Jaylen Brown noncommittal about future in Boston

The New York Times wasn't the only publication to feature an extensive interview with Jaylen Brown this month. Today The Ringer released theirs and among other things Jaylen Brown didn't exactly sound like a man with a strong intention to re-sign with the Celtics. He didn't sound like someone with one foot out the door either. Just non-commital when asked about remaining in Boston.

“I don’t know. As long as I’m needed. It’s not up to me. We’ll see how they feel about me over time and I feel about them over time. Hopefully, whatever it is, it makes sense. But I will stay where I’m wanted. I will stay where I’m needed and treated correct. I just enjoy the time that you have now. If it’s your whole career, it’s your whole career. If it’s not, it’s not. Some of the greatest players of all time haven’t finished with their organization. Michael Jordan retired a Wizard.”

Jaylen was apparently peeved about not only his name being mentioned in Kevin Durant trade rumors last summer, but also the fact that his fellow Boston star Jayson Tatum was working out with Durant.

It was not too long ago that Celtics stars wouldn't dream of wanting out of Boston. Isiah Thomas, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Antoine Walker to name a few loved playing in Boston. Then the Kyrie Irving trade happened and he was the first star to leave despite a max offer. Jaylen it should be noted played with Kyrie during his brief Boston tenure and remain close.

Now one of the ways an athlete feels "wanted" is by getting a max offer. Brown is eligible for a mega max contract this summer if he makes an All-NBA team. If this happens expect Brown to re-sign with the Celtics. That doesn't mean he plans to remain here long term. It's just that in the current NBA, star players tend to sign for the biggest contract possible and then if they don't like where they are at they force a trade to a more desired location.

I don't see a scenario where Jaylen just walks and the Celtics get nothing. He will either re-sign and stay, be traded in a sign-and-trade, or re-sign and ask for a trade soon after. Due to how good a player Brown is he has that power.

At this point I'm not sure what else Boston can do. You can't force someone to love you back if they don't want to. Winning of course cures a ton. If Boston can at least make it back to the NBA Finals, you'll read a ton about how great their chemistry is and how the "energy shifted" and Brown is much more likely to want to stay long term.


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