Jaylen Brown Scratched Amid Kevin Durant Trade Rumor


Earlier on Monday, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith suggested that a Kevin Durant trade  from the Brooklyn Nets is a possibility now in the wake of the Kyrie Irving deal. And he named the Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown in connection with those rumblings. 

Then we get the news that Brown is being held out of the Celtics lineup Monday night for an "illness." Probably just coincidence... right? 

Earlier in the day, Adrian Wojnarowski, when asked if Durant could be traded now that Irving is gone, responded with "we can't rule it out," before going on to say, "it’s on the Nets right now to make the case to Kevin Durant that they’re putting a team around him that can compete at the highest level."

Stephen A. insisted he's heard the rumblings... 

"I'm hearing that [Kevin Durant is] on the verge of potentially being moved. Obviously, we've all been speculating that he may be moved. I'm hearing that Boston is making some calls. Keep your eye on Jaylen Brown. Keep your eye on that." 

We harken back to last summer when Durant's original trade demand was still in effect, and the Celtics and Brown were one of the most-often mentioned rumors. But at the time, it was said that it was Boston that wouldn't pull the trigger on that, and now, six months later, it leaves one wondering, why the Celtics would break up a first-place team by trading a 26-year-old Brown—averaging a career-high 27 points and seven rebounds, no less—for a 34-year-old Kevin Durant?

It's definitely silly season in the NBA this week... But just in case, as Stephen A. says, let's "keep an eye on that."

Photo: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports