In one of the most surprising trades in recent NBA history, the Boston Celtics sent Jaylen Brown packing. Watching him go wasn't that big of a shocker, but watching him join the Philadelphia 76ers was certainly a massive head-scratcher.
There has to be more to the story here. Teams don't just trade their former 28-year-old Finals MVP to a direct rival for pennies on the dollar, and chances are that Brown may have ruffled some feathers in the building.
Whatever the case, the Chicago Bulls could benefit from this transaction, but they will have to be patient. Paul George is a ticking time bomb at the TD Garden, and the Celtics might regret this move pretty soon.
The Bulls could absorb Paul George's contract at the right price
From the very second he took the reins of the team, Bryson Graham put it out in the open that the Bulls were willing to take on bad contracts to get more picks. The team has the financial flexibility to do it, and the Celtics just have a terrible contract that they may want to move sooner rather than later.
According to Spotrac, Paul George will make a whopping $57.7 million this season, and he has a player option worth $56.6 million for the 2027-28 campaign. He'll be 37 next year, and the Celtics will definitely look to offload that contract.
George has struggled with injuries recently, so what if he can stay on the floor this season? Or what if he can't coexist with Jayson Tatum because they usually cover the same spots on the court? The Celtics may have no choice but to explore their options.
That's when the Bulls should swoop right in. They just signed Norman Powell to a two-year contract, but it's highly unlikely that he'll stay in Chicago for the length of that deal. He could be a solid trade chip to send to Boston with other spare parts, acquiring George's terrible contract and a first-round pick in the process.
That would be terrible asset management by the Celtics, but given the way they've operated this offseason, we wouldn't put anything past them. Brad Stevens has a reputation for being a savvy tactician with a bright basketball mind, but it's hard to understand the logic behind his most recent decisions.
The Bulls can finally make the most of other teams' blunders for a change. And if that means overpaying for George in the final stretch of his career, so be it. This team needs assets, so keep those bad deals coming!
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