Celtics will need ball to bounce just right after trading Jaylen Brown

The Celtics have explained why they traded Jaylen Brown.

Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated just isn’t convinced.

In a column published Monday, Mannix broke down Boston’s reasoning after president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said the deal was about creating “optionality” and adding future draft assets while avoiding having so much of the salary cap tied up in two players.

Mannix acknowledged there is some logic there.

The Celtics picked up valuable first-round picks, and Paul George’s contract could eventually become another trade asset.

If everything falls into place, Boston may have positioned itself to make another major move around Jayson Tatum.

The problem, Mannix argued, is that’s asking for a lot of things to go right.

George is 36 and has dealt with injuries. The draft picks may never become impact players. Unless they’re eventually flipped in another blockbuster, they won’t do much to help Tatum compete for championships during his prime.

Mannix also questioned the timing of the trade.

He wondered if Boston truly needed to move Brown this summer, noting there didn’t appear to be much of a market for George and suggesting executives around the league have been asking whether the Celtics could have found a better return.

To Stevens’ credit, Mannix wrote that the Celtics thoroughly evaluated every scenario before making the decision.

Stevens also insisted the move wasn’t driven by money or pressure from Tatum, calling it one of the toughest choices he’s faced.

Still, Mannix’s conclusion was simple: The trade could absolutely work.

But if Brown thrives in Philadelphia, George continues to battle injuries and those future draft picks never become meaningful assets, this will be the move that defines Stevens’ tenure running the Celtics.