Celtics’ Brad Stevens on Jaylen Brown trade: ‘It was inevitable’

Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has addressed the decision to trade star forward Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers. Stevens explained that maintaining a roster built around two maximum-salary, high-usage stars had become increasingly difficult. The trade was made to build greater depth and ensure the team remains competitive for a long, sustainable run.

The Celtics traded Brown to the 76ers in July in exchange for Paul George and draft assets. Stevens noted that the move provides Boston with greater financial flexibility, preventing nearly 70 percent of the team's salary cap from being committed to just Brown and Jayson Tatum.