Celtics Jaylen Brown Urged to Chase Supermax Eligibility

Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

Getty Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics saw Jayson Tatum take another leap last season, earning All-NBA honors as a result.

Now, as we gear up for a new season, it’s Jaylen Brown’s turn to chase a coveted All-NBA spot, not only for the recognition but also because of the possibilities making such a team can unlock. You see, should Brown find himself on an All-NBA team, he would become eligible for a ‘Supermax’ contract once his current deal expires – meaning his earning potential would skyrocket.

With that in mind, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley labeled Brown as the Celtics player with the most to lose in this upcoming season, as we’re talking significant amounts of additional income.

“He (Brown) has a chance to make himself supermax-eligible, but only if he stays in Boston. To get such a colossal payday, he must make an All-NBA team, capture the MVP or earn Defensive Player of the Year. Sounds simple enough, right? Obviously, any would be incredible feats, but so would the reward: a possible five-year, $273 million pact with the Shamrocks down the line,” Buckley wrote on September 15.

Given how Brown performed throughout the post-season, and specifically in the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, where he averaged 23.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 34% from deep and 43.1% from the field, it’s fair to assume the Georgia native is capable of reaching one of those milestones if he plays to his full potential.


Brown’s Off-Season Workouts Make Headlines

We’re all aware of Jaylen Brown’s incredible off-season workouts, from boxing drills with his grandpa during the COVID pandemic, to the more recent underwater training with his skills coach. Nothing ever seems to be off the table when it comes to the 25-year-old’s search for improvements.

We shouldn’t be surprised, then, that renowned NBA trainer Chris Brickley recently released a video of Brown participating in a scrimmage, to which the trainer noted that the Celtics’ stars’ performance was one of the best he’s seen at the ‘Black Ops Basketball’ run.

“My Brodie @fchwpo (Jaylen Brown) is VERY ELITE!!! One of the best performances I’ve seen in a @blackops.basketball run,” Brickley wrote in the caption of the video.

Interestingly, wasn’t the only player in attendance, as he was joined by Hip-Hop megastar J Cole, along with a handful of other NBA talent who were looking to get some additional reps in.


Semi Ojeleye Heaps Praise on Brown & Tatum’s Mentality

Although Boston fell short in their quest for an NBA championship last season, it was another step in the right direction for their young core and was a stellar debut season for first-time head coach Ime Udoka. Yet, regardless of how the season ended, neither Brown’s nor Jayson Tatum’s dominance should quickly be forgotten, as the duo faced down some of the best talents the league has to offer.

Boston has been buoyed by both of their star’s rapid development in recent seasons, and neither wing looks like they’re willing to take their foot off the gas anytime soon. When asked about the growth of Brown and Tatum, former Celtics forward Semi Ojeleye, who was speaking to CelticsBlog as part of an exclusive interview, noted how it’s their mental approach to the game that sets them apart.

“You can always tell that they have a vision of where they want to end up and how good they want to be. And you see this throughout their career, especially, you know, coming in with, JT and watching JB grow, even though he was in the league when I was. Like seeing their game grow, you can see that it’s part of their mentality and that’s both in how they approach the game physically and how they approach the game mentally,” Ojeleye said during the September 15 interview.

As such, we shouldn’t be shocked if Brown takes another leap in his development, nor if we see both of Boston’s star wings make it onto an All-NBA team this season, as they continue to prove themselves as some of the best talents throughout the NBA.