Getty Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Rumors surrounding the future of Boston Celtics’ star Jaylen Brown continue to swirl, despite him having another year left on his current contract.
However, as one of the Celtics’ star players, Brown’s future is of the utmost importance to the franchise, and the fanbase, so the concern is understandable. Unfortunately for those Celtics fans, it appears that Brown’s eyes could be focused on a potential move away from Boston once his current contract expires as he searches for an opportunity to lead his own team.
During an April 14 guest appearance on the Green With Envy podcast, NBA Insider Howard Beck shared the rumblings he’s heard around the league regarding Brown’s future.
“For players in Jaylen Brown’s position, who were drafted to this team,” Beck said. “You didn’t choose the team. You may like the team. You may like your teammates. You may have great regard for the organization. It’s still not the team you chose or the city you chose. And you may have other priorities. But the one thing I’ve heard about Jaylen Brown…What I’d heard from people around the league over the last couple of years was this constant theme of not the whole Jaylen versus Jayson thing. It’s not about whether or not they get along. Or about whether they like each other like playing together or everything else.”
Beck detailed in regards to the rumors that have followed Brown and Jayson Tatum throughout their time together in Boston, rumors that both players have batted away on multiple occasions.
“It’s more about Jaylen Brown, having made some of the leaps he’s made in the last few years. Something else comes behind that often in this league. And it’s even what we saw with Kyrie and leaving LeBron; sometimes, you just want your own space to really stretch yourself and be the leader of a team. Sometimes you don’t want to be second banana; sometimes, you want the chance to be not just the scoring leader, the usage leader, but the locker room leader. You want your own team.”
Brown, 26, has been performing at an elite level this season, putting himself in a position to earn an All-NBA nod thanks to a statline of 26.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game on 57.6% shooting from two-point range and a 33.5% conversion rate from the perimeter.
Rockets Could Have Interest in Jaylen Brown
If Brown truly values being the focal point of a team, the Houston Rockets could provide him with what he’s looking for as they search for a route back toward the top of the Western Conference.
According to a recent report by Rockets insider John Granato, Houston could potentially be interested in securing a deal for Brown via trade of 2024 free agency.
INSIDER: Rockets to Pursue JAYLEN BROWN, Go In “NEW DIRECTION”
“Yesterday, I got some insight into the Rockets organization bringing in veterans,” Granato said. “They’re going to do that. I’m going to tell you this. You’re gonna hear a lot of noise about Jaylen Brown. He wants out of Boston. It’s the same as Harde. Daryl Morey thought Harden had star-level ability, which he did. There are guys in this rotation right now that are going to be bench players. They’re not satisfied. I don’t think Tillman is going to be afraid of Ime Udoka.” It would be interesting to see whether Brown would entertain joining the Rockets or whether he would prefer to find himself in a position to lead a team and compete for championships immediately.
Jaylen Brown Sounds Off on All-NBA
When speaking to The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn during a recent interview, Brown discussed his All-NBA candidacy, elaborating on why he believes he deserves to make one of the three teams.
“You look at the criteria for the last 20 years & I ultimately fit that criteria”
Jaylen Brown talks with @ChrisForsberg_ about the possibility of earning All-NBA honors
“I think I’m more than deserving. This is the second-best team in the league. I’ve played nothing but winning basketball, helped lead my team and I’m in the [top] 10 in scoring and I’m efficient. I guess you look at the criteria, and I think I more than meet it. We’ve dominated for the most part of the season. I’ve been available. What more do people want,” Jaylen Brown said.
If Brown is selected to an All-NBA team this year, he will become eligible for a supermax contract extension with the Celtics, which would likely test his desire to lead his own team, given the amount of money he would be leaving on the table.
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Jaylen Brown’s Desire to Lead his Own Team: Insights from Around the NBA