The James Harden trade that Danny Ainge turned down

Jaylen Brown has gained the hearts of Boston Celtics followers after an All-Star marketing campaign final season. He’s off to a different roaring begin with a 46-point eruption in their first game of the season.

The Celtics could also be staring down at a 0-2 file to start out the season, however that’s by no fault of Jaylen Brown. However as soon as upon a time the younger ahead was on the desk for a sure James Harden.

In keeping with NBA analyst and former Celtics heart Kendrick Perkins, Danny Ainge contacted him final season to get his tackle doubtlessly sending a package deal centered round Jaylen Brown for Harden.

Via Justin Leger of NBC Sports activities Boston:

“I keep in mind final yr round this time when groups had been calling about James Harden and Houston truly wished Jaylen Brown,” Perkins stated Friday on Celtics Pregame Reside. “I used to be on the cellphone with Danny Ainge for an hour, and I keep in mind how our dialog went.

He was like, ‘Hey, Perk, would you commerce Jaylen Brown for James Harden?’ And I used to be like, ‘Danny, you understand how I really feel about Jaylen Brown, however I’d commerce him for James Harden.’ He was like, ‘ Are you kidding me? He’s not going wherever. He’s not even 25 and he retains getting higher.’”

Clearly, Ainge didn’t take heed to Perkins’ recommendation and stored Jaylen Brown, who went on to have the most effective season of his profession with the Celtics. Nonetheless, James Harden nonetheless stays an elite expertise and the what-if of that deal might be one price questioning as time goes by.