Celtics president Brad Stevens on Jaylen Brown: ‘Without a doubt we want Jaylen to be here’

At his end-of-season press conference on Thursday, Boston Celtics president Brad Stevens mentioned he could not remark in particular on main points of contracts and possible extensions, however mentioned that he is had “nothing but great conversations” with Jaylen Brown and needs the All-NBA wing to stay with the franchise. 

“I can say without a doubt we want Jaylen to be here,” Stevens mentioned. “And he’s a big part of us. And we believe in him and I’m thankful for him.”

Stevens went on to reward Brown and Jayson Tatum for the best way they deal with each profitable and shedding. 

“When those guys have success, they come back to work,” Stevens mentioned. “And when they get beat, they own it and they come back to work. And so I know that that’s what they’re about. And that’s hard to find.”

After Boston’s 103-84 loss in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals on Monday, Brown mentioned that each he and the workforce “failed,” including that he had “a terrible game when my team needed me the most,” as Tatum sprained his ankle on the primary ownership. Brown had 19 issues on 8-for-23 capturing, neglected 8 of his 9 3-point makes an attempt, tried simplest two loose throws and had 5 assists and 8 turnovers within the season-ending loss. In the Celtics’ 4 losses in opposition to the Heat, Brown averaged 17.3 issues on 36.9% capturing, with 15 overall assists and 19 overall turnovers, lacking 26 of his 29 overall 3-point makes an attempt. 

Brown used to be a ways higher in Boston’s wins, despite the fact that, and, sooner than all of that, he had a very good common season. With extra utilization than ever sooner than, he averaged 22.7 issues on 57% true capturing, plus 5.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 3.3 turnovers and 1.1 steals in 37.6 mins. It would be great if the assists have been upper and the turnovers have been decrease, however Brown made the All-Star workforce for the primary time and, extra considerably, made All-NBA Second Team. 

The latter honor makes him eligible to signal a supermax contract extension in July, must the Celtics be offering it. Such a contract would get started at roughly $49 million and pay Brown greater than $285 million over 5 years.

“[Brown] had a great year,” Stevens mentioned. “All-NBA year. He’s a big part of us going forward, in our eyes.” 

The NBA’s new collective bargaining settlement comes with a lot harsher consequences for groups that move deep into the posh tax, beginning within the 2024-25 season. Brown’s extension would not kick in till that season, and Boston may theoretically get a deal carried out and keep away from the posh tax solely in 2023-24, however this will require losing some wage and letting Grant Williams, who is ready to be a limited loose agent, stroll. 

Signing Brown to the supermax would nearly usually make the Celtics a tax workforce in 2024-25, despite the fact that, and from there they are going to be a few of the groups doing cap gymnastics attempting to skirt the scary “second apron.” Tatum made All-NBA this season, too, so he’s going to be eligible in the summertime of 2024 to signal a supermax projected at about $295 million over 5 years.

“Every team’s going to have to make tough decisions every year,” Stevens mentioned. “Right? But at the end of the day we love our foundation, we love our core, and that’s really our focus and priority.”