“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.”
When Jaylen Brown uttered those words, some took it as another breadcrumb he wanted to be out of the shadow of Jayson Tatum and out of Boston. However, from where I stood, it looked more like Cuba Gooding Jr. dancing around the kitchen yelling “Show me the money!” Brown wanted to get paid, because in the NBA money = respect (at least in the minds of many players).
Brown was voted onto the All-NBA Second Team, making him eligible for a five-year, $295 million supermax extension this summer.
Boston will offer it. Brown will sign it.
Here’s what an executive from another team told Sean Deveney of Heavy.com about Brown in the last 24 hours.
Once the Celtics pay Brown they will have to pay Jayson Tatum next year — and after making First Team All-NBA this year he has already qualified for the supermax. Add in the existing contracts for Malcolm Brogdon ($22.5 million each of the next two years), Marcus Smart (almost $60 million guaranteed over three years), Derrick White and on down the line, and this team will be up against the very restrictive second luxury tax apron of the new CBA very quickly. Brad Steven and the front office will have to make some hard choices about rounding out this roster and ensuring it can contend and not get bounced in the second round.
Re-signing Jaylen Brown is part of that. He will be back in Boston for the foreseeable future.
