For the second time in four years, the Boston Celtics were reportedly willing to trade Jaylen Brown. In the summer of 2022, it was for Kevin Durant. This time, it was for Giannis Antetokounmpo. With the two-time MVP taking his talents to South Beach instead of the South End, the NBA turned its attention to what's next for Brown and Boston.
After the first round of this year's draft, in which the Celtics selected Chris Cenac Jr. with the No. 27 pick, Brad Stevens addressed the team's relationship with a star wing who again found his name in a trade offer.
The team's president of basketball operations said that the two sides have met multiple times this offseason, including at the end of May and before Brown's most recent trip overseas.
"Spent a lot of time just the two of us, sitting down together, and then have been like, like every offseason, in regular touch with his agent all the way through the last couple of days," shared Stevens. "With all the rumor mill and all that stuff, and [his] name being splashed all over the place, that's not easy, but we certainly wanted to be as proactive and upfront with that as possible, and I thought we had really good, candid conversations."
Brad Stevens addresses Jaylen Brown's future with the Celtics
The third question directed at the front office's architect, as he sat at a podium on one of the two courts at The Auerbach Center, was whether Brown would be on Boston's roster when the 2026-27 season gets underway.
"Jaylen Brown's a big part of us," stated Stevens. "I'm never going to predict the future, but like every indication, everything that I think about is with, over the past few years, has been building around those guys, right? And so, obviously, you never know, but at the same time, I think the one thing I want to make very clear is how valued he's always been. He's been amazing. He's been an amazing teammate, [a] great person to be around.
"And you know, whether that run ends 10 years from now, when he retires, or before, there's a lot to celebrate, and we have a great relationship, and an open relationship, where we talk about everything, but I don't want to predict the future, but I look at it as this is our team."
There wasn't a definitive statement that, under no circumstances, will the Celtics trade Jaylen Brown. While that would have put this to bed, erasing any doubts about where he will play next year, expecting such a declaration wouldn't have been realistic.
Who's to say another franchise won't make a compelling enough offer to pry the five-time All-Star from Boston? The easiest place to look is a deal with the New Orleans Pelicans centered around burgeoning wing Trey Murphy III. However, the better player would be heading outbound.
It highlights that the front office may have deemed breaking up Brown and Jayson Tatum to acquire Antetokounmpo as a worthwhile blockbuster. However, outside of that, their preference is to move forward with their franchise cornerstones.
Brown has three years left on his contract. He can demand a trade if, in his opinion, their pursuit of Giannis has severed their partnership. The Celtics aren't obligated to oblige. However, if they can't smooth the situation over, they'd likely agree to send him elsewhere.
A contract extension could help ease any tension. The two-time All-NBA Second Team selection becomes eligible for one on Jul. 26. It would tack two years and $139 million onto the $183 left on his deal. It was a subject Stevens got asked about but could not address on the heels of the draft.
Celtics have kept open communication with Brown
However, what is clear is that the Celtics have been honest and up front with the Marietta, Georgia, native. The sense here is that he was not blindsided by their attempt to land Antetokounmpo. It speaks to the open dialogue and health of the relationship between Brown and the organization he has spent his entire career in.
One of the most successful eras in franchise history could still end this summer. However, as combustible as this situation could have been, it appears that the Celtics want No. 7 on their roster next season. How he feels about that is anyone's guess.
Brown just got to validate his vision and silence skeptics about what he can do while shouldering more responsibility. Even after finally getting that opportunity and seeing that it went as he believed it would, the best path forward for both sides is probably to continue marching together.
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