Boston Celtics
“It would be a serious miscalculation on Brad Stevens, management and ownership.”
Robert Parish doesn’t want to see Jaylen Brown traded. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Boston Celtics legend and Hall of Famer Robert Parish didn’t mince words on Monday when asked about the possibility that the Celtics trade Jaylen Brown in the next few days.
“It would be a serious miscalculation on Brad Stevens, management and ownership,” Robert Parish said on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “First of all, you don’t get rid of a talent like Jaylen Brown unless he asked to be moved. Not to mention the backcourt where he and (Jayson) Tatum are a proven formula. So why would you want to make that move? I find it disturbing, and it’s uncomfortable.”
“Not to mention I do not understand, never have, and probably never will, why ownership and management won’t respect and loyalty from the players,” Parish added. “But they only give you loyalty and respect when it’s in their best interest to do so.”
While Brown was reportedly the centerpiece of a blockbuster deal for Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, that deal fell apart after Milwaukee dealt the two-time MVP to the Miami Heat.
But, the Celtics have continued to entertain trade offers for Brown — with Brad Stevens weighing more seismic roster moves after a disheartening first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Sixers.
Speaking after the first round of the NBA Draft, Stevens was noncommittal about Brown’s future with the Celtics.
“Jaylen Brown is a big part of us,” Stevens said. “I’m never going to predict the future, but every indication, everything that I think about over the past few years has been building around those guys, right? So obviously, you never know. But at the same time, the one thing I want to make very clear is how valued he’s always been.
“He’s been amazing. He’s been an amazing teammate, a great person to be around. And whether that run ends 10 years from now when he retires, or before, there’s a lot to celebrate. We have a great relationship, an open relationship where we talk about everything. But I don’t want to predict the future. I look at it as, this is our team.”
The Celtics are now stuck in a difficult situation with Brown, given that the star wing’s value across the league appears to have taken a hit.
“Barring a drastic and unforeseen change in the market, the Boston Celtics will have to significantly lower their asking price if they plan on trading [Brown] anytime soon,” The Athletic’s Sam Amick wrote on Tuesday. “As you’ve no doubt heard by now, they’ve been asking for up to four first-round picks (in addition to players) for a team to land the 29-year-old forward.”
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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