Jayson Tatum's Achilles injury has completely flipped the Boston Celtics' script for the next few years. Before that, Boston was expected to be the dominant force in the Eastern Conference. With a loaded lineup, the dangerous duo of Jayson Tatum and Jayson Brown, and championship experience under their belt, they were virtually locks for at least an Eastern Conference Finals appearance every year.
As it turns out, the only thing that could stop the Celtics was themselves. Tatum went down with a torn Achilles tendon during their 2024 second-round matchup against the New York Knicks. Not only did the injury end their title hopes for that year, but it virtually killed their chances for at least the 2025 season. Suddenly, the discussions around the Celtics changed from being a dynasty to whether they should rebuild.
The Celtics already tore their lineup down a bit, trading away Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis to recover some much-needed draft capital. Now, there's a possibility that Brown might even be gone. Speaking on a recent podcast, the Celtics star was asked about his thoughts on potentially playing for his hometown team, the Atlanta Hawks. Instead of shutting down the thought, Brown didn't close the door on a potential move.
“I feel you. I think my grandma would, too,” Brown said when asked about playing for the Hawks. He continued, saying, “Yeah, but you never know. We’ll see.”
Brown is still under contract with the Celtics, so any move to the Hawks would be via a trade. How would this hypothetical trade look? Let's explore two probable frameworks for a Celtics-Hawks trade.
Scenario 1: Star-for-star swap
Hawks get: Jaylen Brown, Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser
Celtics get: Trae Young, Onyeka Okongwu
This is the trade that Celtics fans would want to happen if their team decides to ship Brown to the Hawks. The rationale behind this trade is straightforward: the Celtics can remain competitive while retooling their roster slightly. This move would keep Boston on a similar level to where they are now while addressing some major roster issues.
With Holiday out, the Celtics once again need a point guard to set the table for their offense. Derrick White is a solid ball-handler, but his skillset is much more suited to be a secondary playmaker instead of the lead guard. They did trade for former Blazer Anfernee Simons, but like White, he's more of an off-ball weapon who can create for himself.
Young would help the Celtics have a solid ball-handler who's been one of the best passers in the NBA in the last few years. He led the league in assists per game last season by a huge margin (11.6 assists per game, 1.4 assists more than Nikola Jokic). There are concerns about his defense, but he should form a potent one-two duo with Jayson Tatum.
Okongwu would help bolster the Celtics' frontcourt after trading away Porzingis. Losing Pritchard and Hauser will hurt their depth significantly, but Simons' presence should ease the blow of losing the former Sixth Man of the Year candidate.
Scenario 2: Hawks form a one-two duo
Hawks get: Jaylen Brown
Celtics get: Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, two first-round picks
This other trade slightly favors the Hawks more than the first one. In this scenario, the Hawks get to keep Young and pair him with another star from his generation in Brown. Meanwhile, the Celtics get two promising young players and a few first-round picks to help them in their rebuild.
If the Hawks are not up for a star-for-star swap, the next best trade target for the Celtics is Jalen Johnson. A first-round pick from 2021, Johnson has been trending up in the last two years. He averaged 18.9 points per game last season on 50% shooting from the field. There are still clear gaps in Johnson's game; the Hawks forward still lacks a consistent three-point stroke. That being said, his athleticism has been one of his best assets.
Alexander-Walker isn't quite on the same caliber as Johnson, but the Hawks guard provides defensive backcourt stability and solid shooting. It's either him or Okongwu who'll be added as a salary filler in this hypothetical trade.
For the Hawks, pairing Young with one of the best two-way forwards in the league can only be beneficial for the team. The Celtics star has consistently been one of the best players in the league, and having him on the team would greatly ease the pressure on Young to create everything. This trade would also more or less keep their core intact.
Truth be told, if a Brown to Hawks trade does happen, the full package will most likely be something in between these two scenarios. We'll see in the next few months if Boston decides to fully tear down their roster for the 2025-26 season.
