The Boston Celtics and Jaylen Brown just made history.
They signed him to the largest contract ever by an NBA player, obviously fueling countless debates on social media.
Brown is a very good player, a guy who plays hard on both ends of the floor, and he’s still young, so there might be some more room for improvement.
However, as good as he is, one could make a case for many players being better at this moment, and that includes Jimmy Butler.
With that in mind, Miami Heat beat writer Ira Winderman reports (via NBA Central) that the former Chicago Bulls standout could look to get even more money than Brown in his next extension.
Jimmy Butler could seek ‘beyond Jaylen Brown money’ on his next extension, per @IraHeatBeat pic.twitter.com/tggXHRJ96y
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 31, 2023
For starters, this isn’t anything new; it’ll be a major trend going forward.
Every time a player resets the market, those who are better than him end up making that deal look like a bargain, and it’ll be just a matter of time before Brown is far below in the ‘highest-paid players’ list.
Then again, Jimmy Butler isn’t exactly young, and he’s had a history of injuries and physical struggles, so there’s a chance he won’t be able to live up to the responsibilities and expectations that could come with such a massive deal.
Butler is 33 years old already, and his body and play could be in the decline by the end of the next five-year contract extension.
Perhaps, the Heat could look to sign him to a contract that goes over Brown’s in terms of annual average value but with a lesser duration, like a three-year deal worth $190 million.
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