Getty Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
During the 2022 off-season, the Boston Celtics were rumored to be floating Jaylen Brown in trade discussions for Kevin Durant after he had handed in a trade request to the Brooklyn Nets.
In a recent interview with The Ringer’s Logan Murdock, Brown revealed that he orchestrated a three-way phone call between himself, Jayson Tatum, and Brad Stevens as the rumors began to swirl, seeking clarity on his role within the organization and whether there was any substance to the chatter in the media.
Jaylen Brown says he called Jayson Tatum and Brad Stevens on a 3-way after he saw his name in Kevin Durant trade talks
“[KD] and JT are friends. They was working out together and whatnot. So, I wasn’t sure what the energy was. I wasn’t sure what the direction of the…
“Once we all got together and kind of talked it through, we all left on the same page,” Brown said. “But the actions that was taking place during that time, it just didn’t seem like that was the direction that the organization was going in. I don’t know. It was hard to tell, at least.”
The Celtics ultimately kept Brown on their roster, opting not to trade for Durant, who stayed with Brooklyn until leaving around the trade deadline, joining the Phoenix Suns and returning to the Western Conference.
Jaylen Brown is Unlikely to Commit to Boston
According to an Eastern Conference GM, who spoke with Heavy on Sports Sean Deveney under the condition of anonymity, there is little chance that Brown is going to publicly commit to the Celtics before he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2024.
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“Jaylen is a smart man, he kind of sees through some of the BS of the league,” The GM said. “It would be of no advantage to him to come out and say, ‘Hell yeah, I want to stay in Boston and I’ll sign whatever they give me.’ That might be the popular answer, but he is not going to give the popular answer. Things change fast in the NBA, and who knows where they might be in two years?”
Brown has been enjoying one of his best seasons in the league, compiling averages of 26.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists over 61 games while shooting 49.2% from the field and 34.4% from the perimeter.
Jaylen Brown is Enjoying His Role on The Celtics
When speaking to the media during the All-Star weekend’s media availability, Brown discussed his current role on the Celtics, sharing that he enjoys being a vital cog in the team’s rotation and understands the role in which he’s needed to play.
Jaylen Brown on his partnership with Jayson Tatum:
“The ultimate goal for me and Jayson has always been to win games.”
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“It takes sacrifice. You know, on my behalf, it’s definitely a lot of opportunities that you can be a guy, but the ultimate goal for me and Jayson has always been to win games. So, when you see team dynamics, there’s nothing wrong with doing your job on a team. Throughout my career, I’ve learned to be and play the role that’s been needed for me to play. And, I think that’s part of why the success has been able to happen. Being able to humble yourself…there’s no problem being a great team guy and winning here in Boston,” Brown said.
The Celtics will return to action on Friday, March 24, when they face off against the Indiana Pacers in their first contest since returning from their six-game road trip.