No, the Cavs cannot trade Celtics for Jaylen Brown

The Cleveland Cavaliers are ready to transition from rebuilding to contending. The games moving forward will matter more, the goal is set to a higher level, and the players will need to be even better. One step of that transition is putting together the most talented roster possible.

With All-Stars at the 1 and 5, a whopping number of shooting guards and a future superstar at power forward, the Cavs’ primary need is at small forward. Lauri Markkanen played well in that spot last season, but a true forward-sized player who can handle, create offense for himself and others and lock down opponents on the defensive end would be the ultimate prize.

Most players like that are absolutely unavailable, but with one of them – Kevin Durant – requesting a trade, a few other possibilities have shaken loose. The most recent of those was Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics.

The Cavs and their fans are getting excited about the possibility of trading for Jaylen Brown. Unfortunately, there is no way that the Cavs trade for Brown

ESPN first reported that the Celtics and Brooklyn Nets had engaged in trade conversations about Durant, and then Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the offer from Boston was built around Jaylen Brown; Brooklyn’s counter kept Brown in the deal while pivoting to ask for Marcus Smart as well.

This isn’t the first time that Brown has been a part of trade rumors, either. The idea that he and Jayson Tatum couldn’t be a team’s two-best players because of passing and playmaking deficiencies has been a constant for much of the past few years, and as recently as the first few months of last season rumors swirled around Brown.

That was before Brown was a key part of the Celtics making a run through the Eastern Conference and all the way to the NBA Finals, where they lost in six to the latest transformation of one of sport’s all-time dynasties. He was not just starting, he was starring, and was arguably the best Boston player in the Finals.

In fact, Brown isn’t just a budding star or a player with tons of potential; he’s also not a severely flawed player. He is something of the complete package, a shooter and scorer who can play on-ball and off-ball and hold up well on defense. Teams covet such two-way forwards, and the Celtics have two of them just entering their primes.

Brown joining the Cavaliers would unquestionably be a gigantic upgrade, a seamless fit who could be the Cavs’ secondary playmaker and likely primary scorer alongside Darius Garland, and defensively he could step up to take on an opposing team’s best perimeter threat.

Cavs fans have accordingly gotten quite excited about the possibility of Brown joining the team. Who can disagree with this assessment?

Now it’s time to pour water on these flames: the Cleveland Cavaliers cannot trade for Jaylen Brown.

That is, there is no NBA rule that prevents it. But given the reality of the situation, there is absolutely no way that the Cavaliers will be able to trade for Jaylen Brown.

The Boston Celtics were in the NBA Finals last year, two wins away from the title. This offseason they have kept their core completely intact while adding multiple pieces. For them to consider trading one of their stars, the player they get back would have to be an elite player who helps them win a title right now.

That list of players is incredibly slim, and while Kevin Durant is on it, not many others are.

Who would the Cavs trade? This isn’t a situation where Caris LeVert and the charcuterie board is going to get things done. Lauri Markkanen, Cedi Osman, Isaac Okoro – none of them move the needle.

The Cavs could offer Jarrett Allen and slide Evan Mobley and Markkanen down a spot each, but the Celtics aren’t saying yes to that. They have a talented two-way center in Robert Williams III who is in Allen’s range as a player and significantly cheaper.

Trading Darius Garland doesn’t make sense because unless the Cavs are pairing Garland and Brown they aren’t going anywhere next season. Evan Mobley is too valuable and nigh untouchable from the Cavs’ perspective.

There is no trade to construct here. The Cavs don’t have the right assets, and the Celtics don’t want to trade Brown. They brought him up in a discussion about trading for one of the five best players in the league and 15-best in NBA history. They aren’t going to accept anything short of a Top-20 player for Brown, and the Cavs don’t have any of those.

The Cavs will keep looking for upgrades to their roster, as they should, but fans can stop dreaming of Jaylen Brown. As good as he is, as well as he would fit: he’s not coming.