Few leaders in skilled sports activities have extra persistence on the podium than Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens. Stevens is usually verbose, fields extra questions than is critical, and goes into extra depth than is required (whereas additionally being impressively articulate).
However, on Tuesday night time, simply moments after the Celtics chosen Houston ahead Chris Cenac Jr. with the No. 27 total choose within the NBA draft, Stevens (unsurprisingly) sidestepped questions excess of he usually does.
That’s as a result of nearly all of the questions Stevens was requested late Tuesday night time didn’t heart across the crew’s draft choice — they centered round the way forward for Jaylen Brown, the Celtics 2024 Finals MVP and five-time All-Star who simply so occurs to be coming off one of the best season of his profession, solely to seek out himself embroiled in (seemingly very authentic) commerce rumors.
ESPN insider Shams Charania reported on Tuesday night time that Brown was explicitly provided by the Celtics in a proposed commerce for Giannis Antetokounmpo (who, for those who haven’t heard, as a substitute landed in Miami).
All the unfolding of the saga begged the query: with Antetokounmpo headed elsewhere, the place does the Celtics’ relationship with Brown stand now? Do the Celtics wish to carry him again? Does he even wish to return?
Final month, on his Twitch stream, Brown mentioned if it have been as much as him, he’d spend the subsequent 10 years in Boston.
Within the wake of those commerce rumors, has that modified?
We didn’t get a clear-cut reply about Brown’s future in Boston, nor did Stevens disclose how shut the Celtics really bought to pulling the set off on the commerce.
“I’m not going to speak about these kinds of issues, proper?” he mentioned in response to the primary query of the press convention, which centered across the Giannis commerce.
However, we did study a couple of concerete issues in regards to the nature of the state of affairs.
Brad Stevens and Jaylen Brown have been in common contact
Brad Stevens was prepared to expose extra details about the character of his communications with Brown, which appeared to indicate that Brown was most likely not blindsided when the experiences of a possible commerce first surfaced.
“We had a few conferences earlier [at the] finish of Might, additionally earlier than he went again abroad a few days in the past, 10 days in the past or so,” Stevens mentioned. “Spent plenty of time simply the 2 of us sitting down collectively, after which have been, like each offseason, in common contact together with his agent all over the final couple of days. Clearly, with all of the rumor mill and all that stuff, and his identify being splashed in every single place, that’s not straightforward – however we definitely needed to be as proactive and upfront with that as potential, and I believed we had actually good, candid conversations.”
(Brown, for these curious, is represented by agent Jason Glushon, who additionally represents teammate Sam Hauser (and former Celtics Al Horford and Jrue Vacation).
The very fact there was a gradual stream of conversations is an efficient signal within the sense that if the hope is to fix the a relationship, on the very least, Brown wasn’t fully blindsided.
“I simply attempt to be as upfront as potential and as candid as potential firstly, lengthy earlier than any of any talks start,” Stevens mentioned. “Our guys perceive that being right here and being within the limelight, they’re going to have plenty of consideration on them regardless, after which in addition they perceive that there are issues which might be exaggerated presently of the yr, after which there are issues which might be actual.”
On the identical time, Brad Stevens didn’t present assurance that Brown would return to Boston
Stevens was plainly requested: Is Jaylen Brown going to be a Celtic subsequent season?
“Jaylen Brown is a giant a part of this — I’m by no means gonna predict the longer term, however like each indication, the whole lot that I take into consideration over the previous few yr has been constructing round these guys, proper?” Stevens mentioned. “And so clearly, you by no means know, however on the identical time, the one factor I wish to make very clear is how valued he’s all the time been. He’s been superb, he’s been an incredible teammate, nice particular person to be round, and whether or not that run ends 10 years from now when he retires, or earlier than, there’s so much to have a good time. We have now an awesome relationship and an open relationship the place we discuss the whole lot, however I don’t wish to predict the longer term. I have a look at it as ‘That is our crew.’”
I’ve re-listened to this reply a number of instances, and I’m nonetheless not completely positive what to make of it. On one hand, Stevens says that over the previous couple of years, he’s checked out the whole lot by the lense of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and he praises Brown as a teammate and their relationship. On the identical time, he didn’t provide any assurance that the present plan is for Brown to be on the roster subsequent yr, and he had a really clear alternative to take action.
Stevens was additionally requested whether or not he believes that the latest commerce rumors have impacted the franchise’s relationship with Brown, and declined to reply. He did observe, on a number of events that fully understands that it’s exhausting to be in commerce rumors.
“You would need to ask him,” Stevens mentioned. “I imply, it’s not enjoyable, and I’m empathetic in the direction of that. It’s not enjoyable to be by that, and on the identical time, I feel my job is to be as candid and upfront as potential previous to, and have tried to try this.”
Stevens additionally acknowledged that the crew prefers issues don’t grow to be as public as they’ve in latest days.
“As you understand, we attempt to hold issues as near the vest and quiet as potential, and on the identical time, understanding that the rumor mills is the rumor mill, and there’s going to be plenty of noise on the market, that’s why you meet and be upfront as potential,” Stevens mentioned. “However hear, I can’t say sufficient good issues about Jaylen.”
The place do issues go from right here? It’s potential that Brown is traded within the days forward, offering readability on the crew’s subsequent steps. It’s additionally potential that Brown goes reside on Twitch and discusses his ideas on the state of affairs, which may additionally present some readability.
One factor is for sure: Stevens’ late-night press convention raised extra questions than it answered. Solely time will inform what the longer term holds.
