Deal or No Deal: Jaylen Brown

Welcome to the Deal or No Deal sequence the place we break down if the Celtics ought to deliver again a sure participant for the 2025-26 NBA season. If a participant is beneath “Deal” then the participant shouldn’t be introduced again. If “No Deal” then the participant needs to be introduced again.

The primary participant had been going to focus on is Jaylen Brown. Brown was coming off of a season the place he received each Jap Convention Finals MVP and Finals MVP on the highway to the Celtics 2024 NBA championship. The 2025 season was a little bit of a step again nevertheless In 63 video games, he averaged 22.2 PPG, 5.8 REB, 4.5 AST on 46% capturing from the sector, 32.4% capturing from three, and 76% from the free throw line.

Brown took a leap when it got here to his playmaking, averaging a profession excessive in assists. Nevertheless, his capturing regressed, having the bottom three level proportion and second lowest area purpose proportion of his profession. These dips in capturing may have been attributable to a few of the accidents that he sustained over the course of the yr as he missed durations of time with a left hip flexor pressure, a proper shoulder pressure, and a torn proper meniscus that he performed with within the final month of the common season and the playoffs.

Brown is not any stranger to commerce rumors. I seems like he has been in them for seemingly his total profession. Whether or not its Kevin Durant, Paul George, Anthony Davis, Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, Jaylen Brown’s identify was at all times seen as the principle piece in return however the Celtics have by no means wavered of their help of him.

When Brad Stevens was requested about his confidence degree in Jaylen Brown being the primary possibility for the Celtics, he stated: “I’ve full religion that anytime you might have a kind of guys on the courtroom you might have likelihood to win. I’ve full religion in Jaylen.”

Appears like this can be a fairly easy reply for Jaylen Brown’s future with the Celtics, however say they get a name from a group just like the Rockets or Spurs that may supply them a package deal of younger gamers and picks that’s simply an excessive amount of to refuse?

The Ringer’s Invoice Simmons proposed a commerce with the Rockets that has Brown and Jrue Vacation going to Houston for a package deal of Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith Jr, Tari Eason, and the tenth Choose within the 2025 Draft. The Spurs may put collectively a large package deal of Harrison Barnes, Keldon Johnson, Stephon Citadel and the 2nd Choose within the 2025 Draft. Is a package deal of this magnitude sufficient for Brad Stevens to tug the set off on a Jaylen Brown commerce?

Verdict: No Deal

Irrespective of the attainable commerce package deal on the market, I don’t assume the Celtics are going to maneuver Jaylen Brown. Jayson Tatum goes to be out for many subsequent season with a torn Achilles and I simply don’t assume it’s sensible for Boston to make drastic modifications to a roster with a lot cohesion. When wholesome, Brown and Tatum are the most effective duo within the NBA and I don’t assume Brad Stevens has any intentions of breaking that up.

If surgical procedure is required for his torn meniscus Brown may miss a while to start the season but when surgical procedure isn’t wanted, he’s going to be the primary possibility for the 2025-26 Boston Celtics and it’s going to be fascinating how he responds. I’m hopeful his capturing can bounce again after a dip this yr and we needs to be in for one more All-NBA season from Jaylen Brown for the Celtics.