NBA training camps open in the final week of September, and between now and then, we’ll be trying to answer 20 questions about the Boston Celtics as we head into the new season. Today we look at Jaylen Brown, and what he has up his sleeve for the Celtics this season.
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For all the talk about Jaylen Brown being one of the pillars of this Celtics team, little of the conversation this summer has focused on him. It’s a little bizarre, especially considering that he’s coming off a significant surgery on his left wrist.
Maybe it’s because this has been Jayson Tatum’s summer. From Hulking up against the Brooklyn Nets to winning gold with Team USA, the spotlight has mostly been Tatum’s for most of beach season. Maybe this is how Brown wants it.
His growth over his five NBA seasons has been pretty remarkable. His offensive production has grown in all but one season, all while adjusting his game to actually take fewer shots at the rim. Only 19.5% of his shots came between 0-3 feet last season, compared to 40.4% his rookie season. Yet, his 2-point field goal percentage is three points higher.
His percentage within three feet is nine points higher (70% to 61%) since his rookie season, a sign that his drives are simply more efficient. Where once he simply relied on straight-line drives and athleticism to finish, he now varies speeds and attacks with a plan, resulting in more efficiency.
His attacks are also more self-sufficient. In his rookie season, 62.3% of his 2-pointers and 95.7% of his 3’s were assisted. Last season, those numbers dropped to 45.3% and 79.8%.
He’s doing A LOT more on his own.
His growth as a shot-creator is almost unfathomable. Any boxes he was put in by media pundits, myself very much included, have proven flimsy. He has broken through them all to rise to an All-Star level.
So ... now what?
Plaudits have shorter lifespans than a mayfly for young stars in the NBA. This is a new season for 24-year-old Jaylen Brown, which means we, the greedy masses, expect even more. Even he will tell you there’s room to grow, which makes this question all the more tantalizing.
What’s next?
Brown has added to his game every season, be it the aforementioned adjustment on drives, a stronger 3-point shot, a better handle, or a strong mid-range game. Brown has grown from a new NBAer who got benched for his mistakes and who had frequent, obvious, on-court mental lapses to someone who may not book an All-Star break vacation again until his early 30’s. He’s like that tomato plant you bought from Home Depot on a whim that suddenly produces so much fruit you’re giving it away.
(That analogy was mostly for the other Greeks out there)
Suddenly, Brown might be the most important player on this Celtics roster.
Sure, Tatum’s possible rise to an MVP candidate could be what turns Boston into contenders, but Brown refining his current skills and adding more to his game could change the entire trajectory of this franchise. If Brown goes from “in the All-Star conversation” to “All-Star lock,” then Boston goes from “team searching for its third star” to “contender just trying to find supporting pieces that fit.”
In a way, this is a heat-check season for Brown. He’s hit on four of five seasons so far and that fifth was right on line (it was also, by the way, the “Kyrie Irving” season, so take that for what it’s worth). This sixth season could be the test to see if he’s truly on a career heater.
In a way, the coaching change to Ime Udoka could be serendipitous. With Udoka’s focus on defense and ball movement, Brown can simply grow by following his coaches orders to lock back in defensively and create more for his teammates.
Udoka’s voice will certainly command respect from Brown. The added boost could be what unlocks Brown’s next level.
That is, if there is a next level for Brown to reach. That’s the beauty of these questions; they will not be answered for another few months. All we can do is wonder until then.
Brown’s ascent has been pretty remarkable to watch. He’s fed me more crow than I can stand, and so I’m done putting any kind of cap on his potential.
He’s at a fascinating place right now. He’s grown more than a lot of players do over a whole career, and if he tops out at a nearly 25 points per game scorer with a 58.6 true shooting percentage, then he’ll retire extraordinarily rich and accomplished with a Hall of Fame case.
And yet, he’s only 24. He has more to learn and, maybe, more to give.
How he answers that question ... what’s next? ... could be the single biggest driver of this franchise’s direction. If the answer thrusts him into the All-NBA conversation with Tatum, then watch out.
The 20 questions series:
What's next for Brown is a topic I discussed with the Boston Globe's Chad Finn on the latest Locked On Celtics podcast. Subscribe wherever you get podcasts or on YouTube.