Inside The Celtics

Celtics, Jaylen Brown Agree to Richest Deal in NBA History

Jaylen Brown generated 26.6 points and 6.9 rebounds in 2022-23, career-highs, 3.5 assists, matching his personal best, and 1.1 steals.

Bobby Krivitsky

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Friday, at a basketball court redesign at the Fenelon Street playground in Dorchester, Jaylen Brown stated, "I know, as an athlete, sometimes you're removed from these spaces. They put you over in these areas where they forget about the communities that you come from. And since I've been an athlete, since I've been here, I've been refusing to do that. And this is one small example of what's going on here in these spaces in Boston, but as long as I'm here, these things will continue."

Tuesday, per Shams Charania of The Athletic, the All-NBA wing signed a veteran supermax extension that will keep him in the city he stars in on and off the court.

Brown's five-year, $304 million deal is the most lucrative NBA contract in league history. But while no other team could offer him more than 30 percent of the salary cap even if he had gotten traded, the Celtics were never hesitant about signing him for the 35 percent max.

The issues that required ironing out were the finer points of the contract. For instance, this deal does not include a player option. However, the two-time All-Star receives a trade kicker.

It was important for Brown to get the latter because if he and Jayson Tatum, who's eligible for a veteran supermax extension next summer, are on Boston's books in two years, they'll account for roughly 70 percent of the team's cap space.

There's also a possibility the Georgia native decides later he'd prefer a change of scenery and perhaps the chance to be the unquestioned face of a franchise.

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Brown's deal makes him ineligible to get traded this season, but if it happens at any other point during the life of this extension, he can make up to 15 percent of his contract in additional salary. However, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe reports the kicker will be worth less than that.

As highlighted by ESPN's Bobby Marks, it's also noteworthy that this pact, which comes with eight percent annual salary changes that could've ascended or descended, will increase each season.

While it matters far less if this is Brown's last run with the organization that drafted him third overall in 2016, it's a bit surprising his annual salary isn't descending to create more room under the second apron. 

The structure of this extension makes it even more challenging to build the roster around him and Tatum on supermax extensions. There are multiple ways to read into that, but perhaps the Celtics are undaunted or at least undecided, knowing Tatum's won't take effect until the 2025-26 campaign.

The seven-year veteran, who turns 27 in October, generated 26.6 points and 6.9 rebounds in 2022-23, career-highs, 3.5 assists, matching his personal best, and 1.1 steals, a tick under the most he has swiped in a season.

Brown's helped the Celtics reach the Eastern Conference Finals five times and get within two wins of a title. Now, he and Tatum, who turns 26 in March, will have a chance to continue leading the franchise's championship pursuit while in their primes.

Further Reading

Why Celtics Should Enter 2023-24 Season Optimistic About Most Important Area of Improvement

Payton Pritchard Officially Named to USA Select Team

Amid Negotiations with Celtics, Jaylen Brown Continues Giving Back to Community He Stars In: 'Nothing Fills My Heart More'

Intriguing Option for Celtics May Soon Become Available

Joel Embiid Processing Sixers' Future, Could He Join Jayson Tatum on Celtics?

Celtics Reportedly Show Interest in Signing Austin Rivers

Gabe Vincent Says He Sensed Celtics Were 'Not Fully Right Internally' in Eastern Conference Finals

Sam Cassell Discusses What Brought Him Back to Boston and What He'll Bring to the Celtics

Oshae Brissett on Joining Celtics: 'I Just Want to Go Win'

Marcus Smart Reflects on His Time with Celtics: 'I Left Everything I Had'

Evaluating Celtics' Options in Free Agency

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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