Since being drafted third overall in the 2016 NBA draft, Jaylen Brown has been an important piece in the Boston Celtics young core. Brown has increased his value as a player every year. In his rookie year, he averaged 6.6 points per game. In the 2019-2020 season, he averaged 20.3 points and, just eight games into the 2021 NBA season, Brown finds himself with the second-most points scored in the NBA behind Steph Curry. In those eight games, Brown has lead the Celtics with an average of 26.9 points per game on 58.1% shooting. So, should the Celtics trade him for Harden?
Brown has really shined in this young season. He has lead the Celtics in scoring in four of the eight games played, including a career-high 42 points against Memphis. This would make him the key piece in a trade for James Harden. Harden has made it known that Boston is one of his few ideal trade spots, and Houston has made it known that they are demanding quite a bit for Harden. No matter who Harden is traded to, the Rockets will receive a young franchise player along with several draft picks. This means that the Celtics would have to include Brown in a trade for James Harden.
At first, this trade seems like a no-brainer. Harden has been one of the best scorers in the league for several years, and last season he averaged 34.3 points per game. Harden has further shown his value by playing hard this season. He is currently averaging 33 points per game and, in an overtime win against Portland, scored 44 points with 17 assists. There is no doubt that Harden is a better basketball player than Jaylen Brown. However, some wonder if Harden would be the best fit in Boston. Harden would be a ball-dominant guard operating in a system that shares the ball. A Harden trade may also disrupt chemistry. Brown and Tatum have been with Boston since they were drafted, and players who have entered the Celtics organization, aside from Kyrie Irving, have worked well with the young stars.
While Harden would bring in a lot of offense, his lack of defensive ability combined with the fact that he would be taking the ball out of Tatum’s hands makes this trade almost illogical for the Celtics. The Celtics are not in win-now mode, which this trade would likely necessitate. Their two brightest stars in Tatum and Brown are both under 25-years-old, and Boston is a good team as is, already able to compete for a championship without Harden. Therefore, Harden landing in Boston seems unlikely. However, nothing is set in stone.
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