaylen Brown, Marcus Sasser

New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Dorian Finney-Smith, Caris LeVert, No. 21 pick (via Detroit), No. 27 pick (via Boston), Houston’s 2027 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick (most favorable from Houston, Dallas or Phoenix, via Houston)

*FVV must exercise $25 million player option

Brown is eligible for a two-year, $142 million extension in July. The 2024 Finals MVP has three seasons left on his current deal and a combined $183 million.

One of the top players in the NBA, Brown raised eyebrows when he said this season was his favorite season of his career. The Celtics went 56-26 and were the No. 2 seed in the East despite playing much of the campaign without Jayson Tatum.

Boston won the 2024 championship against the Dallas Mavericks. Some people believe Brown wants his “own team” instead of sharing the spotlight with Tatum and wouldn’t mind getting traded this summer.

A talented two-way player, Brown averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game this regular season. The five-time All-Star put up 25.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the playoffs, a series the Celtics lost in seven games despite taking a 3-1 lead.

The 29-year-old Brown has career averages of 20.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game with the Celtics. The California product was the third overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

Durant’s “moodiness” took Rockets players some getting used to this season and it actually wore on the team’s young players, according to Ramona Shelburne and Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Houston acquired Durant from the Phoenix Suns last offseason. The team won 52 games this regular season but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs in six games.

Durant only played in Game 2 of the series because of a knee and ankle injury. The future Hall of Famer hasn’t gotten back to the NBA Finals since leaving the Golden State Warriors in the summer of 2019.

It will be fascinating to see if Brown remains with the Celtics or gets traded this offseason. The swingman doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract, so he has no control over his future.

Brown going to Houston to play with Durant could be fun to watch, but if Brown really does want his “own team,” he wouldn’t get that on the Rockets since Durant is there.