Trade speculation surrounding Jaylen Brown and Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to intensify, but Celtics legend Cedric Maxwell believes Boston must carefully manage its relationship with Brown if extension questions become a factor in the franchise’s long-term plans.
Speaking on Run It Back, Maxwell addressed the growing discussion around Brown’s future and the possibility that Boston could eventually consider moving the All-NBA forward if contract negotiations become complicated.
“I am a huge Jaylen Brown fan, huge,” Maxwell said, via HoopsHype. “What I understand is that Jaylen right now is up for, I think an extension, and it would be $70 million a year. If he doesn’t sign that extension, now the Celtics have to do what they have to do, and they’re probably just trying to move him.”
Maxwell’s comments arrive as Boston navigates an offseason filled with uncertainty. The Celtics finished 56-26 during the 2025-26 regular season, won the Atlantic Division and secured the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference before being eliminated by Philadelphia in a seven-game first-round series.
Brown remained one of the league’s premier two-way stars throughout the season. The 29-year-old averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 71 games while shooting 47.7% from the field. His production earned him All-NBA Second Team honors and a sixth-place finish in MVP voting.
At the same time, Boston has been repeatedly linked to Antetokounmpo, whose future with Milwaukee has become one of the NBA’s biggest offseason storylines. The Bucks finished 32-50 and missed the playoffs, leading to widespread speculation that organizational changes could eventually place the two-time MVP on the trade market.
Maxwell acknowledged the basketball appeal of acquiring Antetokounmpo but admitted a Brown departure would be difficult for many within the Celtics community.
“And if it was to get Giannis, I would hate to see [it], but I understand the business of it,” Maxwell said.
The former Finals MVP emphasized that Brown’s value extends well beyond the stat sheet. Since arriving as the third overall pick in 2016, Brown has developed into one of the franchise’s leaders and a central figure in the organization’s culture.
“I am one of the biggest Jaylen Brown fans around,” Maxwell said. “Not only would you miss Jaylen as a player, you’d miss what he brings to the team intellectually.”
Boston’s front office faces a delicate balancing act. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently reported that the Celtics have not necessarily made a firm Brown-centered offer for Antetokounmpo, while Bobby Marks cautioned that Boston must be careful if Brown becomes aware he was seriously involved in trade discussions that ultimately go nowhere.
That concern is understandable given Brown’s importance to the franchise. He remains under contract through the 2029-30 season and has formed one of the NBA’s most productive star pairings alongside Jayson Tatum.
