Celtics linked to blockbuster trade proposal for De'Aaron Fox and Brandon Miller

A trade machine pitch just blew up three rosters that thought they were done

Just when it looked like the 2026 offseason dust had settled, a three-team trade scenario floated on the Fanspo trade machine is making the rounds and it's chaotic enough to be worth talking about. The pitch would send De'Aaron Fox and Brandon Miller to the Boston Celtics, ship Paul George off to the San Antonio Spurs, and leave the Charlotte Hornets loaded with draft capital in return.

To be clear: this is a fan-built proposal, not a confirmed deal. But the logic behind it is strong enough that it's worth breaking down exactly what each side would be giving up and why all three front offices might actually consider it.

The full breakdown of the proposed trade

• Celtics receive: De'Aaron Fox, Brandon Miller, Liam McNeeley
• Spurs receive: Paul George, an extra first-round pick
• Hornets receive: Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, three first-round picks

In other words, Boston gives up George, its two rotation veterans, and a trio of first-round picks in exchange for a locked-in All-Star point guard and a young wing scorer. San Antonio flips Fox for a rental at forward plus an extra pick. Charlotte, already stripped down this offseason, walks away with the biggest asset haul of anyone in the deal.

Why De'Aaron Fox and Brandon Miller make sense for Boston

Fox just signed a four-year max extension worth roughly $222 million, starting at $49.4 million this season according to figures compiled by HoopsHype. The two-time All-Star out of Kentucky was acquired by San Antonio midseason in 2024-25 and helped push the Spurs all the way to the 2026 Finals before an ankle injury sapped his shooting down the stretch.

Miller, the No. 2 overall pick out of Alabama in 2023, quietly turned in a strong third season, averaging 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, per his official NBA.com profile. He underwent shoulder surgery in May and is targeting training camp for his return. Under normal circumstances, he'd be Charlotte's clear offensive centerpiece unless a deal like this one moves him first.

Also included for Boston: 20-year-old Liam McNeeley, Charlotte's No. 29 pick in 2025, who posted modest rookie numbers but flashed real shooting touch in the G League.

The George trade-off: a 36-year-old rental for two building blocks

George, 36, is a nine-time All-Star who has averaged more than 20 points a game across a career that's taken him through five different jerseys since 2010 — Indiana, Oklahoma City, the Clippers, Philadelphia, and now Boston. He waived a $3.9 million trade bonus after landing with the Celtics in July, according to Boston.com's Khari Thompson, keeping his cap hit at $54.1 million with a $56.6 million player option still on the horizon.

Boston already showed its hand once this offseason when it moved Jaylen Brown to bring in George — a signal that two max-salary wings simply didn't fit together. Flipping George for Fox and Miller essentially trades a 36-year-old on a two-year deal for a 28-year-old point guard locked up through 2030 and a 23-year-old scorer who can create his own shot next to Jayson Tatum. The cost for Boston: three first-round picks, two steady rotation pieces in Pritchard and Hauser, and a roster hard-capped at the first apron.

Spurs and Hornets: two very different bets on the future

San Antonio just reached the Finals with Fox running the point alongside Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper — a backcourt that's already getting crowded now that Fox is locked into a max deal. Trading him for a George rental plus an extra first-round pick lets the Spurs lean fully into their young core while handing Wembanyama a proven wing defender. The bet only pays off if George, who's battled injuries the last two seasons, can actually stay on the floor.

Charlotte, meanwhile, walks away with the richest asset haul in the deal: three first-round picks plus win-now veterans in Hauser and Pritchard. That comes after the Hornets already gutted their roster this offseason, trading LaMelo Ball to Minnesota and Miles Bridges to Phoenix, per Bleacher Report. Losing Miller means giving up their best player, but general manager Jeff Peterson appears to be building around draft capital and Kon Knueppel's development curve rather than chasing wins this season.

Does the math actually work for everyone?

On paper, it's a three-way bet on very different timelines. Boston is betting on youth over name recognition, swapping out a soon-to-be-37-year-old for two players still on the rise. San Antonio is betting that a rental veteran buys valuable development time for its young core. Charlotte is betting that three first-round picks are worth more than a 23-year-old scorer on a roster that's already lost its two best players this summer.

It's still just a trade machine pitch, not a real offer on the table — but the outline holds together well enough that it's easy to see why it's generating buzz.

Whether it's this exact deal or something close to it, don't be shocked if Boston's front office keeps shopping — the Celtics clearly aren't finished retooling around Tatum just yet.