NBA Rumors: Young Celtics Star’s Chances Of Signing Contract Extension Are ‘Pretty Slim,’ Per Sean Deveney
A new report suggests that it’s highly doubtful Boston Celtics wingman Jaylen Brown will ink a long-term contract extension with the team before the NBA’s October 21 deadline for signing such deals.
In a report from Heavy that cited an unnamed league source, veteran NBA reporter Sean Deveney first pointed out that Brown has not been given enough chances to show his potential as a former No. 3 overall draft pick, given how Boston surrounded him with proven veterans such as Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. As such, he noted that the next four weeks may be “somewhat awkward” for Brown and Celtics officials, as the “chance is pretty slim” that Brown will sign a long-term extension with Boston on or before October 21.
“Around the league, the expectation is that Brown and the Celtics won’t come to a deal,” Deveney stressed.
If Brown chooses not to sign a contract extension, he will still be under contract with the team for the 2019-20 season, where he will be earning $6.5 million even if he opts to extend his deal. Without an extension, the 22-year-old forward/guard will enter restricted free agency in the summer of 2020, allowing Boston to match contract offers from rival teams.
Talking about Brown’s value, Deveney wrote that it is currently “difficult” to determine, as it can be said that he deserves a max contract extension based on his potential and talent alone – as of this writing, fellow 2016 draftees Ben Simmons and Jamal Murray have respectively signed max extensions with the Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets. But since Brown is still expected to be the fourth option on offense for the Celtics, Deveney predicted that he still might not be able to produce “max-contract numbers” to make a lucrative extension worth it.
As recapped by Bleacher Report, Brown produced “modest” statistics as an NBA rookie, averaging just 6.6 points as he came off the bench in the 2016-17 season. He then improved to a career-best 14.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in 2017-18 while shooting a strong 39.5 percent from beyond the arc. But with fellow wing player Hayward returning from an injury that kept him out for almost the entire 2017-18 campaign, Brown’s numbers declined to 13 points and 4.2 rebounds per game and 34.4 percent shooting from three-point range in the 2018-19 season.
Given Brown’s youth and his strong performance in the 2018 NBA playoffs – where both Hayward and Irving were out with injuries – Bleacher Report wrote that the former University of California star will likely attract a lot of attention from would-be suitors, also noting that a lot will depend on how well he plays alongside recent Celtics free-agent signee Kemba Walker. Per The Inquisitr, these suitors might include the Washington Wizards, who could theoretically demand Brown’s inclusion in Boston’s trade package if they make a move for superstar shooting guard Bradley Beal.
