Why Nuggets' Rumored Jaylen Brown Trade Won't Actually Happen

Among the few big fish that the Denver Nuggets have been linked to in trade buzz this NBA offseason, perhaps the biggest of those names has been Boston Celtics' All-NBA forward and 2024 Finals MVP Jaylen Brown.

As the Celtics have been rumored to be shopping their five-time All-Star, the Nuggets have been among those connected with interest in a potential move.

Doing so would be a big shake-up to Denver's current core in hopes of landing closer to title contention, and would likely be one of the more significant swings they'd have the chance of making this offseason.

However, while an intriguing option for the Nuggets to consider, it's starting to look like the chances of them actually striking a deal on Brown are a little unrealistic with the more time that passes.

Why the Nuggets Are Unlikely to Strike a Deal on Jaylen Brown

According to The Athletic's Sam Amick, the Nuggets, while having put consideration into the idea of acquiring Brown, haven't spoken to the Celtics in several days––with more concerns also surfacing around Denver's lack of draft capital that doesn't meet Boston's ask for their franchise cornerstone:

"While the Nuggets have certainly considered the Brown option, they haven’t spoken to the Celtics since the weekend and their interest has been significantly overstated, according to team sources who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe ongoing negotiations," Amick wrote.

"There’s a familiar obstacle, too, as the Nuggets simply don’t have the draft assets to satisfy the Celtics’ ask. Even if they did, it seems, they wouldn’t have the motivation to move them in exchange for Brown."

The Nuggets do have some appealing options they could potentially put into a package to send Boston in exchange for Brown.

Guys like Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Cameron Johnson each have some type of positive value that the Celtics could utilize either on their own roster or in a subsequent deal that might make a Brown deal with Denver worth their while.

But the Nuggets have little to no future draft assets they could throw into a deal to sweeten the pot; a significant hindrance on how strong of a deal that Denver could offer when compared to other potential suitors that might be in play for Brown.

Feb 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) reacts against the Dallas Mavericks during the first quarter at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

So that alone makes the idea difficult to pull off for either side. But on top of the lack of capital that Denver has to provide, it seems as if that, in the event they had those picks to add into a package, they don't have a ton of incentive on their end to do so anyways.

That tends to tell you the motivation that the Nuggets' decision-makers have to make a move like this: while a tempting idea, it's not one they're willing to invest a steep haul into like the Celtics appear to be on the hunt for.

Brown is a top-15 level talent, and adding him next to someone like Nikola Jokic is sure to make the Nuggets at least consider the opportunity of snagging him off the trade block. But does he fix all of Denver's problems on the roster? No. Does he get them closer to winning a championship? That's also far from a guarantee.

So while the chances of seeing a deal being struck between the Nuggets and the Celtics aren’t completely zero––because anything can happen over the course of an NBA offseason––it doesn't feel like Denver is anywhere close to the leader in the clubhouse when it comes to winning the Brown sweepstakes.

Instead, they appear more inclined to turn their attention elsewhere to reconstructing their roster. However they decide to do so, remains to be seen.

Sign up for our free Denver Nuggets On SI newsletter, and get breaking Nuggets news delivered to your inbox daily!

Add us as a preferred source on Google