Insider: This One Factor Will Determine If Jaylen Brown Stays In Boston

Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown has been saying a lot of things about what the future holds for him—will he stay in Boston long-term or won't he? Now, according to NBA Insider Brian Windhorst, it appears that only one thing will keep Brown in Boston:

“If Jaylen gets voted All-NBA he’s going to stay a Celtic. If Jaylen doesn’t get voted All-NBA he’s going to be a free agent”

- Brian Windhorst

(h/t @RTNBA ) pic.twitter.com/9NCcKreRQY

— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) April 15, 2023

“If Jaylen gets voted All-NBA he’s going to stay a Celtic. If Jaylen doesn’t get voted All-NBA he’s going to be a free agent,” said Windhorst. 

And what that means, is it all comes down to money. If Brown makes All-NBA, he will become supermax eligible with the Celtics. Per the CBA, in a supermax contract, the team that drafted a player is allowed to re-sign him for 35% of the team's salary cap, with an 8% escalation in each subsequent year. 

What that translates to is a massive extension, the likes of which Nikola Jokic signed with the Denver Nuggets last summer when he was supermax eligible, for a record $264M over five years. 

But from the sounds of Windhorst's report, it sounds like anything less than that, and Brown will be taking his talents elsewhere. 

To be clear, the 26-year-old two-time All-Star still has one season to go on his 4-year deal with the Celtics, which would pay him $28.5M next season. But after that, if he hasn't already signed an extension, he'll hit the free agent market. 

Brown had a career year this season, averaging 26.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists. He's made overtures recently, however, that he might not be so committed to staying around Beantown ("I don't know. I will stay where I’m wanted...where I’m needed and treated correct."). 

And there are already rumors that his hometown team is keeping a close eye on the situation. 

 Photo: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports