NBA Insider Provides Intel-Based Perspective on Jaylen Brown, Celtics' Negotiations

It's in the Celtics and their stars' best interest to extend the partnership between Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.

Trying to get a read on Celtics' president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens, at his end-of-season press conference, he came across as genuine in his belief Boston's better off making "small tweaks" this summer.

The same applies to him tipping his hand that the franchise plans to offer Jaylen Brown a five-year, $295 million veteran supermax extension.

"We love our foundation," stated Stevens. "We love our core. And that's really our focus and priority."

"I've had nothing but great conversations with Jaylen," the Celtics' president of basketball operations went on to share, adding, "We want Jaylen to be here, and he's a big part of us. We believe in him."

"I'm really thankful for, when those guys have success, they come back to work. And when they get beat, they own it, and they come back to work. So, I know that's what they're about. And that's hard to find...Those qualities, they aren't for everybody. Jaylen had a great year, (an) All-NBA year, and he's a big part of us moving forward in our eyes."

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Stevens is a skilled poker player who keeps his cards close to his vest -- the trades for Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon not leaking before getting agreed to are prime examples.

But it seems like the organization's being transparent about its plans to see what Brown and Jayson Tatum can accomplish together in their primes.

As this author previously outlined, trading the two-time All-Star is a gamble best not made.

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Brown and Tatum have led Boston to the Eastern Conference Finals in four of their first six years together, including coming within two wins of Banner 18.

Even the best players in NBA history rarely win a championship before turning 27. Tatum's 25, and Brown is 26.

There's also the difficulty in finding a trade that doesn't require a talent downgrade. And even with the restrictive nature of the league's new collective bargaining agreement, the Celtics can extend the Georgia native, give this partnership two more years while keeping most of the rotation intact, then decide how best to proceed.

If Boston determines it wants to pivot, Brown will be 28 and have plenty of suitors.

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In an appearance on The Ryen Russillo Podcast, The Athletic's Shams Charania conveyed the following about negotiations between the Celtics and their star wing.

"Every team is gonna be monitoring Jaylen Brown. If you have cap space, if you don't have cap space, if you're a young team, you're an old team, every team is gonna be monitoring a guy like Jaylen Brown. I don't know how much it is Jaylen vs. how much it is all these teams that for sure want him.

"If you're looking at it from Boston's perspective, you have two guys in their mid-20s, arguably, two guys that are top-10 to 20 NBA players in this league. Jaylen Brown was voted to the All-NBA Second Team, Jayson Tatum All-NBA First Team. And that extension, that supermax extension, five years, almost $300 million...What does Boston do? If you don't offer that, do you ruffle feathers? Where does that leave you with a guy like Jaylen Brown?"

Charania continued, "I think this is something where you assume it's offered to an extent because even if you a year from now or two years from now, you feel like, 'ok, we've got to break these guys up,' or 'we want to go a different direction with this team,' you want to have guys under contract. And I think at that point, if it is offered, it's gonna end up being Jaylen Brown's decision.

The Athletic's NBA insider then expressed, "I think from a lot of perspectives, optically, it's, do these guys want to play with each other?"

Responding to his own question, Charania pointed to his sit-down interview with Brown, who voiced he loves playing with Tatum, and the latter's making clear he wants this partnership to continue.

Doing so seems like how this will most likely play out, and it's in the Celtics' best interest to see what their star tandem can accomplish together in their primes.

Further Reading

If Celtics Trade Malcolm Brogdon, Here's a Realistic Return Who'd Be a Better Fit

Exploring Potential Payton Pritchard Trades

After Hiring Sam Cassell, Celtics Linked to Another Top Assistant

Stephen Silas, Target for Celtics Coaching Staff, Signs with Detroit Pistons

Sam Cassell Checks Nearly Every Box in Celtics Search to Strengthen Joe Mazzulla's Coaching Staff

Danny Ainge Discusses Celtics' Unfulfilled Potential

Are the Celtics Small Tweaks from a Title? Brad Stevens Thinks So

Brad Stevens Says Celtics View Jaylen Brown as a 'Big Part of Us Moving Forward'

Brad Stevens Discusses Joe Mazzulla's First Year as Celtics' Bench Boss, Strengthening Coaching Staff: 'Joe's Experience Now, You Could Probably Measure in Dog Years'

Celtics' Championship Aspirations Undermined by Identity Crisis