What happened: Boston sent Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers this week, closing a nine-season run that included a championship. Attention now turns to Las Vegas Summer League next weekend, where No. 27 pick Chris Cenac Jr. headlines a Celtics group that also features Hugo Gonzalez, second-round pick Dillon Mitchell and two-way returnee Amari Williams.
Why it matters: The Brown trade removes a franchise cornerstone, so Boston's path back to contention leans on the newcomers developing quickly alongside veteran additions Paul George, Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley. Cenac entered his Houston season projected as a lottery pick before sliding to 27, and Summer League is his first chance to show why fans are buying in — he has framed his game around defense, rebounding and doing whatever a winning team needs.
By the numbers: Cenac averaged 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game at Houston, where teammate Kingston Flemings rose to the No. Gonzalez posted 16 points, five rebounds and five assists on 4-of-7 three-point shooting in Spain's FIBA qualifier Thursday. Brown and Jayson Tatum went 332-167 in the regular season and 73-48 in the playoffs over nine years together in Boston.
What to watch: Cenac, Gonzalez, Mitchell and Williams take the floor in Las Vegas next weekend, with Gonzalez expected to join despite his Spanish national-team duties.