The idea of the Celtics splitting up Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum has been thrown around for many years. This is especially true this offseason. Both stars are extremely talented, but their similar style may make it difficult to complement each other in the long run. Pairing this with Jaylen Brown being a free agent after next year and eligible for a supermax contract makes the thought of trading him understandable. The two stars have been together since the 2017-2018 season and have one NBA Finals appearance to show for it.
The big question now is, do the Celtics extend Jaylen Brown or trade him for valuable assets and to free up some cap space? Trading Brown results in the Celtics trusting Tatum as the main guy with the cap space to build a team around him. Keeping him likely ensures Brown and Tatum will be Boston’s 1-2 punch for many years to come, but creating a team around them will be tough with little cap space.
All that said, the answer to this question is very simple—extend Brown and keep him and Tatum together for as long as possible.
Why the Celtics Should Give Jaylen Brown a Supermax Contract
It is easy to overreact after the spotty postseason Brown had, but keeping him for the long-term is in the Celtics’ best interest.
Jaylen Brown’s contract with the Celtics expires at the end of next season. As of now, nobody has any idea what is going through his mind. It is also possible Brown himself does not know what he is thinking. Does he want to stay in Boston, or does he want to move elsewhere and become a number-one option for a different team? If it is made clear that Brown intends to leave or is even just up in the air, it makes sense to trade him. At that point, it is wise for Brad Stevens and the Celtics to at least get something in return for him. However, if it all comes down to whether the team should shake things up or ride the wave, this is a no-brainer. Here’s why:
Brown is Tatum’s Ideal Partner-In-Crime
Although Tatum has solidified himself as a star in the NBA, his inconsistent play has been well-documented. When Tatum is on, he looks like a top-10 player in the league. But when he’s having a rough game, he almost looks like a complete non-factor. This is where having Brown is extremely beneficial for the Celtics. Brown is the perfect backup plan when Tatum is not having a good game as he is not afraid to take the game into his own hands.
As time goes on, Tatum will likely iron out his inconsistencies, but there is a possibility that he does not. So what happens then? The Celtics will no longer have Brown to back Tatum up, and it will probably take a long time before they find that person who can do it if they even do.
Let’s not forget the 2022 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. Tatum was not dependable for the entire series. Brown, on the other hand, was the Celtics’ leading scorer that series and averaged 23.5 PPG on 43.1% shooting in six games. Without Brown, there is a great chance the Celtics do not even sniff the Finals that season.
Additionally, when Tatum is having one of his superstar performances, having Brown next to him is a scary combo. When the two of them are playing the type of basketball we know they can, they are arguably the greatest duo in the league and very few teams can stop them. Trading Brown away loses both a powerful 1-2 punch and the ideal backup plan, and that is not something the Celtics will want to lose.
There is Nobody Worth Trading Brown For
Perhaps the simplest and most obvious reason to keep Brown is simply that there is nobody out there worth trading for that would be realistic. In a hypothetical trade, the Celtics would be losing half of arguably the best duo in the NBA who has been with the franchise since 2016. That is seven years’ worth of development that would be flushed down the drain. Realistically, anybody else who might be on Brown’s level of talent is either untouchable or on the wrong side of their prime. There does not seem to be a viable trade where the Celtics let go of Brown and get a fair return. This is especially true now that Bradley Beal is on his way to Phoenix.
Brown is Only 25 Years Old
With how long Brown and Tatum have been leading the Celtics, it is easy to forget just how young they actually are. Brown is only 25 years old and Tatum is just 26. There is still plenty of room for growth for the duo, and splitting the two up before they have both hit their primes is not good idea. We have already seen the two get better as their careers progressed. Surely, it will be very interesting to see how much better they look in a few years.
The Celtics have not won any championships so far with Brown and Tatum at the helm. However, it is practically guaranteed they have not hit their primes yet individually or as a duo. In their time together, the Celtics have made it to four Eastern Conference Finals rounds with one Finals appearance. They have not made it over the hump yet, but let’s still put some things into perspective. LeBron James was 28 when he won his first championship. Kevin Durant was 29. Giannis Antetokounmpo was 27. Even new NBA champion Nikola Jokić is 28 years old. And these are just a few of the NBA’s elite.
But what does all that mean? Well, it means that champions take time to build and grow. Otherwise, every young star would be an NBA champion just a year into the league. The Celtics are still growing and have actually accomplished a lot with Brown all things considered. Trading Jaylen Brown over giving him a supermax contract will likely result in Boston’s current progress being put to a stop. In fact, this is something that has happened before with the Celtics.
The Celtics Do Not Want a Case of Déjà Vu
Let’s rewind the clock to 2003. The Celtics have two young stars named Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker. At this point, they had been together for five years. Danny Ainge joins the team as an executive and immediately trades Walker before his 2005 free agency. This move had fans frustrated and confused. Walker was 27 and Pierce was 26. Both were barely even scratching their prime age in the NBA.
Funny enough, Walker reunited with the Celtics via trade in February 2005 getting traded to the Miami Heat the following offseason. Walker would go on to win the NBA championship with Miami the next season. As for Boston, they missed the playoffs for the next two seasons.
After acquiring stars Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett in the offseason heading into the 2007-2008 seasons to appease Pierce, the Celtics finally won a championship again. Unfortunately, Pierce would not win another title by the end of his career. In fact, the Celtics franchise has not hoisted yet another banner since 2008.
So what is the moral of the story here? Walker and Pierce may not be what Brown and Tatum are now. However, trading one of their stars proved to hold the Celtics back from title contention before bringing in some external star power. If the Celtics trade Brown, is Tatum’s progression toward a title going to fall stagnant as Pierce’s did? We do not know, and the Celtics will not want to find out. It is much better to have Brown and Tatum for their whole careers and know they can not win a title than trade Brown and always wonder “What if?”.
Conclusion
Early on, it is looking like re-signing Jaylen Brown before his contract expires is one of Brad Stevens’ biggest priorities. However, that means nothing until it is officially on paper. This offseason will be a monumental one for the 26-year-old and the Celtics front office. If Jaylen Brown does sign that supermax contract, what is Stevens’ next move? Or, if he does get traded, where does he end up? This offseason has barely started, but it is clear that there is a lot to look out for this summer.
