Jaylen Brown‘s move to the Philadelphia 76ers was one of the defining moments of this summer. With the Boston Celtics offloading their superstar, the franchise effectively chose to head in a different direction. But was Philadelphia the only available landing spot?
Earlier reports indicated that teams such as the Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers, and even the Golden State Warriors were interested in landing the Celtics’ superstar. Interestingly, however, The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski revealed that even the Minnesota Timberwolves were engaged in trade discussions with Boston.
Krawczynski revealed Minnesota’s interest in acquiring Jaylen Brown during an appearance on the “Celtics Daily Podcast,” stating:
I reported that earlier in the summer
“I reported that earlier in the summer. The Wolves did have real discussions with the Boston Celtics about Jaylen Brown. They had a lot of internal discussions about it as well. At the time that they talked, the Celtics wanted Rudy and Naz, and it was going to be just too high of a price to pay.”
“Now, if the Wolves didn’t do that LaMelo deal and maybe that price tag dropped as the summer went along, could something else have come together for them on that front? It’s possible, I guess,” Krawczynski added. “But I do think that the Wolves are happy with the LaMelo fit a little bit more than they would have been with the Jaylen fit. But yeah, at the time they were engaged with the Celtics, the Celtics were asking for a lot for him, and yeah, they just said that’s just too much for Jaylen Brown.”
As mentioned earlier, several teams were interested in Jaylen Brown. Unfortunately, given the Celtics’ exorbitant asking price, many suitors were dissuaded from trading for him.
In this regard, the Minnesota Timberwolves weren’t any
In this regard, the Minnesota Timberwolves weren’t any different. While the team eventually moved Naz Reid to the Charlotte Hornets to acquire LaMelo Ball, it is clear that sending Rudy Gobert, the team’s defensive anchor, would have been too much.
Thus, with talks between the Celtics and the Timberwolves falling through, another potential superstar partnership was left incomplete. But was this for the better?
The Timberwolves Are Better Off Without Jaylen Brown
On paper, pairing Anthony Edwards with Jaylen Brown is immensely promising. After a spectacular performance in the 2025-26 season, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game, Brown established himself as one of the NBA’s best two-way players. Similarly, Edwards continued to make waves as one of the league’s most gifted young stars.
Theoretically, pairing the two would make
Theoretically, pairing the two would make for a dynamite combination. Still, there is enough evidence to suggest this would have been counterintuitive.
For the most part, Jaylen Brown and Anthony Edwards are too similar. As gifted scorers with defensive upside, both bring a lot of value to the table. However, this also lays the groundwork for potential role clashes during the flow of a game.
At 25, Edwards is also younger than Brown. Since Edwards is on the verge of entering his physical prime, the Timberwolves could have run the risk of stunting his development by acquiring another superstar with a similar skill set. Thus, the imminent drawbacks of this pairing are far more concerning.
Overall, pulling out of negotiations for Jaylen Brown
Overall, pulling out of negotiations for Jaylen Brown to prioritize LaMelo Ball’s acquisition is largely favorable. By adding a younger, star-caliber point guard to take the playmaking burden off Edwards’ shoulders, the Timberwolves have freed up their superstar to play his natural game. In many ways, this may have been the ideal outcome for Minnesota.
Meanwhile, Brown also finds himself in a favorable situation. As part of the 76ers’ superteam, the 29-year-old is arguably in the best position to contend for a title. With Philadelphia’s roster improving dramatically after Brown’s arrival, the 76ers will also hope their new core can live up to its potential.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
