Jaylen Brown-Paul George trade revisited: New grades show controversial swap was actually a win-win

Jaylen Brown-Paul George trade revisited: New grades show controversial swap was actually a win-win originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Jaylen Brown swap for Paul George was one of the most shocking moves of the summer. After being involved in trade rumors involving Giannis Antetokounmpo, few thought that the Celtics would use Brown in order to acquire a lesser player in Paul George, along with some draft picks.

That led to an instant reaction which was largely pessimistic for the Celtics and optimistic for the Sixers. Boston was expected to take a sizeable step back after trading away Brown, who was coming off an All-NBA season where he finished sixth in MVP voting. And Brown joined a nice core in Philadelpiha, but there were questions about how they would fill out the rest of their roster. That was eventually answered by an even more shocking move once LeBron James signed a bargain contract near the end of July.

Despite the big names involved, almost nobody had either team at the top of the East in the direct aftermath of the trade. But with Brown set to meet his former team for the first time Tuesday, the Sixers are the No. 1 seed in the East with a 9-2 record. Right behind them at No. 2 are the Celtics, at 8-2. The most divisive trade of the summer is looking like a win-win.

Here's what those initial Celtics and Sixers trade grades got right and wrong, and what each side would earn in a regrade today.

What did the Sixers trade for Jaylen Brown? 

Celtics receive:

• Paul George
• 2028 first-round pick that can convert to a swap that is more favorable to Boston
• 2031 unprotected first-round pick
• 2028 and 2030 second-round picks

Sixers receive:

• Jaylen Brown

Original grades in the Jaylen Brown, Paul George trade

Most people were critical of the trade in the direct aftermath, either labeling it as a lose-lose for both sides or a big loss for the Celtics and a win for the Sixers. 

The Athletic's Zach Harper gave the Sixers an A and the Celtics a D+, calling it "a panic move" and "a massive downgrade" from Boston's perspective. ESPN's Zach Kram similarly gave the Sixers an A- and the Celtics a D+. Kram wrote that the Celtics could theoretically win 50 games but the trade still made them worse, while trading for Brown was an incredibly easy decision for the Sixers as a pure talent play. 

My Sporting News instant grades were more in the middle. I gave the Sixers a B and the Celtics a C-. Brown's fit as a high-usage player raised some questions for Philadelphia, while it felt like Boston was selling Brown for pennies on the dollar. 

Those initial grades underrated the impact that George would have in Boston. He's been healthy and wildly productive, averaging 20.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game on a blistering 42.5 percent from 3. He's been a strong defender, a great fit in Boston's system, and a steadying force. 

From the Sixers' side, we didn't know at the time that trading for Brown would provide the foundation for LeBron to join the team as well. That completely changed the framing of the trade and the future of the franchise. 

MORE Jaylen Brown focused on winning, not Jayson Tatum

New Celtics grade in the Paul George trade

The current success for the Celtics isn't all that surprising. Once the initial shock of the trade wore off, many people (including myself) predicted that they'd be in contention for the No. 1 seed in the East. That vision has come to fruition.

Jayson Tatum has capably filled Brown's role from last year, serving as the team's primary offensive engine. Tatum is averaging a career-high 7.8 assists to go with 27.1 points per game. His free throws per game have also skyrocketed to a career-best 9.3 attempts per game as he has relished contact on the inside and started taking a shade less 3's. And the Celtics as a team have lowered their reliance on bombing away from deep, trading some of those shots away in favor of more layups. 

George has also taken on a good chunk of the offensive load for Boston. While he's no longer an elite driver, he draws a ton of defensive attention from his shooting. The Celtics have him flying off screens, getting him clean looks or advantages going downhill. 

What also makes this trade even better for Boston is how good those future picks are looking. At the time, it wasn't immediately obvious how bad the Clippers would be in 2028 when the Celtics received the option to swap first-rounders with them.

Now, after trading away Kawhi Leonard and getting hit with multiple penalties by Adam Silver, it's almost a surefire bet that the Clippers will be among the worst teams in the league. Boston should have the best odds possible for a top pick in that deep draft.

The ultimate impact of this trade remains to be seen, hinging on playoff performances and what Boston does with those picks. The early returns are more promising though than anyone could have expected. 

New Celtics grade: A

New Sixers grade in the Jaylen Brown trade

Brown hasn't totally figured out his fit yet in Philadelphia. His scoring is down, but he's still averaging an impressive 22.3 points per game and has been drilling 39.2 percent of his 3's. 

Brown has always been able to put the ball in the basket. The other parts of his game are where the Sixers have to be more pleased with the early results. He's been a better defender than he was in Boston, helping Philadelphia to a somewhat shocking No. 6 rating on defense. He's also been a more focused offensive rebounder. While he was often criticized for poor on/off stats in Boston, he's been a sizeable plus for Philadelphia. 

The Sixers have shockingly been winning games through their defense rather than their offense. They've also been an incredible clutch team, going a perfect 8-0 in those games. Inside of the last five minutes, they've had too many weapons to stop, and Brown has been a big part of that. 

Another major piece, of course, has been James. He's had a slower start to the year than Brown. His shooting and finishing at the rim are both way down. But he's still a far better player than anyone else the Sixers could have gotten for the price, and his connective passing has been crucial for making all of the team's pieces fit. Philadelphia would have had zero chance of landing him had they not pulled off the Brown trade. 

The Sixers have real championship equity this season because of the Brown deal. Their long-term future, with a core of Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe, also looks extremely promising. This is a trade that they'd make again in a heartbeat.

New Sixers grade: A

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https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/jaylen-brown-paul-george-trade-110001518.html