NBA insider says the Spurs are a team to watch for Jaylen Brown

The offseason discussion about trading Jaylen Brown seems to be a perennial conversation regarding the Boston Celtics. Ahead of the 2025 offseason where the Celtics will be doing some major cost-cutting, Brown is again linked to various trade rumors.

The most recent, is Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated mentioning that the San Antonio Spurs are a potential inquirer for Brown:

"The team I'd watch the closest with Jaylen Brown is probably the Spurs," Mannix said on NBC Sports Boston's "The Off C'season" special (via Justin Leger). "Sure, I think [the Spurs would] love to make a run at Giannis [Antetokounmpo], but do the Bucks ask for Stephon Castle? Like, is that on their wish list? And if it is, I can't see San Antonio doing a deal like that.

"One of the concerns people in San Antonio told me about is, you go and deal for a guy like Giannis, all of a sudden you've created a championship window, but it is a window with a closing date," he continued. "You've got De'Aaron Fox, who's in his late 20s, Giannis in his early 30s, and the last thing they want is to have a roster after those guys kind of age out where when [Victor] Wembanyama is maybe looking around going, 'All right, where are the young guys I'm going to play with after that?' 

"It certainly is a problem for another day, but that's on the mind of the San Antonio Spurs. That's why they want to hold on to Stephon Castle, so he can be that second guy opposite Wembanyama for a long time, assuming they trade that No. 2 pick."

^{Jaylen Brown}

How does the Bucks asking for Castle in a trade for Giannis pertain to Brown and the Celtics? Well, there aren't many top-end players who are potentially available this offseason, so after Giannis, Brown - if he is indeed available - would be the next best option.

Also, the Celtics are, presumably, going to be a 'player yard sale' this offseason as they look to appease the second apron and (maybe) the luxury tax. Although Brown is probably the second to last guy they would like to trade, teams like the Spurs will certainly call to try to make a deal.

"I think if you're Boston, you're not going to ask for a Stephon Castle. You're not going to get a Stephon Castle in a potential Jaylen Brown deal," Mannix added. "You would get the No. 2 pick back in return. You would get the Devin Vassells, the Keldon Johnsons, future first-round capital. That's something I'd watch if and when the Giannis Antetokounmpo stuff shakes itself out over the next few weeks."

According to Mannix, it's unlikely the Celtics would be interested in a Brown trade with the Spurs without receiving the No. 2 pick in return. However, he said that the Spurs would likely be willing to deal said pick for the player.

At the end of the day, who knows if the Celtics are seriously considering moving Brown. Of course, they need to get under the payroll thresholds, but is it worth it to lose an All-Star? Only time will tell, but Brad Stevens and the Celtics' front office will certainly have their work cut out for them.

Luke Graham is a digital sports content co-op for 98.5 the Sports Hub. He is currently a sophomore at Northeastern University studying communications and media studies. Read all his articles here, and follow him on X @LukeGraham05.