4:27pm: Brown’s new deal has $103MM in guaranteed money, with $4MM in likely incentives and another $8MM in unlikely incentives, a source tells Jay King of The Athletic (Twitter link).
3:59pm: The Celtics have officially announced Brown’s extension, issuing a press release to confirm the deal.
“Jaylen has made tremendous strides over the last three years and has become a fantastic player for us on both ends of the court,” Ainge said in a statement. “He’s a great person and hard worker who, at 22 years old, can score and defend against the best players in the NBA. Jaylen is a true professional who did a great job accepting his role last season, and he is a major part of our championship goals.”
2:51pm: Jaylen Brown has become the sixth player to agree to a rookie scale extension this year, having reached a four-year, $115MM deal with the Celtics, agent Jason Glushon tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The contract doesn’t feature any team or player options, tweets Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
It’s an early birthday gift for Brown, who will turn 23 years old on Thursday. The former No. 3 overall pick had an up-and-down season in 2018/19 after a modest breakout performance in 2017/18, averaging 13.0 PPG, 4.2 RPG, and 1.4 APG on .465/.344/.658 shooting in 74 games (25.9 MPG).
Given Brown’s down year and the Celtics’ history of letting extension-eligible players reach restricted free agency, it initially looked as if the two sides were unlikely to work out a new deal this fall. However, Brown – who operated without an agent for his first three years in the NBA – recently hired Glushon to negotiate his extension, and his new agent came through, getting a deal done with just a few hours left before tonight’s deadline.
According to Wojnarowski (via Twitter), Glushon and Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge completed the majority of their negotiations over the weekend. This is Ainge’s first rookie scale extension for a Celtic since Rajon Rondo in 2009, Woj adds.
While it’s possible that Brown could’ve done a little better in restricted free agency next summer, there isn’t a massive difference between his new deal and a maximum-salary offer sheet. Based on the NBA’s latest projections, a four-year offer sheet from a rival suitor would have been worth $124.7MM. And if the cap for 2020/21 comes in any lower than $116MM, that projected max would drop along with it.
Boston will now count on continued improvements from Brown, who should take on a greater role in 2019/20 now that veterans like Kyrie Irving, Al Horford, and Marcus Morris are no longer on the roster. Brown is coming off a strong showing for Team USA in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, and is viewed as a potential impact player at both ends of the court.
Brown joins Ben Simmons (Sixers), Jamal Murray (Nuggets), Pascal Siakam (Raptors), Buddy Hield (Kings), and Caris LeVert (Nets) as players who have worked out rookie scale extensions this offseason. Brown’s deal falls in between Siakam’s ($129MM+) and Hield’s (between $86-106MM) in terms of overall four-year value.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
That’s a lot of money to be spending based on potential
Ainge should have made Brown realize it first.
Must have been some fine libations being served!
Especially considering Dejounte just got 64/4. Granted, he’s coming off of a major injury and hasn’t been in the league as long, but he’s a much, much better defender and his jump shot looks like it’s made a lot of progress since his rookie season. If he ever reaches his ceiling this will look like an absolute steal for the Spurs, and even if he doesn’t that price is very reasonable. In Brown’s case, he has to reach that ceiling in order to justify the contract.
Which rookie scale extensions weren’t based on potential?
Simmons, Murray, Siakam
So you’re telling me that if none of those 3 make an ounce of improvement, they’ll be worth every penny? That each team paid that much money for each player as they are now and don’t expect ANY improvement from them?
Ainge failed miserably at trying to make the Celtics a powerhouse and the desperation moves continue. Can’t imagine what he will give the untouchable Tatum
Aigne has done pretty well in the draft and with trading. But when it comes to FA and extensions, he’s been brutal.
He has drafted good role players, but not players to build a team around. He is way too attached to them and his refusal to move them for better talent cost their window. Had the C’s traded for Paul George they go to the Finals in 2018. Lebron left the conference and the Spurs were desperate to send Kawhi to the east. But no Ainge wanted to hoard picks and role players.
Didn’t really have to get done couldve gone to RFA I doubt there would be hard feelings abd worse comes to worse hed get a similar deal. People say Irvings influence on the locker room and culture last year (and Heywards as well) was overblown but this leads me to believe differently. This is rather out of the ordinary, it also makes me wonder what Heywards role will be this season, with brown making what he is and tatum being tatum and me having not a ton of faith in heyward at the 4 makes me believe he could realistically be coming off the bench. Which is a good thing really give these young guys the minutes and more importantly the role they need and hopefully this contract starts making a lot more sense. Then I guess since you have Walker you just hope to strike gold on a middling pick or that Memphis conveys something decent you can use. This team was setup so nicely after that Brooklyn deal and I understand the need to take a gamble (irving trade, signing heyward) but if they dont recognize when those gambles are mistakes and go back to the original plan this team can turn into the Detroit pistons rather quickly.
Massive overpay for a mediocre player. This team is average but not better than sixers, bucks and when kd comes back nets. Gonna be interesting to see how they can negotiate getting an additional star when you are saddled with brown, hayward and kemba. Not to mention you still gotta pay tatum.
Haha, remember when the Celtics were being crowned the NBA’s next dynasty? How about when other GMs trembled at the thought of trading with the genius Danny Ainge? Anybody recall the annoiting of the Boy Wonder Brad Stevens as being the league’s best young coach? The 2 teams that contributed the most to this Boston dynasty, Sixers & Nets, are set up so much better for now and the future. This team won’t smell a Finals appearance in the next 10 years, and I LOVE IT!
I love it when people act like they can tell which teams are going to be all set up a decade from now, you know when literally 90 percent of every teams roster will no longer be in the league. Instant credibility as a poster.
Pay Brown over 100mil even tho you have Marcus Smart on less than half as much and he’s a better player. As a Philly fan I’m glad they have done this.
Celtics are the powerhouse that never was. Lost Kyrie, Horford, Morris, Rozier and replaced them with Kemba Kanter and some fringe first round picks. Now they have no cap space with Walker Hayward Brown taking up all the money and Tatum going to be next.
This seems like the type of deal that teams regret giving out, and look to move on from, after a year or two. The only way this deal looks good four years from now is if Brown turns into a near elite, or elite, player. I think Brown is a good player and can become a very good player over the next 4 years, but I don’t think he’ll be worth this contract.
Man where’s the love at??
Theyre dusty bro. Ainge may turn them into the Pistons. Plus the nets and sixers fans have seen their teams be downright terrible for many years and are salty and are taking advantage lols. But i love me some Jaylen Brown love him on the Celtics he’ll prove his worth he would have last year if not for Heyward being just on the team and kyrie being kyrie
I don’t doubt that Brown will be good, but will he be $25m AAV good? He should get the opportunity to prove his worth but the value of his contract means Brown has to turn into a near elite player to be worth it.
Dudes not worth that much plain and simple. That kinda money goes to all stars or close too not potential.
Don’t understand all the comments about this being an overpay, considering that nearly every analyst expected Brown would get a monster offer as a restricted free agent. Players are worth whatever teams are willing to pay them. Full stop.
Also don’t understand all the dunking on Ainge. Guy has proven he knows what he’s doing. He’s not perfect, but he also isn’t able to see the future.
Contracts are about maximizing value. Ainge is gambling here, but not signing Brown is a gamble too. Pick your poison.
At 4/115, If you put his contract into perspective he’s getting paid more than:
DeRozan, McCollum, Embid, Porzingod, DLoading, KAT, Booker, Beal, AD, Gobert, Giannas and Draymond Green.
Jaylen Brown isn’t even close to this group of players. He’s earning a top 25 salary but he’s not even a top 50 player. Bleacher Report has him 84th, NBCSports 86th, 68th SInand so on.
Jaylen needs to improve a lot to make this contract look good look at dejounte murray other than injury risk it’s a steal jaylen brown getting 10m more per year is a joke
One Game from the NBA finals two seasons ago. An what could only be called ” The Fixed is in Game” ! Brown and Tatum did this without those other two so call stars and against the National Basketball Associate who did everything possible to put the King in the finals for $$$$$$$$ and China Approval of course! Keep us from our mission
Ainge built a contender pretty quickly. Hayward getting a devastating injury in the first five minutes of his career was also devastating to the entire trajectory of what ainge built. Despite that the team went to a very winnable game 7 of conf finals. Which turns out was not good for the team he built. So crapping on ainge is just plain lazy and ignorant.
didnt he turn down 100mill for 4 yrs? i wouldve said bye bye…Tatum is better