Boston Celtics
“We have a great relationship and an open relationship where we talk about everything, but I don’t want to predict the future.”
Brad Stevens (David L Ryan/Globe Staff
The pivot that the Celtics are about to make following their failed pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo remains one of the biggest national storylines of the offseason.
So, it was no surprise that many of the questions directed at Stevens during his press availability following round one of Tuesday’s NBA Draft were centered around Jaylen Brown.
Boston’s attempt to send a package centered around Brown and a pair of first-round picks to Milwaukee for Antetokounmpo has been reported far and wide. It’s one thing to see hypothetical trades involving your name popping up on the internet. It’s another for it to be broadcast on national TV networks such as ESPN.
Boston has been here before. They tried to trade Brown in 2022 for Kevin Durant. Ultimately they were able to move past it. However, with such a situation arising again, there are no guarantees as to how things will play out this time.
On Tuesday night, the Celtics kept the No. 27 overall pick in the first round and used it on Houston big man Chris Cenac Jr.
Here are four takeaways from Stevens’s media availability following the pick, including the latest on Brown, Stevens’s view of the team’s offseason needs, and his initial impressions of Cenac.
Stevens was non-committal on whether Jaylen Brown will stay.
Stevens was asked directly whether or not Jaylen Brown will play for the Celtics this upcoming season. Boston’s president of basketball operations did not rule it out, but he didn’t commit to it either.
“Jaylen Brown is a big part of us. I’m never going to predict the future, but, like, every indication, everything that I think about over the past few years has been building around those guys, right? So, obviously you never know.”
The Celtics and Stevens certainly like to keep to themselves from publicly commenting on what happens during trade and contract discussions, but this was far from a ringing endorsement for bringing Brown back. When asked if he believed Tatum and Brown could still win championships together, Stevens gave a one word answer: “Yes.”
Pundits have speculated that there could be a bidding war coming as other teams prepare trade offers for Brown. He is under contract with the Celtics through 2029, and there’s still a possibility that he remains with the team. He is eligible for a 2-year, $142 million contract extension in July. Stevens declined to answer whether the Celtics would consider offering that extension.
Stevens made a point to speak about how much he has appreciated Brown over the years.
“I think the one thing that I want to make very clear is how valued he has always been,” Stevens said. “He has been amazing. He has been an amazing teammate, great person to be around. Whether that run ends 10 years from now when he retires or before, there’s a lot to celebrate.”
“We have a great relationship and an open relationship where we talk about everything, but I don’t want to predict the future. I look at it as this is our team.”
Stevens was not thrilled that the Celtics’ trade offer got out.
The Celtics reportedly offered Brown and a pair of first-round picks for Antetokounmpo. Stevens drew the line after that, and Miami’s winning offer was centered around three first-round picks and a bevy on young players.
Stevens acknowledged that hearing his name in trade rumors probably isn’t easy for Brown. That part of the business is not fun, Stevens said, but its his job to be upfront with and available to players.
“I don’t love the fact anytime that it’s a big public thing,” Stevens said. “As you know we try to keep things as close to the vest and quiet as possible, and at the same time knowing that the rumor mill is going to be the rumor mill and there’s going to be a lot of noise out there.”
Initial impressions of Chris Cenac Jr.
The Celtics landed a former McDonald’s All-American who was a consensus top-10 prospect coming out of high school in Cenac.
The 19-year-old Houston big man is tall, mobile, and has shown potential as a rebounder and rim protector, but Stevens said he has a lot to learn.
“He’s just a good, young player. Plays hard,” Stevens said. “Energetic. Excellent athlete. Long. Fits a position of need, some things that we were a little short on this year from an athletic perspective. I think with his size and his length. When you play in the program he’s played for, he’s been taught well and held to a high standard.”
Offseason needs
Adding to the front court remains a priority this offseason Stevens said, along with another guard off the bench.
“I think we’re going to continue to look at size and I think we’ll continue to add,” Stevens said. “We’ll see how [Wednesday night] goes, we have a pick at 40. Whether that is somebody that we ultimately roster or two-way, we’ll figure all that stuff out.”
“I think size and I would like to add maybe one more person with some speed on the perimeter.”
Khari A. Thompson
Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.
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