Brad Stevens says it's 'likely' Celtics retire Jaylen Brown's No. 7 jersey

Traded away, but still Celtics royalty

It's a strange kind of tribute: the same front office that just shipped Jaylen Brown out of town is now talking about hanging his number from the rafters. Boston Celtics president Brad Stevens told the Boston Globe that retiring Brown's No. 7 jersey is "likely" once the dust settles a sign that, business decisions aside, the organization still views him as one of its own.

The trade that ended a decade in Boston

Brown's exit came earlier this offseason as the Celtics scrambled to get out from under the NBA's punishing second apron. Boston sent Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in a deal that brought back Paul George and two first-round picks a return many around the league called light, especially considering Brown was fresh off an All-NBA Second Team season.

The move had reportedly been discussed for a while, but the timing and the modest haul still caught fans off guard. Brown spent all 10 seasons of his career in green, forming one of the most productive duos of his era alongside Jayson Tatum.

A championship legacy that speaks for itself

Brown and Tatum didn't just compete year after year in a loaded Eastern Conference they eventually broke through. In 2024, the duo delivered Boston's 18th championship in franchise history, cementing Brown's place among the greats to wear the jersey.

That title run is the backbone of the case for retiring his number. Few players get to say they helped end a title drought and reach the mountaintop in a city as demanding as Boston and Brown did exactly that before his run in green came to an abrupt end.

Joining the most crowded rafters in the NBA

If it happens, Brown's No. 7 would join the Celtics' NBA-leading collection of retired jerseys — currently sitting at 24 numbers, more than any other franchise in the league. Some critics argue Boston hands out the honor too freely, but the counterargument is simple: few organizations have produced this many legitimate franchise legends.

• Celtics currently have 24 retired jersey numbers the most in the NBA
• Brown played all 10 of his NBA seasons in Boston before the trade
• He and Tatum won the 2024 championship together
• Brown made the All-NBA Second Team the year before he was traded

What comes next for Brown's Boston legacy

Timing matters here. Stevens' comments suggest the Celtics aren't rushing the process  and given how fresh the trade still is, that's probably the right call. As Stevens himself put it in essence, time tends to heal these things, and by the time Boston is ready to make it official, the emotions around Brown's departure should have settled.

For now, Brown moves on to a new chapter in Philadelphia, paired with a fresh set of expectations. But whatever happens with the Sixers, his place in Celtics history already looks secure.