Jaylen Brown Trade Rumors: Hawks, Clippers, Jazz In The Mix?

Jaylen Brown publicly maintains that he wants to stay in Boston with the Celtics longterm. The Celtics front office publicly says the same.

Reading between the lines, however, it does seem like the two could be heading toward a split this summer.

Brown has recently been facing criticism for claiming that this past season was his “favorite” as a member of the Celtics, despite the team getting upset in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers.

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said in his end-of-the-season press conference on May 6 that he “loves” Brown. Stevens also said in the same press conference that Boston needed to add to its roster this summer with a priority on having “more of an impact at the rim.” This immediately created plenty of Giannis Antetokounmpo trade speculation, as the Greek Freak certainly makes an impact—and then some—at the rim.

Brown’s stock has also never been higher. For much of the 2025-26 season, Brown got to be the unquestioned leader of an NBA team as Jayson Tatum worked his way back from injury. Brown recorded career highs in points (28.7), rebounds (6.9) and assists (5.1) and was the main catalyst in getting the Celtics the 2 seed in the East.

With Tatum back in the fold in the playoffs, however, Boston’s offense looked clunky. They played a slower style with Tatum on the court, and the rhythm that Brown had built with the Celtics’ overachieving role players in the regular season mostly went out the window.

Tatum and Brown have, of course, shown in the past that they can co-exist as co-Alphas. Just two years ago, they won a championship together.

Nonetheless, the Brown trade rumors are currently heating up, and they could be scorching hot a few weeks from now. Here is a look at some franchises that will likely have interest in acquiring the five-time NBA All-Star.

Jaylen Brown to Hawks rumors
Whenever Brown trade rumors have popped up in the past, Atlanta immediately rises to the top of the list.

Brown is from Marietta, Georgia and returns to the “Peach State” often. He hosts off-season basketball camps in Atlanta, and is part owner and general manager of Team Atlanta in Tracy McGrady’s Ones Basketball League (OBL).

The most likely scenario in which Brown would land in Atlanta is via a multi-team trade. If the Celtics truly are interested in landing Giannis via trade this summer, having Atlanta join in on the fun is the most likely scenario.

With bigger contacts, we have recently seen many NBA trades with more than one team involved. Most notably was the trade that landed Kevin Durant in Houston last summer as part of a record seven-team deal.

Celtics reporter Alex Goldberg recently discussed how Brown winding up in Atlanta as part of a Giannis-to-Boston trade makes the most sense for all parties involved.

“The Celtics clearly had discussions [this past winter] about Giannis. How far they went and who initiated them we don’t know,” Goldberg said on the Third Apron podcast. “That’s the most realistic scenario [of a Giannis to Boston trade] is a three-teamer in which Jaylen Brown goes to some third team destination. Atlanta and the Clippers are the most likely possibilities there. Giannis comes back to the Celtics, and the Bucks get a combination of premium draft picks or a boatload of young players.”

Atlanta does hold the No. 8 pick in next month’s NBA Draft and has one of the youngest rosters in the NBA.

Jaylen Brown to Clippers rumors
The Clippers will surely be in contact with many teams around the league when it comes to a blockbuster trade this summer. LA owns the No. 5 pick in the NBA Draft and may also want to unload Kawhi Leonard’s massive contract.

Brown is no stranger to living in California, having gone to college at Cal-Berkeley

Jaylen Brown to Jazz rumors
The Jazz are well-equipped to make a big move this summer, and there is no shortage of ties between the franchise and Brown. Danny Ainge is the CEO of basketball operations for the Jazz, and Ainge, who was the longtime boss of the Celtics, was the man who drafted Brown back in 2016.

Utah is also coached by former Celtics assistant Will Hardy.

In addition, the Jazz have the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft to dangle, as well as 7-foot-1 forward Lauri Markkanen—a player that would surely interest Stevens.