Jaylen Brown's Performance Positions Celtics For Greatness if Jayson Tatum Returns

Jaylen Brown is playing like a top 10 superstar for the Boston Celtics during the 2025-26 season, as evidenced by the 15-9 record through 24 games and the team's position within striking distance of first place in the Eastern Conference, despite the absence of Jayson Tatum from the lineup due to his Achilles tendon tear this past May.

Brown's individual greatness thus far, landing in the top 10 in points per game, usage rate, and effective field goal percentage off of his passes, is changing the team's trajectory ahead of the NBA trade deadline. Brad Stevens may not complete this grand sell-off after all.

As CBS Sports' Brad Botkin pointed out, Brown is shooting historically well from spots on the floor that were thought to have been eradicated through the rapid use of analytics in the modern NBA game.

"Brown is starting to heat up a bit from 3 (45% over his last five games), but he's basically throwing rocks in the ocean all season from the mid-range -- where he's taking a career- and league-high six shots per game and connecting on them at a 49.6% clip. Nobody other than Kevin Durant has ever shot like this, from these spots, for an entire season," Botkin wrote.

That makes the game easier for Tatum, who will likely adjust his game when he returns. At least at first, aka the 2026 postseason.

Jaylen Brown Needs To Be Celtics' First Option in Playoffs

Not to get too far ahead here, but if Joe Mazzulla is thinking playoffs, he needs to continue riding Brown's hot hand. The franchise already had to alter its identity after losing its three top big men, Al Horford, Luke Kornet, and Kristaps Porzingis, and losing a veteran Swiss Army Knife guard who played every position on the floor in Jrue Holiday. If this team is winning because of Brown and the gravity he creates, Boston must continue to play that way.

Tatum has repeatedly voiced support for his "Jay" counterpart. It's unlikely he'd balk at the idea of being more of a decoy in the 2026 postseason as Brown continues to shine.

This Celtics team plays a slow brand of basketball, predicated on Brown's isolation looks. Even if Tatum can be more of a knockdown shooter than Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser, who are all shooting career lows from beyond the arc, that'd significantly move the needle forward.

One day, when both "Jays" are at full strength, this Boston squad will go back to lording over the NBA.