Jaylen Brown's massive contract and perceived unhappiness in Boston have left NBA teams scared to trade for the Celtics star, according to league executives.
Brown was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in a deal that sent Paul George and four draft picks to Boston. But the response from around the league has been harsh.
What are NBA executives saying about Jaylen Brown's contract?
ESPN's Shams Charania spoke to multiple general managers and executives who questioned whether Brown's production matches his salary.
"The stats guys in every room don't see him close to that — probably the widest gap in the league," one GM told Charania. "They're certainly telling you they don't think he's the sixth-best player in the league. Then the contract is really f--king big, and the expectation to [extend] that is really big."
Brown is owed $183 million over the next three seasons. That's roughly $61 million per year.
Another GM compared Brown to players like Brandon Ingram and DeMar DeRozan — but with a much higher price tag.
"The difference is he's not at $40 million [salary] — he's at $60 million!" the GM said. "It's really hard to tie up that much of your salary cap in one player unless they're truly generational. And he's not even close to that."
Why did the Celtics' trade talks backfire?
Boston initially asked for four unprotected first-round picks in exchange for Brown, per Charania. That aggressive demand pushed teams away.
"The asking price for Brown was so high that teams got scared away and moved on to other business," an executive from a team that engaged in brief discussions said. "There was no need to circle back."
The Celtics eventually settled for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks from the 76ers. But the damage was done.
How did Jaylen Brown's happiness become a factor?
Brown's perceived unhappiness in Boston also scared off potential trade partners.
"If Jaylen isn't happy winning Finals MVP, All-NBA, winning with the Boston Celtics, how's it going to be with us?" a president of basketball operations said. "If he's not happy there, what is he looking for? It scares teams."
Brown led the Celtics to a second-place finish in the Eastern Conference last season despite Jayson Tatum missing most of the year with a torn Achilles. But that wasn't enough to convince teams he's worth the money.
What does this mean for Jaylen Brown's future?
Brown now heads to Philadelphia alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The 76ers are betting on his talent.
But the league-wide skepticism is real. Executives see a gap between Brown's reputation and his actual impact. They see a contract that limits roster flexibility. And they see a player who wasn't happy in a winning situation.
For now, Brown has a fresh start in Philly. The question is whether he can prove the doubters wrong.