Stephen A. Smith Weighs in On If It's Time for Celtics to Break Up Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown

Have Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown reached their ceiling as a tandem, or can they lead the Celtics to Banner 18?

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At Thursday's end-of-season press conference, Celtics' president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens, expressed the following about Jaylen Brown.

"We want Jaylen to be here, and he's a big part of us. We believe in him," adding, "he's a big part of us moving forward in our eyes."

Shortly before that, Stevens stated, "We love our foundation. We love our core. And that's really our focus and priority."

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After earning All-NBA Second Team honors, Brown is eligible for a five-year, $295 million veteran supermax extension. Boston's the only team that can offer it, even if he's traded.

While Stevens is quite the poker player, sitting at Thursday's press conference, to this author, he came across as having genuine conviction the Celtics are "small tweaks" from Banner 18.

Patience is likely Boston's best path to the Larry O'Brien trophy. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have led the Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals four times in their first six years together. Last season, they got within two wins of an NBA title.

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With Tatum 25 and Brown 26, it seems worth seeing what the duo can accomplish together in their primes. That belief's bolstered by the reality that the return for the latter likely represents a downgrade in talent. And if, after a couple of years, the organization's less confident about this being a championship-caliber tandem, Brown will be 28 and have plenty of suitors.

On ESPN's First Take, Stephen A. Smith weighed in on the matter and whether Boston's better off breaking up Tatum and Brown after the Celtics failed to reach their potential this season.

.@stephenasmith STILL believes Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown can win a championship together: pic.twitter.com/vnJ63kYPWs

— First Take (@FirstTake) May 30, 2023

"You're not gonna get me to look at them as a finished product," voiced Smith. "These guys can still soar if they want to. To me, it's the want-to factor of Jaylen Brown that comes into play. Are you accepting and embracing of the fact that you ain't Jayson Tatum? You understand that that is our guy. That is the superstar on this team. We love you. We respect you; this is what you bring to the table; it's incredibly valuable. If he's one, you're 1A; are you good with that?"

On that same platform, retired sharpshooter J.J. Redick seconded that take.

"They should absolutely bring Jaylen Brown back, they should absolutely max him out, and I'm totally comfortable with that duo going forward as your cornerstones trying to win a championship."

If the Celtics' pursuit of Banner 18 remains elusive, they can change course. But if they trade Brown this summer, there's no going back on the decision to deny him and Tatum the chance to play together in their primes.

Further Reading

Are the Celtics Small Tweaks from a Title? Brad Stevens Thinks So

Brad Stevens Says Celtics View Jaylen Brown as a 'Big Part of Us Moving Forward'

Brad Stevens Discusses Joe Mazzulla's First Year as Celtics' Bench Boss, Strengthening Coaching Staff: 'Joe's Experience Now, You Could Probably Measure In Dog Years'

Celtics' Coaching Staff Reportedly Undergoing Major Shakeup

Celtics' Championship Aspirations Undermined by Identity Crisis

With Partnership at Crossroads, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum Discuss Former's Future with Celtics

Celtics Discuss Trying to Overcome Jayson Tatum's Ankle Injury in Game 7 Loss to Heat: 'A Shell of Myself'

Malcolm Brogdon Explains What Caused Boston Celtics to Miss 2023 NBA Finals

Here's What Stood Out in Game 7 Loss to Heat: Celtics Come Up Small, Enter Offseason of Uncertainty