The Celtics are doing well: second in the Eastern Conference, they have reached 50 wins for the second consecutive season and aspire to the ring. The same one that had just two victories last year in a Finals in which they finished succumbing to the power of Stephen Curry and the last great dynasty in history, that of the Warriors. The Celtics recovered from all that, who also left behind the scandal of Ime Udoka and they welcomed to a Joe Mazzulla who quickly went from interim to head coach. That is what these Celtics have done, that project created by Danny Ainge and that has kept them competitive practically uninterrupted for more than five years now: they survived the arrival and departure of Kyrie Irving, the grueling series in the playoffs, passing through the benches of Brad Stevens and in the offices of Danny Ainge. they couldn’t with Lebron Jamesbut they continued there after his departure to the Lakers, in the Western Conference. And they are still alive, at the foot of the canyon, fighting for a ring that they have conquered once since 1986 (in 2008). and that they seek to conquer again to break the tie in that eternal war that they maintain with the Lakers.
The common denominator of this project, its backbone, has consisted of the eternal permanence of three players: Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. They reached the NBA through the draft, in 2014, 2016 and 2017 respectively. And they have remained undaunted, firm as rocks in the face of coaches, managers, stars and teammates. Surviving everything, mistakes and horrors, misfortunes and disagreements. To missed opportunities and rings seen so close and, at the same time, so far away. And they continue to be the fundamental pillar of the team: Smart as a defensive star and maximum representation of culture, always in line with the public and with an attitude that has always been inherent to the city of Boston, delighted to idolize its great heroes. Tatum as a star; and Brown as his other star, a little behind the main one but with an indisputable generational talent.
Now, the permanence of Jaylen Brown in the project seems to be in the air. The 26-year-old player’s contract ends in 2024, when he will pocket the last 30 million of the 4-year contract for 106 million that he signed in 2019. And he will be a free agent, with full capacity to choose any type of destination. But he does not assure that he will continue in Boston: in an article on the portal CBS Sports, the forward leaves his continuity in the Celtics up in the air: “I don’t know. As long as they need me. It’s not up to me,” Brown said. “We’ll see how they feel about me over time and how I feel about them over time. Hopefully whatever it is makes sense. But I’ll stay where they want me. I will stay where they need me and treat me right”, he assures. The extension of the rookie contract that he signed was downward and Jaylen can perfectly opt for a maximum in another entity, something that could make you consider a change of scenery for the future. Brown also talks about an extremely critical section of Celtics fans. and doubts that it goes in the same direction as the organization.
The situation that Jaylen Brown is experiencing cannot be surprising. It has been his name that has been involved in many transfer talks, mainly due to the wishes of many franchises. for taking over the services of a Kevin Durant who has finally landed in Arizona and plays for the Suns. However, neither Brown nor his entourage must have liked too much that his player was transferable, something that was discussed both in the summer and in the last transfer market. Brown is averaging 26.7 points (career high), s.9 rebounds (career high) and 3+ assists per game, and distribution work is the only drawback to a mature, refined, and very solid style in the games. both sides of the track. He’s shooting 49% from the field (again, his career high), with 34% on 3-pointers and over 77% from free throws (his career high). He is a better player than ever, but he asks in a hidden way for something that everyone hears loudly: to be valued. That is what a star requests who, if he is a free agent in 2024 and if no misfortune happens along the way, will be one of the most sought-after basketball players in the NBA. It is not for less.