The ripple effects from the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade is already being felt around the league.
Milwaukee is searching for additional avenues to maximize their ultimate return by fielding offers for Tyler Herro and Kel'el Ware, while the Heat are beginning to map out the perfect path to build around their new superstar addition.
As for the Boston Celtics, they may have gotten the shortest stick of them all as the organization heads towards a franchise-altering offseason after the C's failed pursuit to land the Greek Freak left them staring in the face with the decision of whether it's time for the team to move on from star forward Jaylen Brown or not.
According to NBA Insider Shams Charania, Boston is officially listening to offers for their All-NBA wing, but isn't actively dangling him on the trade market,
The careful words in the report paint the writing on the wall that the inevitable split the media has been pushing for for years could be on the horizon, but the problem is, of the options around the league, there aren't many that truly make sense for the Celtics.
And you're probably wondering what this has to do with the Washington Wizards.
Well, if the Celtics had it their way, the one player Boston would be willing to give Jaylen Brown up for is the lone player the Wizards aren't willing to give up.
Celtics would trade Jaylen Brown for AJ Dybantsa in a heartbeat
The Jaylen Brown experience has seemingly run its course and the signs were clear following the team's first-round loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens made it clear that he believed Boston's style of play was no longer a winning recipe, and he made sure to mention that the team needs to find a way to put pressure on the rim, suggesting they'd much rather have "dunks" than "threes."
The C's want a reset, and the one player who fits that bill is a Boston native himself, AJ Dybantsa, who's projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Washington has made it clear they're not afraid to make aggressive trades for win-now players, and they proved that by acquiring Trae Young and Anthony Davis ahead of the NBA trade deadline in February.
And while Brown is certainly an appealing player for several teams looking to make a swing, forfeiting the top pick is not an avenue the Wizards would even consider.
Dybantsa fits exactly what the Celtics are looking for, but the Wizards wouldn't even entertain a call if Boston made one.
Brown has spoken highly of the Wizards organization and the direction they're trending in, which could make landing in D.C. an intriguing option to him, but for Washington, the avenue to a move wouldn't make sense unless it's for an Anthony Davis package (that doesn't make too much sense).
All that to say, if Boston can't repair their fractured relationship with Brown, they'll be forced to take a lesser return than they ever could have imagined because the likelihood that Washington solves their problem is closer to zero.
Add us as a preferred source on Google