5 ways Celtics could improve lineup without trading Jaylen Brown

Boston Celtics

While Brown’s name is suddenly making headlines in the NBA this offseason, Boston could keep him and Jayson Tatum together.

Over the past five days, Jaylen Brown has become the main name of the NBA’s offseason. Once it emerged that the Celtics had placed Brown on the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade block, other teams were reportedly calling Brad Stevens to try to acquire the star.

So far, Brown isn’t going anywhere. And although Stevens said he wants to be more competitive next season, there are plenty of ways he can improve Boston’s roster while keeping Brown and Jayson Tatum together.

Here are five ways the Celtics can improve their roster without necessarily giving up on Brown.

Trade for Trey Murphy

Like Brown, Murphy’s name has been thrown around frequently in offseason trade rumors. But if there was a way to get Murphy without giving up Brown, it would be a perfect fit for the Celtics.

The return package will likely center around Derrick White, as his and Murphy’s contracts are similar in annual value. A hypothetical trade of White and Baylor Scheierman for Murphy and Pelicans’ 22-year-old center Yves Messi would be a legal trade save Both teams are under the luxury tax line. It is also likely that trade-offs will be chosen to balance the deal.

Murphy is a 6-foot-8 forward and is coming off a season in which he averaged 18.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in New Orleans. He was playing in the front court with Tatum, while Brown was sliding into the back court alongside Payton Pritchard.

Look to upgrade the position via trade or free agency

Although Neemias Koita has played better than anyone expected in 2026, he is not the type of center Boston has been successful at achieving.

The Celtics have thrived thanks to having a center capable of at least posing a threat from beyond the arc. Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis played this role perfectly, spacing the floor enough to give Brown and Tatum clean driving lanes. On the other hand, Quetta is keeping its top opponents busy near the paint, which has come back to bite the Celtics in the playoffs.

There are a few viable trade candidates: Evan Mobley would be the front-runner, though he might be difficult to acquire unless Boston dumps Brown in the process.

Mitchell Robinson, Robert Williams and Zach Collins are all potential upgrades via free agency that could make the Celtics a more effective team offensively.

Unload the Sam Hauser contract for more flexibility

Hauser’s career took off once he arrived in Boston, where he became a legitimate scoring threat off the bench thanks to his hot, if streaky, 3-point shot.

But all good things must come to an end, and the Celtics will have more flexibility if they can get $10 million off Hauser’s books for next season.

Boston has plenty of emerging players who could fill his shoes for less, and that would allow Stevens to look for a big-name addition with a slightly longer leash. Trading Hauser for a future pick would likely be worthwhile, unless they end up including him as a supporting piece in a larger deal. Either way, maybe it’s time to move on from Hauser.

Looking for more minutes for Hugo Gonzalez

The benefit of attacking last season the way the Celtics chose to do so was that it allowed them to see what they might be able to get out of their younger core.

Gonzalez was the main beneficiary of this. Instead of sitting in the G League waiting for his chance, Gonzalez got significant reps in the NBA in Year 1, and he impressed. So, whatever moves Boston makes, they shouldn’t sacrifice Gonzalez’s development.

The same sentiment, to a lesser extent, could apply to Jordan Walsh, a lanky winger with a lot of potential. But Walsh could end up being a smaller piece in a Celtics trade, and he hasn’t quite caught the eye at the same level as Gonzalez.

Land LeBron James with a veteran opponent

A lot of stars will have to align for one of the greatest NBA players of all time to land in Boston. James’ son is currently with the Lakers, so James may not be interested in traveling across the country for one year in pursuit of his fifth championship ring.

He would also have to be willing to take a big discount to join Boston.

But if things go perfectly, James could work perfectly alongside Tatum and Brown. He can run the attack, taking a backseat to the young duo in terms of scoring goals, but he is also key in the playmaking. He’ll also be able to rest as many games as possible without worrying about Boston falling down the standings, something he hasn’t always had the freedom to do.

The Celtics are sure to run an interesting lineup, with James serving as a semi-point guard alongside Prichard, Brown, Tatum, and whoever starts for Boston at center. But his presence could be exactly what Tatum and Brown need to settle their individual matches.