Stunning NBA Mock Trade Suggests Celtics Could Send Jaylen Brown To Hornets For LaMelo Ball And Miles Bridges Deal

The NBA offseason has been filled with unexpected headlines, and the Boston Celtics continue to be at the center of speculation. After winning the 2024 championship and watching Jaylen Brown take home NBA Finals MVP honors, the last thing most fans expected was the possibility of Brown being moved. Yet here we are, with rumors swirling that Boston’s front office could consider shaking things up in ways nobody saw coming. One of the latest scenarios making the rounds involves a mock trade sending Brown to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, a package that, on paper, could reshape the future of both franchises.

The idea comes in the wake of devastating news for Boston: Jayson Tatum, the face of the franchise and Brown’s co-star, has suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon and is expected to miss the entire 2025 season. Losing Tatum changes everything for the Celtics. Suddenly, what was supposed to be a dynasty-defending season has turned into a year of recalibration. With Tatum sidelined, Boston might have to balance staying competitive with retooling the roster for the long haul. That’s where Brown’s name surfaces in trade talks.

Brown, now 28, is entering the second year of his five-year, $304 million supermax contract. He’s a superstar in his own right, but with Tatum unavailable and Boston’s cap sheet locked up, moving Brown could free up flexibility while also returning high-upside talent. Enter LaMelo Ball.

At 23, Ball has already been an All-Star and is regarded as one of the most talented young playmakers in the league. Standing 6-foot-7 with elite court vision, creative shot-making, and a flair for the spectacular, he represents the type of dynamic offensive engine that could excite Boston fans while giving the Celtics a foundational piece for the post-Tatum era. Pairing Ball with a healthy Tatum in the future would create a terrifying one-two punch that blends scoring and playmaking in ways Boston hasn’t seen in decades.

The proposed trade, as outlined by SI’s Mark Morales-Smith, looks like this:

Hornets Receive:

Jaylen Brown

Sam Hauser

Payton Pritchard

Celtics Receive:

LaMelo Ball

Miles Bridges

On the surface, the deal gives Charlotte a legitimate superstar in Brown, someone who can carry a franchise offensively and defensively. Brown has proven on the biggest stage that he can be a two-way force, capable of locking down opponents while scoring efficiently. For a Hornets team that has been stuck in mediocrity and desperately needs a face of the franchise to draw fans and win games, Brown would provide both credibility and competitiveness. Adding sharpshooter Sam Hauser and backup guard Payton Pritchard would sweeten the package by giving Charlotte more rotation depth.

For the Celtics, the appeal of LaMelo Ball is clear. Even if he has dealt with injuries and occasional inconsistency, his ceiling is sky-high. Ball is already an elite passer who could thrive in Boston’s system, surrounded by shooters and defensive-minded teammates. His ability to break down defenses and create offense out of thin air could be crucial for a Celtics team that has often leaned on isolation-heavy basketball in recent years. Pair him with Kristaps Porziņģis, Derrick White, and Miles Bridges — who comes in as part of the deal — and Boston could remain a playoff contender while waiting for Tatum’s return.

Miles Bridges is another interesting wrinkle. Despite off-court controversies, Bridges remains a talented scorer and athletic forward who could give Boston immediate offensive firepower. His ability to stretch the floor, attack the rim, and guard multiple positions would fit well in Joe Mazzulla’s system. For the Celtics, Bridges would be both a short-term contributor and a long-term piece who could thrive as a complementary option alongside Tatum when he comes back.

Of course, there are risks. Trading away Brown, fresh off an NBA Finals MVP, would be an unpopular move among fans. Brown has become beloved in Boston not just for his on-court play but also for his leadership and community involvement. Moving him would feel like ripping apart the heart of a championship team. The Celtics would also be gambling that LaMelo Ball can stay healthy and continue to improve. Ball has struggled with ankle injuries in recent years, and durability is a legitimate concern.

For Charlotte, the risk is equally large. Ball has been the face of the franchise since he was drafted No. 3 overall in 2020, and moving him would signal a dramatic shift in direction. While Brown is an established star, he’s also older and comes with a massive contract that could limit roster-building flexibility. The Hornets would essentially be betting that Brown is the type of player who can lead them to playoff relevance immediately, something Ball has yet to accomplish.

The financial implications of the trade are also worth examining. Brown’s supermax deal is one of the richest contracts in NBA history, and for Charlotte, absorbing it would require a full commitment to building around him. Meanwhile, Boston would offload that contract and gain a younger player in Ball, whose current deal is significant but not nearly as crippling long-term. That financial breathing room could allow the Celtics to retool more aggressively around Tatum and Ball in the future.

The ripple effects across the league would be massive. A move like this could alter the balance of power in both conferences. In the East, Charlotte would suddenly boast a star duo of Brown and Brandon Miller, potentially catapulting them into the playoff picture for the first time in years. In the West, the Celtics would join the conversation of teams that are reloading rather than rebuilding, keeping themselves relevant in the playoff chase even without Tatum.

From a basketball perspective, the fit is fascinating. Imagine Ball running the pick-and-roll with Porziņģis, throwing lobs to Bridges, and finding shooters like White in the corners. Boston’s offense would look drastically different, with more ball movement, creativity, and pace. Defensively, while Brown’s absence would hurt, the Celtics’ system has proven it can mask individual weaknesses, and Bridges brings size and athleticism to help offset the loss.

For Charlotte, Brown would provide the stability and leadership the franchise has lacked. A proven playoff performer, he could elevate younger teammates like Miller and Mark Williams, teaching them what it takes to compete at the highest level. Hauser’s shooting would give LaMelo’s departure a little cushion, and Pritchard could carve out a steady role in the backcourt rotation.

Would either side actually pull the trigger on this trade? That remains the ultimate question. For Boston, it would mean saying goodbye to a Finals MVP, a player who has become synonymous with the team’s identity. For Charlotte, it would mean letting go of a player who was supposed to be their long-term cornerstone. Yet in the unpredictable world of the NBA, stranger things have happened.

In the end, this mock trade serves as a reminder of how quickly the landscape of the league can shift. Injuries, contracts, and timing can force teams into making decisions that once seemed unthinkable. Jaylen Brown in a Hornets uniform and LaMelo Ball in Celtics green might sound wild today, but as the NBA has shown time and again, “wild” scenarios can become reality in the blink of an eye.

Whether or not this deal ever materializes, one thing is certain: Boston’s path forward without Jayson Tatum is far from clear, and the franchise may need to get creative to keep its championship window open. If that means moving Jaylen Brown for the right package, then LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges might just be the kind of return that keeps the Celtics both competitive in the present and promising for the future.