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Boston Celtics: Should Jaylen Brown Get Time with the Starters?

By Joshua Bateman

Oct 4, 2016; Amherst, MA, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown (7) prepares to shoot the ball past Philadelphia 76ers guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (20) during the second half at William D. Mullins Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 4, 2016; Amherst, MA, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown (7) prepares to shoot the ball past Philadelphia 76ers guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (20) during the second half at William D. Mullins Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /
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Could Jaylen Brown get some time as a small ball three with the starters?

Jaylen Brown is not currently in a position to be fighting for a spot on the starting rotation. The Boston Celtics feel comfortable with their starters and there are multiple players on the second unit that have a better chance of that upgrade than Brown. That being said, Stevens always uses creative lineups, and Brown could be a great addition to a deadly small ball lineup with the starting unit.

With Jae Crowder moved over to the four, Brown could get time playing the three. That gives the Celtics a bit more size than if Marcus Smart plays in that spot, and that gives Stevens a new way of attacking opponents.

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With Brown in that small ball lineup, the Celtics could reach their peak versatility. If Smart got time with that unit at the point, then they would also be at their peak defensively. Having Brown in that lineup also gives Crowder a bit more freedom. Brown is in a stronger position to help Crowder defend the four, and that can allow Crowder to move over a but more on the defensive end if the matchup calls for it.

Smart has shown a unique ability to be a great undersized defender. but Brown can give them size match ups that they can feel more comfortable with, allowing the guards to be in their natural defensive positions.

Brown being in that lineup would likely be taking the place of Amir Johnson (with Crowder at the four) and that gives the Celtics an explosiveness and athleticism boost. When the Celtics play smaller they also play faster. They want to spend more time in transition and that is where Brown can be one of the most deadly players on the team.

Johnson and Smart should both be more fundamentally sound defenders that Brown, but he brings an added dimension that Stevens will certainly want to try out. He may not be featured in the majority of those small ball lineups, and he needs to expect more time with the second unit players, but he has an opportunity to have an impact with the starters.

Oct 8, 2016; Uncasville, CT, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown (7) goes up for a dunk in the 2nd quarter during a pre-season game at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 8, 2016; Uncasville, CT, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown (7) goes up for a dunk in the 2nd quarter during a pre-season game at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports /

The key for Brown will be getting comfortable with those players. The Celtics always look to get an advantage from those small ball lineups and they cannot afford to have Brown in there if he is struggling to play in rhythm and is disrupting the cohesion of that unit. Brown has proven that he can pay with the necessary aggressiveness and the amount of time he spends in the gym could make for a quick adjustment period in terms of understanding how he needs to play.

Brown will need to earn this kind of spot if he wants to get it. The Celtics have a lot of versatility on their roster, and there are multiple players who can play the three in their small ball lineups. Both Smart and even Tery Rozier could get an opportunity at that spot and they have Gerald Green also in a position to play the three, and he can be a much better three point option.

Brown, however, has the best combination of size and defensive versatility out of that group, and that is exactly what the Celtics could use in that position. The Celtics should feel comfortable about the offense they will get out of the usual starters. Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley and Al Horford should be able to carry whoever else is playing alongside them on offense, and Brown can focus all his energy in making life miserable for his opponents.

With the way Brown has started off the preseason, expectations continue to rise. It is still very difficult to gauge what ind of role he will end up having once the real games start, but he has to be the favourite to be the number two small forward. If Green is going to play the majority of his time at the two, then Brown is their most important small forward depth, and that is crucial to any small ball lineups, whether they are with the starters or not.

Brown can also give the Celtics a much needed rebounding boost. Horford will make the biggest difference in that area, but so much small ball made the Celtics one of the worst rebounding teams in the league. With Brown at the three, all of a sudden their size is not too far behind, and they continue to play with all the benefits of going small.

Brown can be one of the more unique weapons on the Celtics, and it will be fascinating to see how Stevens decides to use him this season. Brown is in a similar position to where Smart was his rookie season. It is understood that Brown needs time to develop, and he could struggle on offense for quite some time. That being said, he has proven that he has the ability to contribute in many different ways.

Brown is taking an approach that is similar to that of Smart and even Crowder, and his unique physical ability should allow him to have an impact throughout the rookie adjustments.

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The amount of playing time is impossible to tell at this point, but Stevens has a great small ball weapon in Brown, and he should at least get an opportunity to prove that he can help the starting unit in certain situations.

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