Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has offered a non-committal stance on the future of star player Jaylen Brown, amidst fallout from the team's pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Antetokounmpo was ultimately traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, but reports indicated Brown was a key component in the Celtics' offer.
"Jaylen Brown is a big part of us," Stevens told reporters on Tuesday night. "I don't want to predict the future. I look at it as this is our team."
Brown, who has been with the Celtics since being drafted in 2016, was reportedly the centerpiece of the team's proposed trade package for Antetokounmpo. The speculation involved Brown being sent to the Bucks along with two first-round draft picks.
Stevens declined to detail the specifics of the team's trade discussions for Antetokounmpo, but his comments suggest that Brown's long-term future with the franchise is not definitively settled. When asked if the trade rumors were impacting the team's relationship with Brown, Stevens acknowledged the difficulty of the situation for the player but did not provide a direct answer.
"You would have to ask him," Stevens said. "I mean, it's not fun, and I'm empathetic towards that. It's not fun to be through that, and at the same time, I think my job is to be as candid and upfront as possible... As you know, we try to keep things as close to the vest and quiet as possible, and at the same time, knowing that the rumor mill is the rumor mill, and there's going to be a lot of noise out there, that's why you meet and be upfront as possible."
Brown has been a significant contributor to the Celtics' success over the past decade. He has earned five All-Star selections, made the playoffs every year of his career, and has averaged over 20 points per game since the 2019-20 season. He was also named Finals MVP when the Celtics won the championship in 2024 and holds the NBA record for most postseason wins since his playoff debut in 2017, with 83.
Brown has three years remaining on his current five-year contract. Last season, he described it as his "favorite year of my basketball career," a period where he often served as the team's primary offensive option before Jayson Tatum's return from injury.