Boston Celtics
The Celtics legend had said he was put off by the trade rumors swirling around Brown before he was eventually dealt.
Hall of Famer Robert Parish disagrees with the Celtics’ choice to trade Jaylen Brown. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
July 3, 2026 | 6:33 PM
3 minutes to read
Before the Boston Celtics decided to deal Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers, legend Robert Parish said the trade rumors involving Brown “disturbed” him.
“It would be a serious miscalculation on Brad Stevens, management and ownership,” Parish said earlier this week before the news broke. “I find it disturbing, and it’s uncomfortable.”
Parish was, indeed, disturbed in the aftermath of Boston’s swap with the Sixers.
The Basketball Hall of Famer, who played in Boston between 1980-94 and won four NBA Finals in his 21-year career, said on SiriusXM NBA Radio’s “Give and Go” on Thursday he “does not like” the move one bit.
“I’m sure moving that contract gave the Celtics some more maneuvering room to add other pieces or new pieces. I understand that. I still do not like it,” Parish said. “When I first heard about it, the first thing I thought about was the Dallas Mavericks when they moved Luka [Doncic]. You know, just historically a bad move.”
The Mavericks stunned the NBA in February 2025 when they traded Doncic, one of the league’s best players, to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis and a first-round draft pick. Doncic became an integral part of the Lakers and is now the face of the franchise, with LeBron James reportedly planning to continue his career elsewhere.
The Doncic trade is widely regarded as one of the worst NBA trade decisions in recent memory. For Parish — one of the best Celtics players of all time — to compare the Brown trade to the Doncic deal is quite telling.
“And I felt the same way about hearing about Jaylen being moved to the 76ers,” Parish continued. “Not to mention, in the same division, which was a head-scratcher for me. But I’m sure the Celtics have their reasons for moving Jaylen and deciding they’re going in another direction.”
Parish, nicknamed “The Chief”, explained he wouldn’t bash Boston’s decision to move on from Brown, but made it clear he doesn’t approve.
He imagined what former Celtics coach and executive Red Auerbach would think about the trade, and he didn’t mince words.
“If Red [Auerbach] was alive … I think this would have made him nauseated. He may have thrown up about this move,” Parish said. Auerbach led Boston to eight straight championships from 1959-1966 as head coach and went on to win seven more NBA Finals as general manager between 1966-84.
“But, I’m not going to be too critical of Boston,” Parish added. “The decision-makers had their reasons for trading Jaylen. I’m sure that Boston is real big on the analytical side of basketball, so I’m sure that may have been a factor in them moving on from Jaylen.
“Jaylen Browns, they’re just too difficult to come by to move on from him. Not to mention he’s in the prime of his career, and then you’re gonna let him go?”
Despite Parish’s feelings about the trade, the 72-year-old is hopeful Brown and Boston can find a way to be amicable in the near and far future.
“Hopefully, Jaylen nor the Boston Celtics will harbor any animosity toward the other,” Parish said. “Hopefully they can let this go and move on. And on down the road when Jaylen’s career is over — or on the verge of being over when he’s on the down side of his career — I’m hopeful that the Boston Celtics will decide to hang his jersey from the rafters because he deserves it.
“He earned it. The impact that he had on our organization, and on the team. Plus, he was an intricate part of their championship run.”
Kaley Brown
Kaley Brown is a sports producer for Boston.com, where she covers the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox.
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