Kendrick Perkins delivered a sharp critique of the Boston Celtics’ decision to move Jaylen Brown, framing the transaction as one of the most lopsided moves in recent league history.
“It was one of the dumbest trades in NBA history. Mike Gansey, Jameer Nelson, Bob Myers, they should be serving breakfast in bed to Brad Stevens. I’m talking about cut up fruit, seedless grapes, mint tea, toast with strawberry jam because they finesse the hell out of him,” Perkins said.
The comments come after Boston finalized a blockbuster deal that sent Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Paul George, a 2028 first-round pick swap, an unprotected 2031 first-round pick, and two second-round selections in 2028 and 2030. Philadelphia remained engaged through multiple trade frameworks before agreeing to the final package structure.
Brown leaves Boston after a high-volume, efficient season in which he played 71 games and averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists on 47.7% shooting. He also posted 2.0 made threes per game at 34.7% and finished among the league’s most productive wings with 34.4 minutes per night of primary creation responsibility.
Boston’s incoming centerpiece, George, arrives after a 37-game season in Philadelphia where he averaged 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists while shooting 39.2% from three. His role was built around spacing and secondary creation next to Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, providing Boston a different offensive balance compared to Brown’s isolation-heavy usage profile.
Philadelphia’s side of the deal reshapes its championship window around Embiid, Maxey, and Edgecombe. Edgecombe finished his debut season with 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists across 75 games while shooting 35.4% from three and averaging 1.4 steals per game. Embiid appeared in 38 games, producing 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per contest, while Maxey led the team at 28.3 points and 6.6 assists over 70 games.
The deal follows a postseason matchup between the two franchises, where Philadelphia eliminated Boston 4–3 in the first round.
