NBA
Jaylen Brown Faces Uncertain Future With The Celtics
When Marcus Smart and the Boston Celtics came to a four year, $52 million contract extension, the Celtics fanbase rejoiced. Smart, going into his fifth NBA season, is often referred to as the heart and soul of this Celtics team. His hustle and willingness to do all the little things right on the basketball court is how he has made a name for himself in the NBA. His contract appeared to be a steal to some, but raised question marks to others (me included). What does Smart’s contract mean for the rising superstar that is Jaylen Brown?
The 2018 playoffs was Brown’s stage to show the NBA world what he can do, and he didn’t disappoint. In 18 playoff appearances, Brown averaged 18 points and 4.8 rebounds per contest. Alongside Jayson Tatum, Brown was able to assert himself as a rising star in the league. Brown, who will be going into his third NBA season, started all 70 games he appeared in during the 2017-18 campaign. Although he was the starter at shooting guard, Brown and Smart split minutes throughout the entire regular season. With the Celtics showing some love to Smart by gifting him a 4 year extension, that will undoubtedly stunt the growth of Brown.
Jaylen Brown Could Be The Next James Harden
We could see Brown come off the bench in a similar way James Harden did for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Even if Brown is the designated starter, his minutes will continue to be split with Smart. This all comes with incorporating him into an offense that features All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. The former of which will be going into a contract year, trying to prove he is worth max money. Unquestionably, this will hurt Brown as he tries to progress into an All-Star himself. With there not being a enough basketball to go around, expect his numbers to become stagnant during his third season. As years go by, it can be expected that someone in Brown’s camp, or Brown himself, will become disgruntled with the situation.
The Celtics Have To Make Sure Jaylen Brown Is Happy
As of right now, his future with the Celtics is in question. Celtics coach Brad Stevens goal this year should be to play Brown at least 35 minutes a game. If not, we could see Brown as an All-Star for another team as early as 2020. Stevens and Danny Ainge, who’s the president of basketball operations for the Celtics, now have the pressure on them to keep Brown happy with his current role in Boston.
Photo Credit
Featured Image courtesy of The Wing
