Jaylen Brown becomes a true No. 1 in Houston
It's pretty amazing how one big injury has completely changed the outlook for the Boston Celtics. Just a couple of weeks ago, the narrative about the Celtics revolved around how many championships they could possibly string together. Now, there's no guarantee this roster is going to be intact heading into next season, and the opportunity for real change is on the table heading into the summer. Even before the injury to Jayson Tatum, there were growing whispers that some cost-cutting moves could be on the horizon for Boston.
After the injury to Tatum, which will likely keep him out for the majority, if not all, of next season, the Celtics almost have to make a couple of moves with the future in mind. The big question for Boston revolves around how big or aggressively they're going to approach the offseason and such moves. At least for now, there's no expectation of what may await this team. However, if they are looking to completely revamp the supporting cast around Tatum, you can't help but wonder if that may mean moving on from Jaylen Brown.
If the Celtics are open to the idea of it, there's one team that may be waiting to jump on the opportunity - the Houston Rockets. If Houston ends up missing out on Giannis Antetokounmpo, which should come as no surprise to anyone, the team should quickly pivot toward gauging the level of interest that the Celtics may have in trading Brown. In Houston, Brown would finally emerge as a No. 1 option, and he'd be the focal point of the offense.
It'd certainly be a new role for Brown to embrace, one that many already believe he is worthy of having in Boston. But because of Tatum, he doesn't. As the Rockets continue to wait for their opportunity to make a big splash, Brown could be one of the players they decide to go all-in for. The question the Rockets would need to answer is, how good would Houston be if they essentially replaced Jalen Green with Brown?