Boston Celtics: Options for Jaylen Brown’s contract
By Adam Taylor
A show of faith
During the summer Jaylen Brown has seen some of his draft classmates get paid, with Ben Simmons and Jamal Murray both signing five-year extensions with their respective teams worth $170 million each.
Granted Brown has not yet reached the heights of either of Simmons or Murray to date, he does have the ability to improve and follow a similar trajectory as them.
Extending Brown’s contract would send a message that the coaching staff and front office trust him, they know he is working hard and the improvements will follow.
A message to fans could be interpreted as “we are doubling down on the core of Tatum and Brown,” providing clarity on the team’s plans moving forward.
Negatively though is the message it could send to Gordon Hayward, who has a player option at the end of next season, should Brown get extended while reclaiming his starting role on the team, Hayward will be consigned to another season of coming off the bench.
Hayward may decide that he values playing more than money and opt out, where he would become one of the best free agents on the market during what is shaping up to be a weak free-agent class.
Perhaps he opts out because he sees the potential for a big payday with teams like New York and Cleveland reported to have max cap space available next year.
Long-term security is not a phrase thrown around the NBA, it simply doesn’t exist on either sides part.
Offering an extension of this type though would be as close to long-term security as you could get, but is a player averaging 11.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists shooting 46.2 percent from the field worth an extension?
That is a question for Danny Ainge and the front office to decide, it will stop the risk of the Boston Celtics entering a bidding war during free agency and potentially losing Brown to a rival with nothing in return.
It also sends a message to the other young players on the roster that if you play hard and show improvement, there will be a place for you in Boston.