Why Isiah Thomas reportedly thinks Jaylen Brown supermax could be ‘win-win’ deal for Celtics

Corridor of Fame guard Isiah Thomas has a easy piece of recommendation for Jaylen Brown as he strikes into the ultimate yr of his contract with the Celtics.

Brown is eligible for a possible five-year, $290 million supermax extension subsequent summer time. If the Celtics provide it, he may select both to stay with Boston long run or enter free company and begin contemporary elsewhere.

“Take the cash,” Thomas stated, in keeping with Steve Bulpett of Heavy Sports activities.

In response to Bulpett, Thomas is a longtime mentor and supporter of Brown.

“After I received to know Jaylen Brown and the way he performed I stated to him — and that is earlier than the draft course of began — I stated to him, ‘You’re a Celtic.’” Thomas stated. “He matches the Celtic tradition that I performed in opposition to, that I competed in opposition to. That I do know.”

Since being chosen with the No. 3 general decide within the 2016 NBA Draft, Brown has helped the Celtics make 5 Jap Convention Finals appearances.

“Yeah, he’s been nice there,” Thomas instructed Bulpett. “He’s had an awesome profession there, and he’s develop into among the finest gamers within the league. They’ve carried out effectively, and he’s carried out effectively there. It’s been a win-win, I believe, for him and for the Celtics.”

The Celtics made the NBA Finals and misplaced to the Golden State Warriors in 2022, however didn’t return to the Finals this yr after being eradicated by Miami within the Jap Convention Finals.

That regression, paired with Brown’s poor play in Sport 7 and the sheer amount of cash that comes with a supermax deal, have induced some to query whether or not Brown is price it.

Thomas stated the fallout from Ime Udoka’s suspension, in addition to the Celtics dropping high assistants Will Hardy and Damon Stoudamire, had a destructive impact on the staff.

“Hey, I don’t care how gifted your staff is, when half of your teaching employees walks out of the door, that’s going to have an effect on you,” Thomas stated. “That’s simply the way it goes. You lose your head coach and your high two assistants, you’re going to be impacted by that.”

Thomas stated his Pistons groups had a more durable highway to the Finals going up in opposition to the Celtics within the 80s than Brown and Tatum’s Celtics groups do at the moment.

However he nonetheless appreciates the leap from contenders to champions that Brown and the Celtics are attempting to make.

“Attempting to win a championship on the NBA stage for an expert basketball participant, there’s no more durable factor that you just’ll attempt to do in your life,” stated Thomas.