The Boston Celtics lost in disappointing fashion in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Miami Heat, but that doesn't mean they're ready to tear down their team. According to The Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach, the Celtics do not intend to trade star forward Jaylen Brown this offseason. All signs, right now, point to Brown agreeing to a five-year, $295 million supermax contract to remain in Boston.
Brown's future has a point of speculation since the regular season, when Brown was not eligible for an extension at the maximum allowable level under the CBA due to the low price of his last contract. However, when Brown earned All-NBA honors after the season, he automatically gained eligibility for the supermax. However, with a new CBA designed to punish teams for paying multiple stars, there was some thought behind the idea that Boston would try to trade Brown for cheaper players following his disappointing series against the Miami Heat.
However, the reporting at this stage suggests that Boston is not ready to break up its highly successful duo of Brown and Jayson Tatum. The two of them have reached the Eastern Conference Finals four times in six seasons and the NBA Finals in 2022. Boston has still been active in exploring other trade possibilities, and with Grant Williams expected to earn big offers as a restricted free agent, the Celtics could desperately use some size.
But there is a big difference between tweaking a roster and tearing it down entirely. Some teams would have sought out a blockbuster trade involving Brown if they'd been upset by a No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics, however, are betting that another year with Joe Mazzulla at the helm and some minor roster changes can finally carry them to their first championship since 2008.
