As the Celtics walked off the court with a win on Sunday, star guard Jaylen Brown found himself reflecting on the season.
In a chat with the media, Brown called out Boston sports fans for all the fuss they were making early into the season and even exposed them for some of the trade rumors that were flying around.
“That trade talk was loud, and most of it came from Boston fans,” Brown told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. “It’s a city that doesn’t tolerate excuses. But in reality, early in the season we had a new coach, we had a new front office, I missed about 15 games early in the season and that caused us to not be clicking on all cylinders like we wanted to be. People were impatient, so I understand. But fast forward, we got healthy, we got everybody back and now the sky’s the limit.”
The Cs got off to a rough start early on, and many were convinced that it was time to blow up the roster completely. Back in December, there was even a rumor that Jaylen Brown would be traded away if the Cs failed to make a run in the postseason.
While the Celtics appear committed to building around Brown and Tatum, speculation about Brown’s availability has notably increased around the league. It is an ongoing topic of conversation among sources familiar with both players. Moving Brown would appear highly unlikely until after this season and seems more plausible ahead of 2022-23. But as long as Boston floats on the periphery of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, league personnel will monitor Brown’s status and if the Celtics inch closer toward pivoting in a new direction.”
It’s a good thing the Celtics never traded Brown. He was huge all season long for the Celtics and his two-way game is part of the reason why they’re scheduled to play in the NBA Finals.
Whether they win or not, it’s safe. to say that the duo has proved they can win together.