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The Boston Celtics head into an offseason filled with vital questions in need of answers, with easily the most polarizing quagmire being whether they should keep their current dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown intact.
Both All-Stars are eligible for a supermax extension this summer, which is a situation that has fans, media pundits, and league personnel issuing varying opinions. Though signs indicate that Brad Stevens and company hope to keep the band together, former Celtics big man and NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal believes it would be in everyone’s best interest to split the duo up.
“I don’t want five stars on my team. I want a guy that I can go to every night, I want a guy that’s going to lead, and I want three dogs, three others. I would prefer if they were specialists: one to be a shooter, one to be a rebounder, and one to be a fighter,” O’Neal said on The Big Three Podcast. “I would, business-wise, break [Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown] up and use one of them to get the pieces I want. I will say Tatum is the number one, use Brown to bring in a Brown-type player, and then just do it like that.”
Shaq would also go on to suggest that such a move could subsequently prove to be beneficial for Jaylen Brown if he were moved, noting that he’d finally be able to serve as a team’s full-time top option, which is something that has not been the case during his tenure with the Celtics.
“I can tell that it frustrates him to be the ‘other guy’,” O’Neal said.
Celtics Want to Re-Sign Jaylen Brown
The biggest factor when it comes to those suggesting the Celtics should consider splitting up Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown this offseason is in regard to the financial repercussions it will likely cost to keep them together.
As stated, both are eligible to receive a supermax extension this offseason, with Tatum being in the running for a new $313 million deal while Brown’s would be somewhere in the $295 million range.
Shelling out such contracts would find Boston committing over $600 million to just two players.
Despite the lofty price tag, however, during his end-of-season press conference, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens commented on Jaylen Brown’s future with the Celtics and stated that the franchise wishes to have him back.
“I’ve had nothing but great conversations with Jaylen,” Stevens told reporters. “Without a doubt, we want Jaylen to be here, and he’s a big part of us. We believe in him, and I’m thankful for him.”
Nabbing his first All-NBA selection with his efforts in 2022-23, through 67 games Brown posted his best season to date with averages of 26.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 49.1% from the field.
NBA Legend Gives Jaylen Brown Advice With Extension
During a recent sit-down with Heavy Sports NBA insider Steve Bulpett, Hall of Fame point guard and NBA legend Isiah Thomas discussed the impending contract negotiations between the Boston Celtics and Jaylen Brown.
Keeping things short and sweet, Thomas provided Bulpett with the 3-words he’ll be sharing with Brown the next time they speak to one another: “Take the money.”
He would continue on by stressing the fact that while it would be beneficial from a financial standpoint for the All-Star wing, for the Celtics, re-upping with the 26-year-old could also prove to have a positive impact on the club, similar to how his presence has done so throughout his seven-year tenure.
“Yeah, he’s been great there,” Thomas told Bulpett. “He’s had a great career there, and he’s become one of the best players in the league. They’ve done well, and he’s done well there. It’s been a win-win, I think, for him and for the Celtics.”
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