With the NBA draft concluded, teams have shifted focus to free agency, which opens Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET, according to ESPN. The market for trades is already active after what ESPN described as the Miami Heat’s deal with the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo, and executives expect further movement as the window opens.
The Boston Celtics stand out as the most fascinating team to watch this week, according to ESPN. Boston remains in play on multiple fronts after a first-round playoff exit to the Philadelphia 76ers, and president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said the team must find ways to have “more of an impact at the rim.” Stevens added the Celtics need to add to the roster to address that deficiency.
Jaylen Brown is at the center of ongoing trade discussions. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Brown has three years and $183 million remaining on the supermax extension he signed in the 2023 offseason and would be eligible to sign a two-year, $142 million extension on July 26. That contract situation complicates potential moves.
Bobby Marks also relayed that the trade market for Brown has not shown strong interest so far, citing a team analytics staffer who told him, “We view him as a seventh-best player on a team,” according to ESPN. Brown has not publicly detailed his feelings about being shopped, and league observers say an in-season extension appears unlikely, leaving Boston with difficult choices.
Executives surveyed by ESPN say the Celtics have mostly canvassed Western Conference teams about Brown, with the Los Angeles Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets registering interest. One executive told ESPN that the Clippers “want Brown bad,” and the Celtics appear intent on determining his market value, according to league sources.
Ja Morant is another name drawing executive attention, but ESPN reports concerns about his availability and cost. Morant has played 79 games over the past three seasons, and his contract carries two years remaining at roughly $42 million and $44.9 million, figures that are giving teams pause as they evaluate potential trades or signings.
