Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens before their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at TD Garden. Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

Report: Celtics could listen to offers for two key starting players

By Logan Lazarczyk | Last updated Jun 11, 2025 5:54 PM ET

The Boston Celtics are entering a team-alerting offseason, as the team construction is costing them $280 million in luxury taxes. Because of this, Boston will be forced to trade away multiple players who have expensive cap hits for next season.

According to ESPN's NBA insider Shams Charania, the Celtics are willing to listen to trade offers for Jaylen Brown and Derrick White.

"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, if they get a big offer, they have to look at everything," Charania reports. "And I think they're going to get, you know, offers on the three guys they're focused on. They're potentially going to get offers on Derrick White and Jaylen Brown. And I think from now until the draft and free agency, they're going to evaluate what makes sense from a value perspective."

Jayson Tatum's presumed status for next season should make this an easy decision for Boston's front office. Trading Brown, White, Jrue Holiday, and Kristaps Porzingis makes too much sense as the Celtics will not be competing for a championship with their best player out for the season.

Of all those names, Boston should prioritize moving Brown for two reasons.

First, the 28-year-old forward carries a $53.1 million cap number for the 2025-26 season. Moving that contract will open up nearly 35% of the cap space while alleviating some of the Celtics' cap restraints.

Second, of all the assets Boston could trade this offseason, Brown would garner the most back in return. The former 2016 first-round pick is an elite defender who can score over 20 points per game and be a physical presence in the rebounding department.

For a contending team, Brown could command multiple first-round picks and two or three players to match his contract.

With Tatum out and an aging roster, the Celtics should consider moving off most of their core and recoup draft picks and solid players to support Tatum when he returns from injury.

Logan Lazarczyk

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