Kendrick Perkins reveals Danny Ainge asked him for advice on potentially trading Jaylen Brown for James Harden

NBA analyst and retired big man Kendrick Perkins recently revealed that former Boston Celtics executive Danny Ainge asked him for advice about a potential trade last year.

During a TV appearance prior to a recent Celtics game, Perkins explained that he offered Ainge advice about a potential trade for James Harden involving Jaylen Brown.

“I was on the phone with Danny Ainge for an hour, and I remember how our conversation went,” Perkins explained. “He was like, ‘Hey, Perk, would you trade Jaylen Brown for James Harden?’ And I was like, ‘Danny, you know how I feel about Jaylen Brown, but I would trade him for James Harden.’ He was like, ‘Are you kidding me? He’s not going anywhere. He’s not even 25 and he keeps getting better.’”

Harden, of course, landed with the Brooklyn Nets when all was said and done. The Celtics kept Brown, and considering the way the youngster looked in his 46-point season opener, the organization is likely glad he’s still in Boston.

Brown is coming off of a 2020-21 campaign in which he earned his first All-Star selection. He finished the season with averages of 24.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per contest.

He made 48.4 percent of his shots from the field and 39.7 percent of his shots from deep, both of which were career-bests.

The 25-year-old is hoping to take another step forward this season. The Celtics are 1-2 on the young season and are looking to get things moving in the right direction.