We’re less than a month away from the Boston Celtics’ preseason opener. The Oct. 8 matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies gives fans their first opportunity to get a look at the many new faces who will be wearing green this season.
Boston moved on from many of their rotation staples over the summer. Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis headed to new homes in a pair of salary-shedding trades, while Luke Kornet and Al Horford (presumably) signed contracts elsewhere in free agency.
There is still some familiarity in Boston, though. Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser remain as rotation staples. Brown, in particular, is primed for his first solo stint in the spotlight, as Jayson Tatum recovers from his ruptured Achilles.
Not only will he be taking on an added responsibility, but he’ll be doing so alongside plenty of new teammates.
"It’s definitely going to be a transition,” Brown said during an interview with V-103 Radio in Atlanta. “A lot of my guys are no longer with us. They alive, [laughs] but they, you know, they’ve moved on, transitioned, they gone to another team. But nah, so it’s going to be different this year. We got some new players, but it’s a great opportunity to show my leadership, you know? Kind of welcome guys into the organization, welcome guys onto the team, and try to come out there and make some noise."
Jaylen Brown's leadership will be a significant storyline this season
Brown showed tremendous promise as a leader after Tatum went down in the playoffs. His performance in the Celtics’ Game 5 win over the New York Knicks at TD Garden. The former No. 3 overall pick stepped big time, scoring 26 points and dishing a career-high 12 assists while hitting the glass hard and wreaking havoc defensively.
His ability to shift his game to what the team needed most that night was remarkable. Of course, the Knicks ended the Cs’ season in the following game, but Brown’s effort in the do-or-die spot at home was commendable.
The 28-year-old has leaned into a leadership role in Boston quite a bit over the past few seasons.
“One, I’m the longest-tenured Celtic. I’ve been here the longest, so even though we don’t necessarily have it written down, the team moves to the things me and Jayson do,” Brown said of seeing himself as the team’s captain back in February. “I feel like my team relies on me to be the leader, the vocal leader. I’ve taken that role, and defensively, being the head of the snake, taking on those matchups, my team feeds off that.”
If the Celtics fall flat this season, some may blame Brown, but the roster simply isn’t what it’s been over the past few years. If they overachieve, however, the 2024 Finals MVP’s legacy in Boston will be even further cemented. As grim as these past few months have been for Celtics fans, they’ve opened the door for Brown to win over his doubters.