<\/p>\n
The Celtics\u2019 blockbuster decision to trade Jaylen Brown wasn\u2019t easy to make, with owner Bill Chisholm admitting he needed to be \u201cconvinced\u201d to move on from the franchise star.<\/p>\n
Peyton Watson\u2019s $88m Cleveland move, James Harden\u2019s looming contract decision and major updates on Jonathan Kuminga and DeMar DeRozan also headline a busy day around the league.<\/p>\n
All of this and more in the latest edition of NBA Daily.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n CELTICS OWNER ADMITS HE NEEDED \u2018CONVINCING\u2019 OVER BROWN BLOCKBUSTER<\/b><\/p>\n Boston Celtics owner Bill Chisholm has admitted he needed to be convinced before signing off on the blockbuster trade that sent Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers.<\/p>\n Boston agreed to trade Brown to its Eastern Conference rival in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks, bringing an end to the 29-year-old\u2019s decade-long tenure with the Celtics.<\/p>\n Brown had become one of the faces of the franchise during that time, making the decision particularly difficult for Chisholm, who acknowledged his emotions as a fan initially made it tough to accept.<\/p>\n \u201cI needed to be convinced,\u201d Chisholm said.<\/p>\n \u201cI truly believe we have the best front office in the NBA, and I think it\u2019s a source of advantage for us every day. So I definitely have a level of trust in Brad and his team.<\/p>\n \u201cBut man, as a fan, that was tough.<\/p>\n \u201cI really needed to be convinced to take the fan passion out of it, because I\u2019m a super fan.\u201d<\/p>\n Chisholm said his faith in Celtics president Brad Stevens and Boston\u2019s front office ultimately allowed him to separate his attachment to Brown from what the organisation believed was the right basketball decision.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to be a sociopath if you don\u2019t worry a little bit about what other fans are going to think,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got the best brains in basketball, and this was something they had conviction around.\u201d<\/p>\n The deal sees Boston move on from one of the defining players of its recent era while receiving veteran star George and significant draft capital in return.<\/p>\n But in doing so, the Celtics have also strengthened one of their biggest Eastern Conference rivals, with Brown joining a Philadelphia side that has already made a blockbuster move to acquire LeBron James.<\/p>\n It leaves the 76ers armed with two of the biggest names of this NBA era as they look to emerge as a major threat in the East.<\/p>\n For Boston, it only adds another layer to an already enormous gamble, with the Celtics not only moving on from a franchise cornerstone but potentially helping create another contender they could have to go through in their pursuit of another championship.<\/p>\n CAVS LAND $88M RISING STAR AS NUGGETS\u2019 $500M PROBLEM REVEALED<\/b><\/p>\n The Cleveland Cavaliers have landed rising wing Peyton Watson in a blockbuster multi-team trade, continuing a major reshaping of the roster following their run to the Eastern Conference Finals.<\/p>\n Cleveland acquired Watson from the Denver Nuggets, with the 23-year-old agreeing to a new four-year, $88 million deal that includes a player option and trade kicker.<\/p>\n The move comes after a career-best season for Watson, who averaged 14.6 points and 4.9 rebounds while shooting 41.1 per cent from three across 54 games for Denver.<\/p>\n However, it was his production when given greater offensive responsibility that offered perhaps the biggest glimpse into his potential.<\/p>\n In games without Nikola Jokic last season, Watson averaged 22.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.5 blocks, while making 2.3 three-pointers per game at an impressive 44.3 per cent from beyond the arc.<\/p>\n It continues a significant roster reshuffle for the Cavaliers, who have moved Max Strus and Dennis Schroder over the past week while adding Watson and Cam Whitmore.<\/p>\n Watson now projects to slot straight into an imposing Cleveland starting five alongside James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.<\/p>\n The deal eventually expanded to include four teams, with the Los Angeles Clippers acquiring Strus while Cleveland also landed Whitmore from Washington.<\/p>\n Denver received Julian Reese, an unprotected 2031 first-round pick and a second-round pick, while Washington received Tre Mann, a 2027 second-round pick and cash.<\/p>\n For those wondering why Denver wouldn\u2019t simply keep Watson at $22 million a season, the financial reality was far more complicated.<\/p>\n That $22 million salary would have reportedly sent the Nuggets\u2019 luxury tax bill soaring from around $68 million to more than $220 million, leaving Denver facing a near $500 million bill between payroll and tax.<\/p>\n It was ultimately a price the Nuggets weren\u2019t prepared to pay to keep the 23-year-old.<\/p>\n For Cleveland, though, Watson is the headline addition and the Cavaliers are making a significant bet that the 23-year-old can build on his breakout season with an even larger role on an Eastern Conference contender.<\/p>\n HARDEN SET TO STAY WITH CAVS… BUT WHAT WILL NEW DEAL LOOK LIKE?<\/b><\/p>\n James Harden is expected to remain with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a new multi-year deal, with the veteran star\u2019s patience potentially proving crucial to the franchise landing Peyton Watson.<\/p>\n Harden has remained unsigned throughout free agency after deliberately delaying a new agreement with Cleveland to give the Cavaliers greater financial flexibility to make another significant roster move.<\/p>\n That move has now arrived.<\/p>\n Cleveland has landed Watson from the Denver Nuggets in a blockbuster four-team trade, with the 23-year-old agreeing to a four-year, $88 million deal.<\/p>\n With Watson secured, Harden is now expected to finalise a new multi-year agreement to remain in Cleveland.<\/p>\n The intrigue now surrounds exactly what that contract will look like.<\/p>\n By acquiring Watson via sign-and-trade, Cleveland has become hard-capped at the first apron. Watson\u2019s four-year, $88 million contract could begin at approximately $20.5 million next season, potentially leaving the Cavaliers with around $25.9 million available for Harden\u2019s first-year salary.<\/p>\n Cleveland could potentially create further breathing room through additional roster moves, including waiving and stretching Tre Mann.<\/p>\n Whatever the final figure, Harden\u2019s decision to wait could prove significant.<\/p>\n Rather than immediately signing when free agency opened in June, the 36-year-old gave Cleveland the flexibility it needed to pursue a major addition before sorting out his own future.<\/p>\n READ MORE<\/b><\/p>\n KAWHI LATEST: NBA fires back at \u2018significant inaccuracies\u2019 in Kawhi bombshell as $28m saga takes major twist <\/a><\/b><\/p>\n