The Golden State Warriors have been tied to just about every superstar rumor over the past few months. From former MVPs to All-NBA stars, the buzz has made one thing clear: Golden State is searching for one more blockbuster move to maximize Stephen Curry’s championship window. While names have come and gone, Kendrick Perkins believes the Warriors should set their sights on one player above all others. In his view, Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown is the missing piece, and he’s made a strong case for Golden State to do whatever it takes to bring the Finals MVP to the Bay.

“It may not be the perfect piece, but if you add Jaylen Brown to this roster, and figuratively think about a way to bring him in, it is an upgrade and is help for Steph Curry. We don’t know when Jimmy Butler is going to come back, and when he does come back, we don’t know what he’s going to look like. That’s why you go get a young, 29-year-old Jaylen Brown,” Perkins said on his appearance on the ESPN First Take. 

Brown’s name has surfaced in trade speculation ever since Boston unsuccessfully included him and two first-round picks in its pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo earlier this offseason. Since then, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Celtics have been listening to offers on Brown, while Brian Windhorst said his future is “very much up in the air” amid what he described as a developing bidding war. Celtics president Brad Stevens also declined to guarantee Brown would remain in Boston, saying, “I’m never going to predict the future.”

Perkins’ argument also reflects Golden State’s current reality. Curry enters his age-39 season next year, while Jimmy Butler is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in January. Butler recently revealed he has yet to be cleared to run or jump off both feet, putting his availability for the start of the 2026-27 season in doubt. For a Warriors team trying to capitalize on Curry’s remaining championship window, Brown offers a younger, healthier two-way star entering his prime.

Beyond the timeline, Brown addresses several basketball needs. He gives Golden State another reliable shot creator alongside Curry, adds one of the league’s better perimeter defenders for matchups against elite Western Conference wings, and fits Steve Kerr’s motion offense as both a cutter and floor spacer. Those qualities explain why Perkins believes Brown is worth aggressively pursuing if Boston ultimately makes him available.

Any pursuit, however, would be complicated. Brown will earn roughly $57.1 million next season under his supermax extension, meaning Golden State would almost certainly need Jimmy Butler’s expiring contract to make the salaries work. Even then, league insiders believe Boston would seek significant draft compensation and young talent in return, making any deal far from straightforward.

Stephen A. Smith sees Brown as Luka Doncic’s ideal running mate

While Perkins views Brown as Golden State’s missing piece, Stephen A. Smith believes the five-time All-Star would be an even better long-term fit in Los Angeles. With Luka Doncic now leading the Lakers’ future, Smith argued Brown’s two-way game would lessen the burden on both Doncic offensively and LeBron James as the franchise transitions toward its next era.

“If Jaylen Brown somehow, some way was in Los Angeles, who by the way is only one year older than Austin Reaves, let’s get that out of the way. If he’s in Los Angeles with Luka, not only is he a two-way player, not just offense, but he actually defends, having him. Suddenly, you don’t need LeBron as much,” Smith said.

Smith’s argument centers less on replacing LeBron James than preparing for life after him. Brown would give the Lakers an elite perimeter defender and secondary scorer alongside Doncic, creating a younger core capable of competing beyond James’ tenure. Whether Los Angeles can realistically construct a trade package is another question entirely, as Brown’s supermax contract and the Lakers’ limited assets make any potential deal difficult despite the obvious basketball fit.