Appearing this week on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s ‘Toucher and Rich,’ Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge explained that he and the C’s felt comfortable investing more than $25MM per year in Jaylen Brown because of his “very bright future” and the league’s rising salary cap, as Jacob Camenker of NBC Sports Boston relays.
“Yeah, it’s a bet on his future,” Ainge said. “It’s also the way the league is going. There’s big increases in the salary cap. I’ve been through this 17 years, and I remember when we signed [Rajon] Rondo there was lots of questions, like, ‘What are you doing paying him so much money?’ Same thing with Avery Bradley. Even Marcus Smart, there was a lot of criticism. I just think in two years those contracts turn out to be good contracts, not bad ones.”
A report a few days before Monday’s rookie scale extension deadline indicated that the Celtics had offered Brown $80MM over four years. Ainge denied that report, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said this week on Zach Lowe’s podcast that he heard Boston “improved its offer significantly” right before the deadline (link via RealGM).
“One of the reasons why I think they did that was because…they saw where things were going,” Windhorst said. “If Buddy Hield gets this, then our guys (get this).”
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- After officially signing his new contract extension with the Raptors earlier this week, Pascal Siakam spoke to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated about still feeling as if he’s capable of further improvement now that he’s a maximum-salary player. Siakam also discussed the challenges he and the rest of the team will face this season without Kawhi Leonard leading the way.
- Unlike Siakam, Fred VanVleet won’t be eligible for a contract extension before his current contract expires in 2020. In an appearance on Sportsnet’s ‘Tim and Sid,’ VanVleet said he doesn’t plan to speak about his upcoming free agency much this season, but made it clear his preference would be to re-sign with the Raptors. “I’ve been on record about how I feel about this place,” he said, per Thomas Ketko of Sportsnet.ca. “This organization knows how I feel about this place. So in a perfect world, we know what would happen.”
- New Nets center DeAndre Jordan was “largely an afterthought” in his debut in Brooklyn, recording just two points and three rebounds in 16 minutes, writes Howie Kussoy of The New York Post. Jordan, who admitted he was “a little surprised” to be coming off the bench, is confident he’ll find a rhythm in his new role. “We’re basketball players,” he told Kussoy. “We have to learn how to adjust.”
Avery Bradley’s contract was looked at as a very good deal. Brown is overpaid for what they’ll get out of him with Gordon and Tatum there. Need to move 1 of the 3.
Avery Bradley’s deal was panned the moment it was announced..it was only considered a bargain a year or so later…
Anyway, one thing that I don’t think anyone is thinking about here, is that Brown might be used as a salary matcher in a larger deal now.
When first signed…Avery Bradley’s deal was viewed as very poor for the Celtics. In the first year of that deal he turned it on, and then it was viewed as positive for the C’s
It’s pretty laughable that some (very unknowledgeable) people took umbrage to Siakam getting $130 million over 4 years (which is well deserved by the way, the kid is an absolute beast), yet somehow don’t say a thing when Jaylen freaking Brown gets $115 million over the same number of years. That’s insane. With Pascal you are paying for future as well, but the future you’re talking about is basically a Giannis. Doubt Jaylen Brown ever becomes an all star. Danny Ainge has lost his damn mind, although I do agree when he says that this is pretty much what the NBA dictates these days.
Siakam will never be mentioned in the same boat as Giannis, sorry dude!
Also Hield is way better than JB!
IDK about all that.. Only thing that Buddy is better at than Brown is shooting The ball…JB is quite a bit better on defense and a respectable 3 point shooter… Not to mention he’s a crap load more athletic and younger.
Danny!
Agree that Brown is more athletic; he can seemingly do everything Hield can & more. I thought he started fitting with Irving the best of the Celts, and he does well in international play, Africa & China. But for whatever reason he hasn’t conquered the NBA yet and is getting paid like he has.
Ainge better be proven Smart with Walker & Brown!
At 28 mil per year the only players I would say that’s cheap for is LeBron Durant Kawhi Curry and Harden. There’s no way 28 mil will be looked at as a good deal in he future unless he becomes Micheal Jordan in the next 12 months
Ainge said the cap number will be rising, while Windhorst thinks Ainge was matching Hield’s price with Jaylen’s offer. I’ll believe Windhorst because the trendy thought is actually that the capline is in trouble because of China. I suspect Ainge is getting some heat.