Team broadcasters aren't usually in the business of conjuring up trade rumors if they aren't legitimate, especially if they involve one of the club's star players.
That's why it's worth noting that two Celtics analysts this summer have endorsed trading Jaylen Brown for Kevin Durant.
Brian Scalabrine championed the idea way back in late June, just before news broke that Durant wants out of Brooklyn. On NBC Sports Boston's NBA Draft show, Scalabrine said he wouldn't think twice about making the deal.
"Would the Celtics [make Brown available in a trade for Durant]? Yeah," said Scalabrine. "It's Durantula! KD! The Easy Money Sniper!"
That's pretty emphatic.
Then over the weekend, with the Durant hot stove currently sitting at a low simmer, Cedric Maxwell endorsed the idea on his podcast. "Jaylen Brown is one of my favorite players," said Maxwell. "But if that trade were to happen I would be like 'yep, that's a good trade'. Because Red Auerbach said it best, you cannot fall in love with the assets or the players."
Maxwell went on to compare the Celtics acquiring Durant to the trade they pulled off for Kevin Garnett in 2007, which led to a championship. "I think if you're the Celtics, and if you're Brad Stevens, do you want to roll those dice? I think that's the question that comes to mind. If I'm them and you're asking me, those dice are already rolled," he said.
It's apparent that Jaylen Brown hears the murmurs. Earlier this offseason, he "liked" a post from a Twitter user who said he's disrespected.
Brown, 25, has two years remaining on his team-friendly four-year, $106 million deal.
Scalabrine and Maxwell aren't privy to the Celtics' internal personnel discussions, of course. But they are well-sourced within the organization. If a Brown-for-Durant trade wasn't mentioned at any point, it's unlikely they would both sign off on the idea.
It's hard to know where Durant's market stands. He appears to be at a stalemate with the Nets, who didn't adhere to his reported ultimatum about firing head coach Steve Nash and general manager Sean Marks. Longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein wrote recently he heard Durant would rather retire than play out his contract with Brooklyn, which Durant shot down.
Meanwhile, the Globe's Adam Himmelsbach wrote last week the Celtics' discussions with Brooklyn about Durant haven't gone anywhere. Boston reportedly offered Brown, Derrick White and draft picks for Durant, and the Nets countered with a deal involving Marcus Smart. (Himmelsbach said they originally asked for Jayson Tatum and Brown.)
Curiously, SNY's Ian Begley reported that Durant wants to play with Smart.
History shows that trades involving NBA superstars can often take a long time to materialize. The Celtics figure to be linked to Durant as long as he's available.
Two figures who are very close to the team clearly want it to happen.
