After flaming out in the second round of the playoffs, the Boston Celtics have a massive offseason ahead of them. With Jayson Tatum set to miss the entire next season, the Celtics have to make difficult decisions about their present and their future this summer. In all likelihood, at least one of their starters behind Tatum will not be on the team to begin the 2025-26 season.
Naturally, Jaylen Brown's name will come up in trade speculations. As Boston's second-best player and a perennial All-Star, Brown will have plenty of suitors on the market and will serve as an excellent avenue for the Celtics to shed some salary.
Whether GM Brad Stevens will choose to go that route remains to be seen. Before making any decision, however, Stevens provided an injury update on Brown on Monday.
Celtics News: Brad Stevens Provides the Latest Jaylen Brown Injury Update
Stevens confirmed that Brown was playing with a partial meniscus tear throughout the playoffs, per The Athletic's Jay King. He added that Brown has been dealing with it for a while, and it proves that "these guys care".
It has previously been reported that the 28-year-old wing has been receiving injections for the pain in his knee. Even though he was able to gut it out through the postseason, Brown had his ups and downs, particularly struggling in the Knicks series.
Stevens doesn't sound too concerned about his star's status, however. Praising his player for being a competitor and a warrior, Stevens added that Brown's knee is "in a good place structurally", per Celtics insider Taylor Snow.
This is excellent news for Brown and Celtics fans. The former Finals MVP should be fine after some extended rest in the offseason.
At the same time, this doesn't mean that Brown's future is in Boston. While Celtics fans would love to see Brown remain in Boston, the financial reality of this team complicates matters. Knowing how Stevens operates, it wouldn't be shocking to see him part ways with Brown for the right offer. If that offer is out there, however, is currently unclear.