“If he’s not feeling loved… I think there’s going to be several attractive options for him” - NBA analyst says the Boston Celtics have to tread carefully with the perception that they are dangling 1x All-Star

With the Boston Celtics rumored to be in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, the speculation about trade pieces could affect the team. One ESPN NBA analyst believes the talk about trading one-time All-Star Jaylen Brown could hurt the team.

Any time trade talks occur in the NBA, rumors about potential trade pieces risk team chemistry and player happiness. If a player becomes unhappy after being rumored as a trade piece, they can request a trade of their own.

Even if the player does not receive a trade, they could decide to leave in free agency. With all these risks associated with perceived trades, teams must be careful about rumors.

Jaylen Brown is now at the center of trade speculation between the Brooklyn Nets and the Boston Celtics. While any potential trade is meant to acquire Kevin Durant, Jaylen Brown is perceived as the primary piece going in return.

ESPN's Tim MacMahon believes the perception that the Celtics could trade Brown may hurt them. MacMahon feels he Celtics need to be careful with the current perception of their potential trade.

"I think they need to tread very carefully with the perception that they are dangling Jaylen Brown. Again, because, you know, obviously, he has been a core piece. He was the second-best player on the team that went to game six of the NBA finals."

While the NBA finals did not end the way Boston would have liked, Brown played a role in the team's success. Jaylen Brown is the second-best player on an NBA finals team, so his value could become a problem for Boston.

"He is underpaid, given his production. You cannot extend him because he would be extending off of a contract that is below his value. If he's not feeling loved when the 2024 off-season comes around, I think there's going to be several attractive options for him."

Should Jaylen Brown decide that he deserves to be a supermax player, the Boston Celtics will need to reevaluate their future. Given how good Brown has been, he may feel he deserves better than his current situation in Boston.

Jaylen Brown is a critical component of what the Boston Celtics have done recently

Jaylen Brown has been a significant part of the current Celtics run.

While the Boston Celtics may feel that they need to make a move to win a championship, Jaylen Brown is a significant piece to risk. Over the past three years, Brown has shown that he is one of the top stars in Boston's system.

With what Jaylen Brown has shown recently, losing him could significantly damage the Celtics' future. Acquiring Kevin Durant could help the Boston Celtics win, but they should "tread lightly" to avoid losing Brown without adding Durant.