How Jaylen Brown’s recent play could affect Boston Celtics’ potential interest in James Harden

It has been reported that James Harden is now willing to join the Celtics through trade, but that does not necessarily mean mutual interest. According to Erian’s Adrian Wojnarowski, however, Boston is among several teams that have recently been in contact with the Houston Rockets.

“I think a number of teams are still talking to Houston about James Harden, Wojnarowski said Friday on NSP Countdown at ESPN. “And teams that have been in talks, and even recent talks, include both Brooklyn and Boston. And I think Houston feels right now that any deal they make for James Harden may have to include a third team. They are out trying to find a great young player to bring in as part of a trade. Any contract for Harden can be complex, it could be three, even four teams. ”

If Boston were to try to get Harden, Houston would likely want Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart as part of the back pack. Having one or two more teams on the contract could certainly play in Boston’s favor, as he has the potential to give Houston more funding. But let’s assume Brown is in need of Houston in those talks – would Boston be willing to share ways with the growing 24-year-old?

Brown’s play through the first two matchups of the 2020-21 season should affect their thought process in trade negotiations if it hasn’t already. Brown has picked and rolled the roll with patience, control and courage for a long stretch through two games, something that seemed distant just a few years ago. As his playmaking ability grows, so does his top, and that should make Boston even more cautious when a name comes up in trade talks.

Brown has looked awesome as a ball handler so far this season, which opens up a ton of offensive flexibility for the Celtics. If Boston was worried about his non-Jayson Tatum moments this season, Brown’s growth with the ball has certainly helped alleviate those worries. On one Christmas Day possession, he moved comfortably through the Brooklyn defense with great speed, drew attention around the free throw line and made a lovely pass to the corner.

Outside of his remarkable growth as a player, Brown has continued to expand his scoring package, revealing more of that against the Nets with a few tall flowers. His rubbing has improved every year, as well as his body control as he finishes through traffic. It’s fast becoming a complete package for Boston, which is another reason to stop during those talks with Houston.

A player’s top often becomes relatively clear by year five. For Brown, however, each season seems to take on another element of his game, pushing that mark higher and higher. He always makes jumps in each of his NBA seasons, and the Celtics need to be inspired by that.

So yes, according to Wojnarowski, the Celtics have had “recent talks” with the Rockets regarding Harden. They would be foolish not to do their due diligence after being added to their favorite destination list. But Boston was high on Brown after last season, and they appear to be even higher after his first two appearances of the 2020-21 campaign. Maybe they were lazy to trade Brown then, and that sentiment should increase right now.

The main idea is that Brown has succeeded with extra responsibility this season. He looks comfortable with the ball in his hand and has taken full control of the game at that end of the floor for various sequences. Does Boston really want to share ways with it and other key pieces for Harden? In my opinion, that would not be a wise move.

Harden is an incredible scorer, but his approach to last month and the risk of losing to a free agency in two seasons seems to be like big red flags when considering has taken out a mortgage for the future of the organization. Brown’s rapid progress makes that future even brighter, and he still adds elements to his game every day. It doesn’t make much sense for the Celtics to part ways with him. That has become even clearer over the last four days.