How do you think we got here with Jaylen Brown?

[jambr380]

I'm just wondering where everybody stands on the Jaylen situation. Stevens recently discussed that he has been in communication with Jaylen and that they've had 'candid conversations'. Did it go sideways during one of these meetings, do you think there is mutual interest in moving on, or is everything actually totally fine?

It seems that after we very publicly lost out on the Giannis sweepstakes, we are hearing more and more rumors for far less impressive packages from several teams. But are these reports true or are they just for clicks? It is especially interesting that with as much as Jaylen talks (and has been talking), he has been pretty silent on this.

There has continued to be a lot of noise since the Giannis deal. After having the ability to complete the deal, but not including Hugo/picks, the thought was that Stevens would have a plan B, but that doesn't look to be the case. Do you think Brad eventually just trades Jaylen for the best available package or is Plan B just that Jaylen will be in a Celtics uniform next year? Is that even possible at this point?

[Who]

It seems that after we very publicly lost out on the Giannis sweepstakes, we are hearing more and more rumors for far less impressive packages from several teams. But are these reports true or are they just for clicks?

I think they are true. Stevens could have said Jaylen is off the market. It was only Giannis. Nothing else.

There have also been multiple reports of Stevens not only taking calls and listening to offers about Jaylen but Stevens making calls himself / instigating trade talks.

It is especially interesting that with as much as Jaylen talks (and has been talking), he has been pretty silent on this.

Yes, I think Jaylen is on board with whatever is happening. He complains about a lot of things ... but not this?

Nah, he's on board. So he probably has either asked for a trade or less stronger version like he is happy to be traded. That he would like to try somewhere new / be the main man.

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That said, even if Jaylen did ask out ... I am surprised there isn't more pushback against it from Stevens and the rest of the organization.

I think they want Jaylen out. I don't think they want to give him that contract extension. Whether that is Stevens and this is a basketball decision based on the new cap rules ... or whether that is new owners and them possibly being cheap. Either one could be driving this angle.

My point - they are doing very little to keep Jaylen. To discourage him from wanting to leave. I don't think they want him.

[Phantom255x]

It's a good question.

I might catch some flack for saying it, but what's odd to me is Tatum hasn't said or posted anything at all during this offseason related to Jaylen. Whether it's trade talks, Giannis rumors, etc. He's stayed silent and only posted a few advertisement related stuff. Even in the Durant rumors in 2022, he said Jaylen was his guy and scoffed at the idea of them trading him. We haven't seen anything to that nature this offseason. Tatum could easily squash some of this too, but he's been silent and it makes me wonder...

[SparzWizard]

It's probably real if Tatum hasn't said anything and JB hasn't said anything and Stevens is out there doing his thing involving JB.

If I was JT I'd be upset too after JB's comments right after the Game 7 loss on his Twitch stream. Throwing JT under the bus with the unneeded comments. Brown wants his own team and be "The Guy" so Stevens is going out there to make one.

It's too bad though, Stevens didn't want to throw in Hugo and Baylor for Giannis.

[Roy H.]

My guess is that Brad thought the only way to be a contender was to get Giannis.  Once that failed, he saw no clear path to contention, so he decided to reload by shopping JB at the perceived height of his value.

I further guess that JB's agent has told the team that he wouldn't be unhappy with a fresh start somewhere else.

My last guess is that Brad and ownership have no intention of offering him a max extension.

It's too bad, too, because I think we could be a championship team with a couple of smart free agency moves. However, I don't think we have a championship coaching staff in place.

[SparzWizard]

My guess is that Brad thought the only way to be a contender was to get Giannis.  Once that failed, he saw no clear path to contention, so he decided to reload by shopping JB at the perceived height of his value.

I further guess that JB's agent has told the team that he wouldn't be unhappy with a fresh start somewhere else.

My last guess is that Brad and ownership have no intention of offering him a max extension.

It's too bad, too, because I think we could be a championship team with a couple of smart free agency moves. However, I don't think we have a championship coaching staff in place.

I believe the team is hard-locked with both the JT and JB max contracts where they have trouble signing any impact players.

Also agreed on the coaching staff piece. Need to get rid of Joe

[jambr380]

Yeah, the Tatum angle is really interesting. I don't think it necessarily means anything - he may just be trying to stay out of it and let the front office do their job, while he focuses on his. It's also possible he has been asked to not say anything while they work out a trade behind the scenes and has reached out to Jaylen privately. I can't imagine he gave the team an ultimatum or anything - that's just not his style.

I wonder if Stevens is settling on final offers or if this will drag on for a while. With free agency just around the corner, there are more options related to salary right now than there will be once players start going off the board. As a frantic, impatient Celtics fan, I would rather this get resolved sooner than later. That includes Stevens coming out and emphatically saying that Jaylen will not be traded.

[slamtheking]

I think the vast majority of this is so-called experts trying to generate their usual "C's can't possibly keep both the J's" clickbait nonsense and twisting JB's end of season comments to drive their narrative.

Jaylen in a trade discussion to acquire Giannis may or may not bother him but considering the caliber of player he's being linked to in trades should be of some consolation.  The fact that the trade possibility for Giannis is dead should put this to bed.  The guy is a professional and has given his all to this franchise since being drafted.

I for one want them to JKJB and continue to pair him with Tatum to get another chip.  This pair's biggest issue isn't that they can't play together, it's that they too often lack the killer instinct when up big.  I think a larger portion of that goes to Tatum being a soft and a good portion going to Jaylen for trying to do too much to take on the load on his own (which leads to too many mistakes, not a lack of effort).  Before I ever broke up these 2, I'd get a real head coach in here that can run something other than a 3-centric offense, know that timeouts can be used to break opponent's momentum and to apply a change in in-game strategy to something that may work better.