After months of speculation, a decision has finally been made: The Boston Celtics and Jaylen Brown have agreed to terms on a five-year, $304 million supermax contract extension.
Though Brad Stevens has been vocal about his desire to lock up the All-Star wing for the long term, the number in which the two parties ultimately agreed to seems to have some fans questioning the decision altogether.
One Twitter user posted a quote from boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. suggesting Brown had robbed the Celtics of their financial reserves. “When it comes to legalized bank robbing, I’m the best,” the quote read.
@ShamsCharania Jaylen Brown
Another fan pointed to Brown’s struggles in the ballhandling department as a major concern following the financial commitment, stating: “Should’ve included a “learn to dribble left” incentive.”
@ShamsCharania Should’ve included a “learn to dribble left” incentive
One person also chimed in on his ball-security follies, particularly during this past postseason run, jokingly valuing each turnover committed at $1 million. In 20 playoff games in 2023, Brown turned over the ball 66 times, or 3.3 per game, which is higher than his 2.94 per-game regular season average.
@ShamsCharania That’s like $1m per turnover in the playoffs
Many others stuck to a simple response, deeming the agreed sum as an overpay.
@ShamsCharania What an over pay
Brown is coming off a career-best season with the Celtics, finishing off with stellar per-game averages of 26.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 49.1% from the field.
As a result of his efforts, the wing earned his second All-Star nod and his first All-NBA selection, the latter of which ultimately made him eligible for a supermax extension this summer.
Jaylen Brown Contract Details Explained
Brown’s new contract with the Celtics is the richest in league history according to Charania, surpassing Nikola Jokic’s five-year, $264 million extension signed with the Denver Nuggets back in 2022.
A fully guaranteed deal with no player options, according to CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn’s findings, “based on the assumed 10% growth in the salary cap (the maximum allowable within the CBA), it will pay Brown a total of $303,734,891 with an average of $60,746,978.20 per year.”
Attatched is also a lucrative “trade kicker” (simply, a financially based gesture to show that they plan to keep him for the duration of the deal), though the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach reported that it was “for less than the 15% max.”
Himmelsbach also noted that the Celtics will compensate him “on a six-month pay schedule” rather than the standard 12-month schedule, which Himmelsbach simplifies as “more money in a shorter time.”
Celtics Will Turn Sights to Jayson Tatum Extension
With the Brown contract out of the way, the Celtics will now likely be putting all their attention into gearing up for next summer’s supermax extension talks with Brown’s fellow All-NBA cohort, Jayson Tatum.
Current projections suggest that Tatum, 25, will be eligible to sign a five-year deal worth $318 million with the franchise in 2024.
Assuming Brad Stevens also rewards Tatum with a lofty trade kicker, ESPN’s Bobby Marks projects that he could realistically be looking at a total salary of $338 million, which would kick in during the 2025-26 season.
In just six seasons, Tatum has established himself as one of the league’s true superstars He’s coming off his third All-NBA and fourth All-Star campaign boasting stellar averages of 30.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.1 steals and just shy of a block per game while shooting 46.6% from the floor and 35.0% from deep.
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Celtics Blasted Following Jaylen Brown $304M Supermax Extension