The Boston Celtics made Jaylen Brown the highest-paid player in NBA history.
Needless to say, that prompted plenty of criticism and even mockery, as he wasn’t that caliber of player.
Of course, he’s still an All-Star, and he’s not to blame for the current state of the market.
Essentially, the Celtics had no choice but to make him that offer, and that deal could look like a bargain a couple of years from now.
As a matter of fact, it could look like a solid deal right now.
As shown by NBA Central, Brown has been on a tear over the past 12 games, averaging 29.4 points with 6.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per contest on 54% from the floor and 40% from beyond the arc.
Jaylen Brown over his last 12 games:
29.4 PPG
6.2 RPG
3.0 APG
54% FG
40% 3PT
Boston: 10-2 pic.twitter.com/VcnRldpbHL— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 23, 2024
On a related note, Joe Mazzulla’s team is 10-2 over that span.
Brown has some glaring limitations, some of which have been exposed in the playoffs.
He’s not a consistent free-throw shooter, he cannot go left, and he tends to turn the ball over when blitzed or forced to dribble with his off hand.
But he’s also elite at the things he does well.
The Celtics, however, still need to prove that they can rise to the occasion and be at their best when it actually counts.
Both Brown and Jayson Tatum have left a lot to be desired for a franchise that’s desperately looking to get back to the mountaintop.
The Celtics have only won one championship since the Larry Bird era, and they’ll hope that Brown will pay that investment back by leading them to their league-high 18th banner.
NEXT: One NBA Team's Offense Sits Above The Rest Since The All-Star Break