76ers Rival Watch: Celtics' Jaylen Brown’s Next Team Odds

If Jaylen Brown isn't going to play for the Celtics next season, which teams are favored to land him?

The Boston Celtics nearly pulled off the first 0-3 comeback victory in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat. With two dominant wins, followed by a shocking tip-in during the final second of Game 6, the Celtics went back to Boston with the series tied at 3-3.

The run ended there. Miami went into the Monday night matchup with a chip on their shoulder, ready to finish business. With a blowout win over the Celtics, Boston came up short of its plan to make it back to the NBA Finals for the second season in a row.

Now, as the Celtics shift their focus towards the offseason, all eyes are placed on one of the team’s standouts, Jaylen Brown, as he’s expected to generate a hefty contract soon with his final season approaching.

Many question whether or not Brown will stick with the Celtics. Dating back to last season, there were rumblings of Brown being a potential trade candidate. Throughout this season, the star forward’s words at times made it seem as if he wasn’t all that fond of his playing city.

And as Brown will soon be ready to demand a notable contract, it’s unclear if the Celtics are willing to max out the two-time All-Star after his most recent playoff performance, which ended on a lower note than expected.

In the event Brown doesn’t play for the Celtics next season, let’s take a look at some of the odds of his next potential team, according to BetOnline.

The Long Shots

Denver Nuggets: 12/1

Houston Rockets: 10/1

Los Angeles Clippers: 8/1

Two contenders and one playoff hopeful. Some teams might be skeptical of Brown’s eventual contract demands, but I would expect Houston to put up a fight in the Brown sweepstakes in hopes of getting another standout on the roster to make a better case to lure in James Harden. The Rockets have a lot of work to do this summer if they truly want to convince Harden they have what it takes to contend. I would expect the Rockets to be suitors if the Celtics take calls on Brown.

In the Middle

New York Knicks: 7/1

Chicago Bulls: 6/1

Portland Trail Blazers: 5/1

Here are three teams that are typically in trade discussions when it comes to standout players available on the market, but very rarely do they get the big move done. The Knicks signed Jalen Brunson last season but struck out on trading for Donovan Mitchell when they believed they had a home run move on their hands. The Chicago Bulls have some talented players but haven’t shown too much willingness to move on from them. As for the Blazers, they don’t seem to be hanging up on the Damian Lillard era. Unless some draft assets attract Boston, I wouldn’t bank on Portland landing Brown.

The Favorites

Golden State Warriors: 4/1

Milwaukee Bucks: 3/1

Atlanta Hawks: 2/1

There was already some smoke surrounding a potential homecoming from Brown throughout the 2022-2023 NBA season, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that the Atlanta Hawks top this list as the favorite to employ Brown if he’s not a member of the Celtics next season. Atlanta disappointed last season, picking up the seventh seed via the NBA Play-In Tournament, but they bounced back after a slow start to the year. The Hawks should be a lot better and could pose much more of a threat with Brown in uniform in Atlanta.

However, it’s totally unclear what the future holds for Brown. Maybe the Celtics aren’t as skeptical of his playoff shortcomings this season and don’t hesitate to reach a new deal to secure his services long-term. But if they are having second thoughts, expect the forward’s trade market to heat up when the doors are open, and the Celtics are ready to wheel and deal.