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Jan 18, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) attempts a three-point basket against Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) during the fourth quarter at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Boston Celtics Superstar Named The Most Ambitious Trade Target For the Atlanta Hawks

Originally posted on Atlanta Hawks on SI
By Jackson Caudell | Last updated Jun 13, 2025 4:00 PM ET

The NBA Finals are rolling on but for the other 28 teams in the league, they are figuring out their next steps in order to get to where the Thunder and the Pacers are right now. There is lots of chatter around the league about what may happen this summer and what stars may or may not be traded.

The Atlanta Hawks are an under the radar team this summer. They have one of the best young cores in the Eastern Conference and with Jalen Johnson healthy next season, a starting five of him, Trae Young, Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, and Onyeka Okongwu looks like a potential playoff team in what is going to be a weakened Eastern Conference. With two first round picks in the draft this year (13 and 22), Atlanta could elect to stand pat, re-sign Caris LeVert, and use the two draft picks to fill out the rest of this roster, essentially just running back what they had last season in hopes of making a playoff push.

But the Hawks have the ability to get more bold if they wanted too. They are not often mentioned among the teams that can make big trade deals for a star player, but they have more than enough to make a compelling offer if they wanted.

The Celtics are going to be a team everyone has their eyes on this summer. Even before the devestating Jayson Tatum injury, the Celtics were looking at a huge financial problem this summer and they are a team that is deep into the second apron. While Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Sam Hauser are the players often mentioned in any trade talks, Brown would receive the most in any deal and would help Boston really reset the roster around Tatum for the 2026-2027 season and beyond.

The Celtics are willing to listen to trade offers for Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, per @ShamsCharania

“Are teams making big offers and calling about Jaylen Brown and Derrick White? One hundred percent. The Celtics prefer not to trade them, from my understanding, but listen,… pic.twitter.com/m6RUXnWv0B
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 11, 2025

But who is the perfect trade target for the Hawks? Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes named Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown as the Hawks most ambitious trade target this summer:

"The Boston Celtics have to trim salary unless they intend to spend a half-billion dollars in payroll and tax for a team with a first-round ceiling next year. A series of smaller moves could produce savings and get Boston out of the repeater tax, but the Atlanta Hawks should ask about a one-fell-swoop approach.

Jaylen Brown is set to earn $53.1 million next season. In the final year of his deal in 2028-29, he'll collect $64.9 million.

That's a ton of cash to onboard for Atlanta, and it would turn up the win-now urgency. Then again, the Hawks don't control their first-round picks in 2026 or 2027, so purposeful losing isn't beneficial anyway.

Brown would give Atlanta a proven champion and an All-Star No. 2 scorer next to Trae Young—one that has also played elite defense against wings at times, If the homecoming angle does it for you, Brown is also a Georgia native."

The thing about a trade for Jaylen Brown is that he would be expensive in terms of assets going out. While the Hawks have appealing assets in terms of young players and picks, they can't overwhelm Boston like San Antonio or Houston could if they wanted to get involved, meaning Atlanta may have to overpay if they really wanted Brown. Jalen Johnson would almost certainly be in the deal, but would the Hawks have to also give up one or more of Zaccharie Risacher, Dyson Daniels or Onyeka Okongwu? Boston would likely demand it. Brown would be a tremdendous fit next to Trae Young, but I am not sure he is worth the price that Boston is certainly going to ask for.