Jaylen Brown trade saga heats up as Celtics eye Trey Murphy with huge offer

Jaylen Brown’s old club, the Boston Celtics, are back in trade talks-this time targeting a Pelicans forward with a package that would make most GMs wince.

What’s the latest on Jaylen Brown’s former team?

The Celtics, fresh off shipping Jaylen Brown to the Mavericks in a blockbuster deal, are now eyeing New Orleans’ Trey Murphy as a potential replacement. According to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News, Boston would need to part with a haul that includes four first-round picks to pry Murphy loose. That’s a steep price for a player who’s logged just three seasons in the league and carries an $88 million contract over the next three years.

Why is this move tied to Jaylen Brown’s trade?

The Celtics’ pursuit of Murphy comes less than a month after they sent Jaylen Brown to Dallas in exchange for Paul George. The deal was panned by analysts, who questioned the return for a two-time All-NBA wing still in his prime. Now, Boston is hunting for a way to soften the blow-even if it means mortgaging its future. Murphy, a 6’9” sharpshooter with All-Star upside, fits the Celtics’ need for shooting and length, but the asking price is steep.

How serious is this trade package for Murphy?

The four-first-round-pick haul is down from earlier reports, but still exorbitant. Deveney notes that New Orleans would demand a Desmond Bane-level offer-Bane went to Memphis in 2022 for a similar package. For a non-star like Murphy, that’s a gamble few teams would take. Boston’s front office, though, seems willing to roll the dice, betting that Murphy’s upside outweighs the cost.

What happens next for the Celtics?

If Boston lands Murphy, it would mark a dramatic shift in its post-Jaylen Brown rebuild. The Celtics would add a 24-year-old wing with All-Star potential, but at the cost of four draft picks-enough to derail a rebuild if Murphy doesn’t pan out. The Pelicans, meanwhile, remain hesitant to move Murphy unless the return is extraordinary. With the trade deadline months away, the standoff could drag on, leaving both sides in limbo.

The Celtics’ latest maneuver shows they’re not done swinging after the Jaylen Brown trade. Whether Murphy ends up in green remains to be seen-but the price tag alone makes this saga one to watch.