5 ideal NBA teams for Jaylen Brown despite $304 million price tag on Celtics star

Star shooting guard Jaylen Brown is seemingly the next name out the door as the Boston Celtics look to balance their payroll. The Celtics have begun churning their trading wheel to reduce their inflated salary cap, already shipping out Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis.

Despite signing a $304 million contract, which will earn him $53.1 million in 2025-26, the Celtics are reportedly considering trading Brown. According to another report from Shams Charania, there is significant interest from teams to sign the former Finals MVP.

"For sure, the contract is steep, I understand it. But listen, there are teams in today's NBA, especially in the Eastern Conference, and now we're seeing it in the Western Conference, too; it's an arms race," Charania said via The Stephen A. Smith Show. (5:55 onwards)

Although striking a deal for the Celtic star would be difficult, it isn't impossible. With inflated contracts for Tatum and Brown, Boston needs to make a few changes, while the departure of Holiday and Porzingis has freed cap space, a deal for JB could see them even their books.

With that said, here are five ideal NBA teams for Jaylen Brown despite $304 million price tag.

---

5 ideal NBA teams for Jaylen Brown

#5. Phoenix Suns

The Phoenix Suns would be an ideal fit for Brown, especially after Kevin Durant's departure to the Houston Rockets. A swap for Bradley Beal would be feasible, as he has a cap hit of $53,666,270 and the addition of Jalen Green offers a direct replacement.

Additionally, Beal could agree to waive his no-trade clause to join the Celtics and play a pivotal role with Jrue Holiday's exit. However, the deal would not be feasible on paper for the Suns given their cap constraints, and the Celtics will expect additional assets given Beal's age.

#4. Miami Heat

The Miami Heat needs a star since trading Jimmy Butler, and could see Jaylen Brown as his replacement. The forward could form a solid partnership with Bam and Herro and could be the missing piece in South Beach.

However, they will need to trade Tyler Herro or form a package around Terry Rozier, Andrew Wiggins, Duncan Robinson and a future draft pick. With Robinson's contract holding an early termination option, this would help them with the CBA restriction, but losing multiple assets for a large contract would be a problem.

#3. OKC Thunder

The NBA Champions could be a great fit for Jaylen Brown despite his hefty price tag. However, for the trade to take place, they would need to give up Isaiah Hartenstein and Lu Dort, both key pieces in their title run.

The duo together would make a package worth $53,142,264, while Brown would set them back $46,722,222. The incoming duo would replace Holiday and Porzingis in the Celtics' lineup. While the Thunder, with two first-round picks in 2025, could trade up for a center like Khaman Maluach.

#2. Brooklyn Nets

The Nets are one of the few teams with the cap space to properly accommodate Jaylen Brown's contract. With $44-64 million projected cap space, the Nets could be an ideal team as the Celtics' star would instantly become their star man.

In return, they could offer Cameron Johnson, who is of a similar age and offers a cap hit of $21,057,065 for the 2025-26 season. This trade could work well for both teams, as the Nets would receive a bona fide star while the Celtics would be able to even their books.

#1. San Antonio Spurs

After missing out on Kevin Durant, the Spurs could make a move for Jaylen Brown as they look to build their team around Victor Wembanyama. San Antonio has a cap space of $49 million, and trading Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes could accommodate Brown.

This would work well for both teams as the Celtics receive minimized contracts while the Spurs can form a scary trio of Fox, Wembanyama and Brown. With the second pick in the 2025 draft, they could sign a proper replacement for Johnson or Barnes.