Boston Celtics and the big question that is Jaylen Brown

Will the future stardom of Jaylen Brown take flight with the Boston Celtics?

One of the biggest questions the team will face this offseason will be what to do with the other half of their young All-Star duo.  Prior to his Eastern Conference Finals struggles, the hope amongst fans was that the organization would give Brown that Max money that would keep him in Boston for the foreseeable future.

But, after ultimately falling to the Miami Heat, Brown’s struggles were thrown into the spotlight after not stepping up when Jayson Tatum suffered an ankle sprain in the first minute of Game 7.

If Brown wanted to show the Celtics and the NBA world that he was worth Max money and a player capable of leading a team, that was the time.  The moment was his and he didn’t handle it well.

In fact, JB’s handles came even more into question as careless turnovers and forced shots characterized Brown as a star not capable of shining in that kind of moment.

Now, that isn’t fare considering his performances in past playoff series, but after a season in which he was named second-team All-NBA, the expectation is that Brown is a player the Celtics can lean on and count on.  Most of the time he is, but does the team overall failure to finish the business they set forth to accomplish a reason to move on from Jaylen Brown?

Boston Celtics believe in the future of Jaylen Brown

The overreaction of fans and critics is to instantly stir trade rumors to land stars like Damien Lillard or perhaps even a swap for Ja Morant.

Ultimately, Brown’s future is up to him, but Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has a big say in that also.  When asked about the team’s feelings about Brown, Stevens didn’t seem to feel the same way as some of those fans and critics drawing up trade packages.

"“I can say without a doubt, we want Jaylen to be here,” Stevens said in a press conference, via WEEI.  “He’s a big part of us, we believe in him and I’m thankful for him.”"

With all Jaylen Brown played through this season from an injury perspective, the entire picture must be taken into consideration.  Not only did the All-Star forward make second-team All-NBA, but he also looked like the best player on the team at times.

Averaging 26.6 points on 49.1 percent shooting, Brown’s mid-range game and 3-point shooting has taken his game to another level.  When both he and Tatum are on their game, the Celtics are just about unbeatable, in fact they kill teams.

The problem is that didn’t show up in any game during the Eastern Conference Finals.  Each player had their moments as the Celtics came battling back from a 3-0 deficit, but neither had that signature game that makes them special as individual stars and as a duo.

In fact, the last things the team needed was neither player to show up in Game 7.  Tatum had the injury and Brown picked the worst time to have a horrible game.  But the bright side is those kinds of moments can shape a young star and keep them humble.

Celtics will benefit from a motivated Jaylen Brown

For Brown, he now is motivated to work on his handle, especially going to the left.  His focus is now on taking his game to the next level as he really enters his prime.  The rumors will rumble, but Brown nor the Boston Celtics need to rattle in making a move just to make a move.

Though not as talented as Tatum, Brown has that makeup in attitude that the Celtics need.  He has that mantra that will ultimately help raise Banner 18.  He’s an energy shifter that the entire city will get behind.  Quite frankly, the problem is not JB, the problem is within the team, a team that can blow the doors off any team when focused.

The problem is they can get beaten mentally by any team and get lost in relying on the 3-point shot.  While Brown fell into that mode as well, he at least has the mental makeup to understand his team’s urgency during those moments.  It didn’t bode well in Game 7, as his urgency in trying to make things happen led to turnovers, but he’s a player who gets it and will learn from it.

So, trading Brown is not the answer, in fact, the Boston Celtics need more players with the makeup of their two-time All-Star.