Boston Celtics guard/forward Jaylen Brown has agreed to a five-year, $304 million supermax contract, according to a
person with direct knowledge of the extension.
The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because the deal has not been announced.
The contract is the richest in NBA history and will kick in starting in the 2024-25 season. The contract is fully guaranteed
with a trade kicker and has no player option.
The 26-year-old Brown, a two-time All-Star, averaged a career-high 26.6 points last season for Boston, earning second-team
All-NBA honors.
The new contract keeps Brown and Jayson Tatum together for the foreseeable future as Tatum signed a five-year, $163
million deal in 2020 and his player option won’t come up until after the 2024 season but is eligible for a supermax extension
next season.
Brown will take home $31.8 million next season and $52.3 million the first year of his deal. When the contract expires at the
end of the 2028-2029 season, he will make nearly $70 million that season.
LEBRON JAMES’ SON:Bronny James hospitalized after cardiac event
The deal surpasses the contract two-time MVP Nikola Jokic received in 2022, a $276 million extension with the Denver
Nuggets.
Brown has become an emerging star in the league since the Celtics drafted him with the third overall pick in the 2016 draft o
ut of California and has averaged 20 or more points each of the last four seasons.
READ MORE:
RUMOR: Celtics’ 2023-24 Blake Griffin plans, revealed
Boston Celtics forward Blake Griffin provided a veteran presence off the bench last year, yet there’s no guarantee he’ll be
back in Beantown this season.
“It’s been eerily quiet on the Blake Griffin front since the season ended,” Robb wrote. “Brad Stevens made no mention of him
in any of his press conferences and that could be a signal the team is moving on.”
As of now, the C’s have one open roster spot, but they could create more room by waiving someone near the end of the
rotation. Griffin is a vocal veteran with plenty of experience as a rebounder and a gritty defender, and while his numbers last
season weren’t remarkable, he became a fan favorite for his passion and occasional ability to turn back the clock.
The 34-year-old has been through a lot in his career, as he’s suffered multiple knee injuries that hindered his meteoric rise.
He’s far from his prime, yet after losing key defensive guys like Marcus Smart and Grant Williams, Griffin’s return would be
a welcome sight for many Celtics fans. It doesn’t seem likely that he’ll be back in green next year, but it can’t be completely
ruled out yet.
“For now, the Celtics may want the roster flexibility to consider other additions knowing that Griffin is available as a backup
plan for another true big,” Robb wrote. “The team probably isn’t ready to commit guaranteed money to him though until
other alternatives are ruled out.”
Wherever Griffin ends up next year, hopefully he’ll be able to compete for his first NBA championship and end his
impressive career on a high note.
Leave a Reply