Stevens, Brown Met Several Times Before Trade Rumors Surfaced
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Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said he held multiple meetings with All-Star guard Jaylen Brown before the player’s name appeared in reported trade talks with the Milwaukee Bucks centered on Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Stevens explained that the organization wanted to address speculation head-on. “With all the rumor mill and all that stuff, and his name being splashed all over the place, that’s not easy,” he said, adding that the conversations with Brown were “really good” and “candid,” though he declined to reveal details.
Stevens stopped short of committing to Brown’s long-term presence in Boston. “Jaylen Brown is a big part of us,” he noted. “I’m never going to predict the future, but the one thing I want to make very clear is how valued he’s always been.”
Brown, 29, is coming off a career season in which he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists while serving as the team’s primary scorer during Jayson Tatum’s recovery from an Achilles injury. His performance earned him a spot on the All-NBA Second Team, but Boston’s postseason ended in a first-round upset by Philadelphia.
The guard has three years left on his five-year, $285.6 million contract and becomes eligible on July 26 to sign a two-year extension worth up to $141.9 million. With Brown set to turn 30 early next season, the Celtics’ front office faces a decision on whether to commit additional years at the projected price.
Stevens indicated he will remain in contact with Brown and his representatives throughout the offseason. Meanwhile, the executive acknowledged that the player’s name is likely to stay in trade speculation. “There’s always going to have to be conversations,” he said. “There are things that are exaggerated at this time of year and there are things that are real.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
