76ers front office reveals how persistence led to Jaylen Brown trade

The Philadelphia 76ers made serious noise in the NBA after their aggressive moves to land Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics and sign LeBron James in free agency. Philadelphia's front office took a chance to improve the roster in significant fashion. They acquired Brown from Boston in exchange for Paul George and draft compensation. As for James, they inked him on a veteran's mininum, getting a legendary player to add to a starting five that can be the best in the league. 76ers general manager Mike Gansey took part in an interview with The Athletic this offseason. He reflected on the front office's activity throughout the summer, citing an initiative to push the best deals possible. "There were some trades that we've done that were two years in the making, simply because we kept calling," Gansey told The Athletic. "We kept checking in, and in the end we came away with that person. It didn't always work, but we always wanted to make sure we did the work." "The process in talking to Boston about Jaylen took a couple of weeks," Gansey said. "We let them know we were interested and then just kind of went from there. We just kind of stayed in the mix, and the next thing you know, we were at the five-yard line … We just kept banging the drum and expressing interest." What lies ahead for Jaylen Brown and 76ers next season Aug 6, 2026; Camden, NJ, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Jaylen Brown and managing partner Josh Harris pose for a photo during his introductory press conference at the Francis J. Myers Recreation Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters) The 76ers now have an opportunity to compete for their first NBA championship since 1983. Getting Jaylen Brown and LeBron James in the same offseason elevates them to that conversation, as long as injuries don't get in the way of the team's potential. Philadelphia finished with a 45-37 record last season, securing the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference standings. They stunned the Boston Celtics in a 3-1 series comeback before losing in a four-game sweep to the New York Knicks in the East Semifinals. The 76ers enjoyed an incredible offseason, adding James and Brown to the roster. They also bolstered their overall depth by signing key role players in the backcourt with Anfernee Simons and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, making the team a possibly fierce contender for the 2027 championship.