Given the way the Celtics season ended, emotions are going to be running high.
When you get so close and ultimately fail, that comes with the territory.
People are reactionary, they’re hurt, they’re frustrated, it’s all normal.
Lord knows I feel all those things.
How could you not?
How Jaylen is being talked about as a player is getting a little out of hand.
Nobody could possibly debate that.
This also does not mean Jaylen is a perfect player without flaws.
Of course he has flaws.
Every player in the NBA has flaws.
I also understand there’s going to be a new reality in the NBA under the new CBA.
That too is unavoidable and will change how teams are built moving forward.
That’s not changing.
All I ask if that everyone just take a deep breath and try and think through the entire picture.
For me, this all dates back to the summer of 2019.
The Celtics had a choice.
That’s just a fact.
Both offensively and defensively.
What makes the Celtics unique is their ability to adapt and have true lineup flexibility.
The defensive identity everyone wants the Celts to get back to that we saw in 2021-22?
This roster is currently built for it.
We saw it at times this season and even in the ECF.
The point is, the Celtics rosteras it currently standsis good enough to win an NBA title.
It does not need a drastic shakeup like trading Jaylen Brown to win.
When it comes to big roster decisions like that, I personally go back to one main point.
The reason this team did not win those titles is pretty simple.
In 2022, if Tatum was his normal self production wise, they win.
In 2023, if Jaylen is his normal self production wise, they win.
I urge you to think back to the decision of 2019.
If they were awesome and ultimately the head coach blew it, I can understand looking around.
Ever since Brad took over he’s been very clear about one thing.
Investing in the Jays and building the right jot down of team around them.
It’s shit luck that Brogdon tore his tendon and Tatum sprained his ankle 20 seconds into Game 7.
You hear, OK, trade for Damian Lillard.
Just think that out though.
The other one you hear is Simons/#3/other players for Jaylen.
This is also just as confusing to me.
That the #3 pick maybe develops into a championship caliber piece within the next 2 years?
I’ve also seen people clamoring for players like Trae Young.
Others want Dejounte Murray/John Collins/Saddiq Bey.
I would simply ask you to just think through that as well.
An undersized offensive minded point guard?
Didn’t we just live through that?
That’s a little confusing.
In terms of the other package, you have to remember the contract situations.
Dejounte Murray is an expiring deal this upcoming season.
John Collins has this year and next year before he turns down his player option looking for an extension.
Saddiq Bey is in the last year of his deal before RFA.
Now you’re stuck with a Murray/White/Smart/Brogdon guard room which makes no sense.
This is where I usually hear the whole doing the same thing and expecting different results is insanity line.
I would just ask those people to look at who is currently playing in the NBA Finals.
They could have moved Murray, they could have moved MPJ.
They could have fired their coach after numerous early playoff exits.
But they stayed true to what they were building.
They let their MVP candidate develop and surrounded him with pieces that fit how they wanted to play.
That MVP started to enter his prime NBA years and look what has happened.
The Celtics are no different.
That’s why when I look at their path moving forward, their decision is pretty easy.
You extend the supermax to Jaylen because that is proper asset management in my opinion.
That is a much easier asset to trade at 28 than someone like Dame at 36 at $60M+.
But that is not 2023 and it is not 2024.
Nobody can deny that.
The ups and the downs.
The 51 point Game 7s and the 8 TO Game 7s.
It doesn’t matter who the Celtics trade for if that guy goes 8-23.
If they weren’t interested in potentially paying that money, don’t you think he gets moved?
So what should the Celts do?
Well, part of that depends on what happens to Grant.
If he’s gone, they really need to find a way to address their frontcourt.
Shit, that might even be true even if Grant somehow stays.
The good news is you don’t have to trade Jaylen Brown to do that.
I get that fans are frustrated, I am too.
Losing this close to the Finals fucking sucks.
The Celts formula is good enough.
Their collection of talent is good enough.
The reality is simply that talent didn’t come through when it needed to.
No, the execution just needs to be better.
Joe can get better.
His staff can get better.
One bad game does not change that.
