A championship banner went up in the rafters of TD Garden just last year, but the shine is already starting to dull. A torn Achilles has sidelined Jayson Tatum indefinitely, Kristaps Porzingis is gone, Jrue Holiday and Al Horford are out the door, and the Boston Celtics, just a year removed from winning it all, are heading into the 2025-26 season surrounded by more questions than answers. That’s not the only thing clouding the future. The Celtics are entering unfamiliar territory: Jaylen Brown, 2024 Finals MVP, is now the clear-cut leader of a team that’s no longer built to win right now.

The expectations? Compete, survive, and hope Tatum returns the same player. But the path forward isn’t clean. There’s noise surrounding Brown, and this time, it didn’t come from trade rumors or anonymous sources. Jaylen Brown, on The Big Tigger Morning Show, casually dropped a line that hit like a buzzer-beater. The question was simple: Would he ever consider playing for the Atlanta Hawks? The answer? Loaded with just enough ambiguity to send Hawks fans into a frenzy and Celtics fans into a mild panic.

The moment, clipped and posted by @courtsidebuzzig, instantly caught fire on social media. The caption read, “YOU NEVER KNOW… MY GRANDMA WOULD [WANT ME TO PLAY THERE] TOO. Jaylen Brown when asked if he would play for his hometown Atlanta Hawks in the future 🗣👀” and suddenly that worrying scenario for Celtic fans doesn’t feel so distant.

Jaylen Brown is under contract through 2029. He’s in year two of a record-setting five-year, $304 million Supermax deal. Despite the emotional ties, Brown has spent his entire career with the Celtics, a nine-year stretch that has included four All-Star selections, an All-NBA nod, and most recently, his Finals MVP performance helped secure Banner 18 in 2024. But things have changed quickly in Boston and now, will his hometown ties prompt him to consider his future with the Celtics?

Brown’s roots run deep in Atlanta. He grew up in Marietta. His grandmother still lives there. He makes regular trips back to speak to local kids and visit familiar spots like Waffle House and his childhood schools. “I remember my first Atlanta Hawks game, I was 7 years old… I was sitting in the nose bleeds… there’s probably a kid sitting up there today watching me, feeling the same way I was feeling back then,“ Brown said during the 2023 Celtics-Hawks playoff series.

Brown’s recent radio appearance wasn’t a trade request, but it felt like the first real crack in the foundation. Even if he’s not actively trying to leave, he sounded like a player who sees other possibilities. Players like Brown understand loyalty in the NBA is conditional, team loyalty especially.

If the Celtics decide this version of the roster isn’t championship-caliber, don’t be shocked if calls are made. And the Hawks? They’ve got the assets. They’ve got the cap. And now, they might have the opening.

Trae Young’s $345M Crossroads

Meanwhile, in the other corner of this storyline is Trae Young, Atlanta’s face of the franchise, who now finds himself at a career crossroads. Eligible for a four-year, $229 million extension this summer and would’ve been up for a $345 million deal had he made All-NBA, Young hasn’t received a formal offer. 

According to Marc Spears, Trae is “disappointed that it hasn’t come.” His cryptic tweets suggest the same. A single hourglass emoji. A retweet of Micah Parsons complaining about delayed negotiations. It’s clear: the tension is real. Young has two years left on his current deal, plus a $49M player option for 2026-27, but Atlanta’s hesitation signals a shift.

“This is the guy… he’s been the face of the Atlanta Hawks for seven years,” said The Hoop Collective’s Brian Windhorst. “But the long-term outlook for Trae Young in Atlanta is murky.” The Hawks are building around length, defense, and positional flexibility. The additions of Kristaps Porzingis, Zaccharie Risacher, Dyson Daniels, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker seem designed to complement or replace Young. 

There’s no firm indication the Hawks are done with Trae, but if he doesn’t sign that extension by season’s end, the noise will grow. And if Atlanta ultimately decides to pivot from Young to a two-way star like Jaylen Brown? 

Jaylen Brown in Atlanta. It’s been floated before. It’s floated again now. Except this time, there’s context, a weakened Celtics team, an uncertain co-star future, and a city ready to welcome him with open arms, and grandma’s cooking. it’s no longer far-fetched to imagine Brown leading a championship-caliber group in Georgia. 

The Hawks, are trying to walk the tightrope between contender and rebuild. Trae Young is a dynamic scorer, but the organization has reason to hesitate before doubling down with a $345 million extension. A defensive liability in a league moving toward versatility and length, Young may no longer be the lock he once was.

Brown isn’t campaigning for a trade. Atlanta could wait until 2029, when Brown becomes an unrestricted free agent. But the door? It’s cracked. And in today’s NBA, waiting is a luxury most teams can’t afford. Contracts move. Stars shift. Loyalty is conditional. Until then, Boston begins a new season on October 22 against the Sixers, with Brown leading the charge. But the clock is ticking.