Celtics ship Finals MVP Jaylen Brown to 76ers for Paul George and picks, jolting title odds
The Boston Celtics sent 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown to division rival Philadelphia in exchange for Paul George and four future draft picks, causing a dramatic reshuffle of championship odds and a wave of free-agent moves.
The trade
On Wednesday, the Boston Celtics agreed to trade five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for veteran Paul George, two first-round and two second-round draft picks. The deal ends Brown's 10-season run in Boston, where he won the 2024 NBA title alongside Jayson Tatum and was named Finals MVP. Brown averaged a career-best 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists last season after Tatum missed much of the year recovering from an Achilles tear.
I don't want to make any predictions about the future.
Brown had reportedly felt underappreciated after the Celtics included him in trade talks for Giannis Antetokounmpo. On social media over the weekend, he noted: "Nobody has won more combined regular-season and playoff games since I entered the league 10 years ago."
Betting market fallout
The trade immediately crashed Boston's championship odds at BetMGM, which doubled from +650 to +1400. Philadelphia's odds tightened from +6600 longshots to +2000, and 35% of all bets placed on the 2026-27 champion since the news broke backed the 76ers. Philadelphia's Eastern Conference odds improved from +2000 to +700.
Welcome to Philly, JB! Sixers get way better and, as a bonus, the Celtics got worse!
- Oklahoma City
- 260
- San Antonio
- 260
- New York
- 900
- Boston
- 1400
- Philadelphia
- 2000
- Toronto
- 2200
- Miami
- 2500
- Detroit
- 2500
The reigning champion New York Knicks remain Eastern Conference favorites at +325, followed by the Celtics (+450) and then the 76ers ahead of Detroit at +750.
Boston's immediate moves
Hours before the Brown trade surfaced, the Celtics reportedly agreed to a three-year, $47.4 million deal with center Mitchell Robinson, who averaged 7.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in his Knicks career. They also signed 38-year-old point guard Mike Conley to a one-year contract. Conley, entering his 20th season, averaged 4.5 points and 2.9 assists for Minnesota last year and will become only the 14th player in NBA history to reach the 20-season mark.
Philadelphia's new core
Brown joins a 76ers squad featuring Joel Embiid and young guard Tyrese Maxey. The club also added German center Ariel Hukporti on a one-year, $3.4 million contract, hoping the roster additions can push them past the second round of the playoffs for the first time in years.
A frenzy of superstar movement
The Brown trade is the latest in a series of offseason blockbusters. Giannis Antetokounmpo went from Milwaukee to Miami in late June. Kawhi Leonard and Brandon Ingram were exchanged between the Clippers and Raptors. Ja Morant moved from Memphis to Portland. And LeBron James announced he will leave the Los Angeles Lakers, with his next destination still unknown.
