GM Says Jaylen Brown Could Jump Ship, Leave Celtics for East Rival

Jaylen Brown‘s future with the Boston Celtics is currently a hot topic among the fan base, with opinions split on whether the All-Star wing is planning to remain with the team once his contract expires in 2024.

According to an Eastern Conference GM, who spoke with Heavy on Sports Sean Deveney under the condition of anonymity, Brown could potentially leave the Celtics in the summer of 2024, with the Atlanta Hawks appearing to be a genuine contender for his signature.

“One reason the Hawks are trying to unload (John) Collins is to get that cap space and be in position to add someone, another star, with Trae,” one Eastern Conference executive said. “It is not easy to get free agents to Atlanta but Jaylen Brown would be different—they want to be in position, at least, to make a move if he wants to be there. I think there is not question they are watching the situation with him. Closely.”

Brown has been fantastic for the Celtics this season, averaging 26.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 49.2% from the field and 34.4% from three-point range in 61 games.

Dominique Wilkins Heaps Praise on Jaylen Brown

Following the Celtics’ March 11 victory over the Hawks, Dominique Wilkins gave his opinion on Brown’s development since entering the league, having followed his career since his high-school days.

“I watched him when he was a young man here in Atlanta,” Wilkins said, “To see his growth and what he’s come to be — he was like a man amongst boys back then because of his physicality and he was so much bigger and stronger than those guys…He’s developed each and every year because he wants to be one of the best to play this game. I’ve always been a fan of his. I’ve always appreciated how hard he plays. He plays with no fear and doesn’t mind banging down there with bigger guys. A lot of things that he’s doing, it reminds me of myself.”

Jaylen Brown Enjoyes Playing in Atlanta

After facing the Hawks on their homecourt back in November 2022, Brown revealed his enjoyment of playing in front of a hometown crowd and noted how nice it is to see familiar faces when back in the city.

“It’s always fun coming back home, seeing some familiar faces,” Brown said. “Seeing people that you seen growing up, seeing family, seeing friends — courtside — giving you support, showing you love. Leaving after the game, people chanting my name. Like, I grew up and went to high school — I went to Marietta — probably 15, 20 minutes away from here. Growing up, I went to a lot of Hawks games.

Brown’s contract is set to run until the end of the 2024 season, when he will then become an unrestricted free agent and be free to discuss contractual terms with other team’s around the league. However, the Celtics will continue to hold out hope that Brown is named to an All-NBA team this season, which would make him eligible for a super-max contract and could be the ideal way to keep him in Boston for the best years of his career.