The San Antonio Spurs are well-equipped to make a big splash this offseason after landing the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. With plenty of emerging young talent and the recent addition of De’Aaron Fox, they have been linked to Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo in trade rumors already as well as Kevin Durant.
However, one NBA insider believes that Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown could also be on the Spurs radar. Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated made the comments on Wednesday during NBC Sports Boston’s Off C’season special.
“The team I’d watch the closest with Jaylen Brown is probably the Spurs,” Mannix said “Sure, I think they would love to make a run at Giannis, but do the Bucks ask for Stephon Castle? Like, is that on their wish list? And if it is, I can’t see San Antonio doing a deal like that.”
If the Spurs are looking for a star with a lower asking price than Antetokounmpo, Mannix believes that Brown could be a feasible option for San Antonio.
“I think if you’re Boston, you’re not going to ask for a Stephon Castle. You’re not going to get a Stephon Castle in a potential Jaylen Brown deal. You would get the No. 2 pick back in return. You would get the Devin Vassells, the Keldon Johnsons, future first-round capital. That’s something I’d watch if and when the Giannis Antetokounmpo stuff shakes itself out over the next few weeks.”
Brown signed a super-max extension with the Celtics two years ago and still has four guaranteed years remaining on his deal. He’s set to make $53.1 million next season, the second-biggest salary on Boston’s roster beyond Jayson Tatum. The Celtics are widely expected to trim down their payroll in the coming months from $227 million, but largely rumored options include moving Jrue Holiday or Kristaps Porzingis. Any deal involving Brown would be a bigger reset of the franchise around Tatum as he recovers from a torn Achilles.
The Spurs have plenty of long-term flexibility to take on Brown’s massive deal, but they won’t for very long. De’Aaron Fox is expected to look for an extension when his contract expires beyond this year, and Victor Wembanyama will need a max extension beginning in 2027-28 in all likelihood. Whether Brown is the best star fit around that duo for the long term will be an interesting question for the Spurs as they consider other stars at the forward spot.
San Antonio holds two lottery picks (No. 2 and No. 14) in the NBA Draft, which kicks off on June 25. Whatever direction they decide to go in, that night will be telling for the team’s long-term plans.
