Eastern Notes: Wizards, Brown, Celtics, Pacers
The Wizards have won 15, 18, and 17 games in the past three seasons, but team owner Ted Leonsis has no regrets about pivoting to a full roster tear-down – or, as he calls it, a “deconstruction” – after several years mired in mediocrity, he tells Barry Svrluga of The Athletic. Leonsis indicated that he’s happy with the job team president Michael Winger has done to position the Wizards for a more promising future.
“(Winger) said to me three or four times, ‘You know, this could take four or five years,'” Leonsis said. “And I said, ‘I totally understand. I’ve been through the deconstructing stage with the (NHL’s Washington Capitals). I lived through it the first time with the Wizards. I’m prepared. … I don’t see any other path to get out of where we are than deconstruct.’ And they executed it very, very well.”
Of course, the Wizards’ future looks much more positive after the May 10 draft lottery than it did before it — armed with the No. 1 overall pick in a loaded 2026 draft, Washington is in position to add a long-term franchise cornerstone to its young core. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Wizards will become a contender overnight. Leonsis told Svrluga that he considers the rebuild to be “just starting” rather than ending.
“I think it’s an important point on this long, long journey that we’ll be on.” the Wizards’ owner said, before pausing and adding, “The deconstruction, though, is over.”
We have more from around the Eastern Conference:
- So what exactly should the Wizards do with that first overall pick? One rival front office official told Josh Robbins and David Aldridge of The Athletic that figuring that out is a “great (expletive) problem to have.” Of the 13 executives and scouts who spoke to Robbins and Aldridge, seven said they’d take AJ Dybantsa, two expressed a preference for Darryn Peterson, one said he’d want Cameron Boozer, and three didn’t commit to a specific prospect.
- While Jaylen Brown will technically be eligible for a contract extension as of July 26, Brian Robb of MassLive.com notes that the Celtics will likely feel no sense of urgency to get a new deal done at this point, given that there are still three years left on Brown’s current super-max contract. Robb doesn’t expect a Brown extension to be among Brad Stevens‘ offseason priorities.
- Observing that the Celtics want to get more athletic and add another ball-handler this summer, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe (subscription required) explores whether the club might be able to address either of those needs with the No. 27 overall pick in the draft. Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie, Duke forward Isaiah Evans, and Texas wing Dailyn Swain are among the prospects Washburn considers as possible targets for Boston.
- After losing their first-round pick on lottery night, what’s next for the Pacers this summer? Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required) attempts to answer that question, noting that the team may want to add another wing with size. Dopirak examines which trade and free agent targets might be realistic for Indiana and weighs whether it would make sense for the club to trade back into the draft, likely in the second round.
Stein’s Latest: LeBron, Sixers, Magic, Blazers, Giannis
Has LeBron James played his last NBA game? That’s the question Marc Stein wondered on Saturday at his Substack.
Stein and people he trusts around the league think James is likely to play a record-extending 24th season in 2026/27, but Stein acknowledges that no one — maybe not even James — knows the answer.
James, a 21-time All-NBA member, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. The 41-year-old’s “runaway preference” would be to remain with the Lakers, Stein writes, and they’re believed to be open to that scenario as well — with a caveat.
According to Stein, Los Angeles would like to bring back LeBron at a “much lower number” than the $52.6MM he made this season. However, Stein views that scenario as “thorny,” since James has never accepted the sort of discounted rate the Lakers might prefer to offer.
Still, the other teams that could appeal to James — the Warriors, Cavaliers, Knicks and Clippers — may not be able to offer him much in free agency either, Stein notes. That might make retirement a more viable option, even though Stein suspects the NBA’s all-time leading will play another season.
Stein also detailed several other items of interest in his Sunday edition of The Stein Line:
- Bob Myers, the president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, recently said the Sixers‘ new head of basketball operations would have “a lot of authority” but that he expects to be involved in major personnel and roster decisions moving forward. That has led to a “widespread belief” around the league that Myers will explore the possibility of hiring Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh for the job, according to Stein, who points out that Saleh worked with Myers in Golden State. However, Stein hears Saleh is expected to remain with Atlanta, as the 76ers would require permission to speak to him, and that seems unlikely to be granted after Saleh finished second in Executive of the Year voting.
- According to Stein, there have been “rumbles” about the Sixers potentially being intrigued by Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly, but he’s still under contract for another year and Minnesota didn’t show any interest in letting him speak to Dallas before the Mavericks decided to hire Masai Ujiri.
- Regardless of what happens with the front office search, Stein has heard chatter throughout the season about Sixers assistant GM Jameer Nelson potentially being promoted to an “expanded role.” The former NBA point guard is highly regarded in Philadelphia and in the league and is “routinely described” as a possible future GM, Stein writes. 76ers consultant Neil Olshey and Thunder executive Vince Rozman, a longtime former Sixers employee, have also been connected to Philadelphia’s front office vacancy after the team fired Daryl Morey.
- The Magic hope to hire an experienced head coach to replace Jamahl Mosley, per Stein, and Billy Donovan is still viewed as a “strong candidate” for the position despite backing out of the same job to return to the University of Florida in 2007. Tom Thibodeau is another experienced coach who remains a free agent, Stein notes.
- Sources tell the Stein Line that Timberwolves assistant coach Micah Nori can be added to the list of names the Trail Blazers have expressed interest in as they search for a new head coach. For what it’s worth, former Blazers head coach Terry Stotts threw his name into the hat recently as well, texting longtime Oregon sportswriter Dwight Jaynes that he’d like another crack at the job. “I would love to come back to the Blazers and Portland,” Stotts told Jaynes. Stotts, who confirmed his agent has reached out to Portland about the position, spent the last two seasons as the Warriors’ top assistant.
- According to Stein, the following statement from president of basketball operations Brad Stevens is among the reasons the Celtics keep popping up as a potential suitor for Giannis Antetokounmpo: “One of the things that we’ve got to figure out is how to have more of an impact at the rim,” Stevens said. “And I think we do need to add to our team to do that.”
And-Ones: Social Justice Award, Wemby, Leg Injuries, McGrady
Heat big man Bam Adebayo, Spurs forward Harrison Barnes, Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Pistons forward Tobias Harris, and Cavaliers big man Larry Nance Jr. are the five finalists for the 2026 Social Justice Champion award, the NBA announced in a press release.
“The annual award honors a current NBA player for pursuing social justice and will receive the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar trophy for advancing Abdul-Jabbar’s life mission to engage, empower and drive equality for individuals and groups who have been historically disadvantaged,” the release states.
“The NBA Social Justice Champion will be announced during the Conference Finals of the 2026 NBA Playoffs and receive a $100,000 donation from the NBA for a non-profit organization of his choosing.”
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is unlikely to suit up for the French national team for a pair of 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifying games in early July, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops, but the former No. 1 overall pick is expected to be available during the second qualifying window in late August. San Antonio’s deep playoff run — the Spurs are set to face Oklahoma City in the Western Conference finals — is the reason why Wembanyama probably won’t play for Team France in July.
- Kirk Goldsberry of The Ringer takes a data-focused look at the NBA’s significant rise in soft-tissue leg injuries and considers what measures the league could take to mitigate them.
- Hall-of-Famer Tracy McGrady relaunched his Ones Basketball League at Oak Ridge High School in Orlando on Friday, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. “I thought it was a great atmosphere,” McGrady said of the rowdy crowd. “Orlando showed a lot of support. I thought the guys played extremely well, played hard. … All in all, I think it was a great showing. And hopefully the crowd that was here got an opportunity to see some good basketball and understand what we’re trying to build.” Beede passes along more details about the one-on-one league, which will conclude on July 1 with a prize of $100,000.
Celtics Notes: Tatum, Repeater Tax, Free Agency, Brown
Jayson Tatum entered this season just hoping to recover from his torn Achilles and help the Celtics by playoff time. His goals for 2026/27 are much loftier, relays Souchi Terada of MassLive, as Tatum said in a recent appearance on the “Glass Half Full” podcast with Craig Melvin that he dreams of “winning another championship and holding up Finals MVP.”
Tatum was part of the title-winning team in 2024, but he watched teammate Jaylen Brown get named MVP of both the NBA Finals and Eastern Conference Finals. Tatum’s play-making and defense were vital in the series against Dallas, but he struggled with his shot and Brown put up better overall numbers.
Tatum also addressed his physical status after soreness in his left knee forced him to miss Game 7 of the first-round loss to Philadelphia. He’s looking forward to training normally this summer without having to face a long rehab process.
During the conversation, Tatum revaled that he inquired about whether there was anything he could have done to prevent the Achilles injury.
“I asked the doctor, ‘If I got an MRI the day before, would you have been able to tell me I was at risk?’” Tatum said. “He was like, ‘Honestly, you might not want to hear this, but your tendon looks perfectly healthy.’ It was just an unlucky moment. And that was hard to hear because I was doing everything right. I was taking care of my body. I was getting treatment. I was doing all my strength work, every game day.”
There’s more from Boston:
- President of basketball operations Brad Stevens talked about the need for a talent upgrade at his end-of-season press conference, but that could lead to some difficult financial decisions, notes Brian Robb of MassLive. The Celtics were able to duck below the tax line this year, and they’ll need to do so again to reset the repeater clock. The team has about $181MM committed to 11 players for 2026/27, putting it roughly $19MM below the projected $200.5MM tax line.
- In a mailbag column, Robb looks at potential moves involving LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Obi Toppin. He also examines the center market, pointing to the Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson and the Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams as the best available free agents, but stating that their current teams can offer them more than the Celtics could. The Magic’s Moritz Wagner and the Bulls’ Zach Collins could also be options, but Robb suggests the Celtics might be better off looking for trades.
- Brown discusses his reaction to being benched early in his career during an appearance on the “State of the Game” video series, per Robb.
Draft Notes: Combine, Peterson, Stojakovic, Momcilovic
Baylor wing Cameron Carr, North Carolina State guard Matt Able and UConn center Tarris Reed Jr. are among the prospects who boosted their stocks at this week’s draft combine, per Jeremy Woo and Jeff Borzello of ESPN.
The stocks of Arizona’s Koa Peat and Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner may be trending in the opposite direction after their time in Chicago, Woo writes. Peat struggled during shooting drills, while diminutive but explosive point guard Tanner didn’t play very well in the scrimmages on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Texas wing Dailyn Swain is leaning toward keeping his name in the draft, according to Borzello, but two other early entrants — Florida center Rueben Chinyelu and Louisville commit Flory Bidunga — seem more likely to return to college for their respective senior and junior seasons.
Here’s more on the 2026 NBA draft:
- Projected top-four pick Darryn Peterson expected to receive questions about his health during interviews at the combine, but he said that hasn’t necessarily been the case, writes Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. “Actually, surprisingly, not a lot,” Peterson said when asked if teams were interested in the topic. “I think what I did with ESPN kind of gave people some answers. I haven’t got a lot of questions about it all.” As Todd details, NBA evaluators are certainly keen to learn more about Peterson’s health, but they’ll receive his medical evaluations this week and have spent the interviews learning more about who he is as a person. The Kansas star also clarified that he’s open to playing on or off the ball after saying Sunday that he views himself as a point guard, and said he looks up to NBA stars like Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Devin Booker and Donovan Mitchell, Todd adds.
- While junior wing Andrej Stojakovic said this week that he has “both feet in” the draft process, that doesn’t mean he has ruled out a possible return to Illinois, according to Colleen Kane of The Chicago Tribune. The son of former NBA All-Star Peja Stojakovic said he has worked out for the Grizzlies and Celtics so far and plans to use the next couple weeks leading up to the May 27 withdrawal deadline to continue gathering information. “The more I move forward, the more we go closer to that deadline, I’ll know more,” the younger Stojakovic said. “The group around me has done a really good job of evaluating and staying level-headed no matter what kind of feedback we hear. I’m very thankful for the situation I’m in because going back to school is also a really, really good option for me.”
- Iowa State sharpshooter Milan Momcilovic says he’s “still focused on the draft” rather than returning to college, as James Madden of ZagsBlog.com relays. Momcilovic, who plans to transfer if he does return to for a senior college season, suggested a guaranteed contract might be the deciding factor on whether he remains in the draft or withdraws. “If there’s guaranteed contracts, that’ll be good,” Momcilovic said (Twitter video link via Isaac Trotter of CBS Sports). “If it’s the later second round, those are usually two-way contracts, so then I’ll probably go back (to college). I want to go to the NBA, that’s the goal. I want to go this year.”
Celtics Hiring Isaiah Thomas As Scout
The Celtics have hired Isaiah Thomas as a pro and college scout, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (subscriber link), who reports that the former Celtics star will be based in the Seattle area, his hometown.
Boston has several other regional and international scouts, Himmelsbach notes. Sources tell The Boston Globe that Thomas has been at the draft combine in Chicago this week, working with Celtics executives as they interview prospects and teach him about the “overall evaluation process.”
Thomas had the best years of his career in Boston, making a pair of All-Star teams and earning second-team All-NBA honors in 2016/17 after finishing fifth in MVP voting. However, his career was derailed by a hip injury in the spring of 2017, and he was traded to Cleveland in the Kyrie Irving later that summer.
Thomas was never able to recapture his previous form after the hip issue, having bounced around the league for several years. The 37-year-old point guard last played in the NBA in 2023/24, when he finished out that season with the Suns.
President of basketball operations Brad Stevens, who was Boston’s head coach at the time, has credited Thomas with helping to establish the culture that has led to considerable success over the past decade, per Himmelsbach.
Thomas never formally retired as a player. In fact, less than sixth months ago he said he was considering continuing his career in Europe after spending part of last season with the Salt Lake City Stars, Utah’s G League affiliate.
Sixers Notes: Morey, McCain, Trade Deadline, Embiid, Front Office Candidates
Daryl Morey’s post-trade assessment that “we sold high” when he sent Jared McCain to Oklahoma City in February continues to be mocked in Philadelphia, writes Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice. While Jake Fischer has reported that trade wasn’t the “proverbial last straw” for Morey in Philadelphia, the deal – combined with the failure to get another player to replace McCain in the rotation – may have factored into the executive’s dismissal this week as the Sixers‘ president of basketball operations.
The only return in that deal with the Thunder was a first-round pick originally belonging to Houston that wound up at No. 22 in this year’s draft. McCain’s roster spot was given to Cameron Payne, who had been playing in Serbia, but he was waived after suffering a hamstring strain in the final week of the season. Two-way player Dalen Terry was promoted to take his place and saw minimal playing time in the postseason.
Morey approached the deadline looking for “cost-effective role players with multiple years of control,” a source tells Aaronson, and his top target was Thunder shooting guard Aaron Wiggins. Morey was hoping to land Wiggins as part of the McCain deal, but Philadelphia would have needed to include multiple other players to make the trade work. OKC held onto Wiggins, and Aaronson notes that McCain has played a role in pushing him out of the Thunder’s rotation.
Aaronson also hears that Morey offered multiple second-round picks to the Bulls for Jalen Smith, but Chicago opted to keep him. Two other prime targets were Rockets forward Tari Eason and Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey, who both remained with their teams through the deadline. Aaronson’s source said the Sixers made attempts to land the Mavericks‘ Naji Marshall, the Timberwolves‘ Donte DiVincenzo, the Warriors‘ Brandin Podziemski and the Suns‘ Ryan Dunn as well. None of those players wound up being traded.
Morey liked the potential fit of Ayo Dosunmu, who has been a valuable contributor in Minnesota’s playoff run, according to Aaronson’s source, but didn’t prioritize him because of his expiring contract. Aaronson reports that the team also had some interest in Vit Krejci, who was sent from Atlanta to Portland four days prior to the deadline in exchange for two second-round picks. Philadelphia had numerous second-rounders to offer, but Morey reportedly didn’t want to commit to a deal with so much time remaining before the deadline.
There’s more on the Sixers:
- Morey’s relationship with star center Joel Embiid appeared to deteriorate throughout the season, Aaronson adds. Embiid expressed displeasure with management at the trade deadline and again when he was held out of a game in early April, and he refused to comment directly on Morey when asked about their relationship during the playoffs.
- Bob Myers, who will be leading the search to replace Morey, could probably have the job if he tells managing partner Josh Harris that he wants it, Aaronson suggests in a separate story. If Myers opts to remain in his current role as president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, Aaronson identifies a few other candidates, including Elton Brand, who served as Morey’s top assistant, and Vince Rozman, who spent 16 years with the organization before joining OKC’s front office in 2022. Pistons senior vice president Dennis Lindsey and Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd, who were both finalists to run Chicago’s front office, are also on the list, along with Spurs assistant GM Dave Telep, Celtics assistant GM Dave Lewin and prominent agents Austin Brown and Alex Saratsis.
- In a mailbag column, Aaronson examines some options for the Sixers in free agency and explains why the team shouldn’t try to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
2026 NBA Draft Picks By Team
The Bulls, who pivoted to rebuilding mode after being eliminated in the play-in tournament in three straight years from 2023-25, and the Spurs, who went from 34 wins a year ago to 62 this season, appear headed in opposite directions. But the two organizations do have one thing in common — they’re the only two teams in the NBA who control more than three picks in this year’s draft.
Chicago, which moved up to No. 4 as a result of Sunday’s draft lottery, also controls the 15th, 38th, and 56th picks. San Antonio has just one first-rounder at No. 20, but its other three picks – Nos. 35, 42, and 44 – are in the top half of the second round.
Besides the Spurs and Bulls, nine other teams own more than the typical two picks, and several of those clubs have at least one top-10 selection. The Wizards, Grizzlies, Clippers, Nets, Kings, Hawks, and Mavericks each have three selections, including one in the top nine. The Thunder and Knicks are the other two clubs who control three 2026 picks.
Those 11 teams own a combined 35 picks in June’s draft, while eight others control two apiece and nine more have one each. That means there are just two teams without a pick this year: the Pacers and Trail Blazers. Both teams had protected first-rounders, but Portland sacrificed its lottery-protected pick when it earned a playoff spot, while Indiana had a worst possible outcome in the lottery, as its top-four protected pick fell to No. 5.
To present a clearer picture of which teams are most – and least – stocked with picks for the 2026 NBA draft, we’ve rounded up all 60 selections by team in the space below. Let’s dive in…
Teams with more than two picks:
- Chicago Bulls (4): 4, 15, 38, 56
- San Antonio Spurs (4): 20, 35, 42, 44
- Washington Wizards (3): 1, 51, 60
- Memphis Grizzlies (3): 3, 16, 32
- Los Angeles Clippers (3): 5, 36, 52
- Brooklyn Nets (3): 6, 33, 43
- Sacramento Kings (3): 7, 34, 45
- Atlanta Hawks (3): 8, 23, 57
- Dallas Mavericks (3): 9, 30, 48
- Oklahoma City Thunder (3): 12, 17, 37
- New York Knicks (3): 24, 31, 55
Teams with two picks:
- Golden State Warriors: 11, 54
- Miami Heat: 13, 41
- Charlotte Hornets: 14, 18
- Toronto Raptors: 19, 50
- Denver Nuggets: 26, 49
- Boston Celtics: 27, 40
- Minnesota Timberwolves: 28, 59
- Houston Rockets: 39, 53
Teams with one pick:
- Utah Jazz: 2
- Milwaukee Bucks: 10
- Detroit Pistons: 21
- Philadelphia 76ers: 22
- Los Angeles Lakers: 25
- Cleveland Cavaliers: 29
- Orlando Magic: 46
- Phoenix Suns: 47
- New Orleans Pelicans: 58
Teams with no picks:
- Indiana Pacers
- Portland Trail Blazers
Bucks Open For Business On Antetokounmpo Trade Offers
In the aftermath of the lottery, the Bucks are prepared to listen to trade offers for two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports.
However, the Bucks are in no rush to make a deal. There is expected to be a “robust” market for Antetokounmpo, according to Charania, and ownership and front office officials will carefully sift through offers with a high asking price. Milwaukee is seeking a young blue-chip talent and/or a surplus of draft picks.
According to previous reports, the Celtics, Magic, Trail Blazers, Warriors, Heat, Rockets and Raptors are among the potential suitors for Antetokounmpo.
The Bucks listened to offers for Antetokounmpo prior to February’s trade deadline but opted to put off those discussions until the offseason. They will now engage in those conversations once again. The playoff results could also factor into the number of teams that will make an offer. That group includes the Timberwolves, Cavaliers, Knicks and Lakers, who all pursued Antetokounmpo at the February deadline.
After one Bucks co-owner – Wes Edens – told ESPN in March that the team figures to either trade or extend their franchise player in the coming year, another one of the team’s co-owners – Jimmy Haslam – said last Wednesday that he’d like to see the team reach a resolution on Antetokounmpo by next month’s draft.
“Sometime over the next six or seven weeks we’ll decide whether Giannis is going to sign a max contract and stay with us or he’s going to play somewhere else,” Haslam told reporters during a news conference introducing Taylor Jenkins as the Bucks’ new coach.
Rumors surrounding Antetokounmpo have been persistent since last summer – when the star forward reportedly expressed interest in a move to New York – and only intensified during the season, even after the he stayed put through the trade deadline. Giannis and the Bucks clashed publicly on multiple occasions. The two sides were at odds over his ability to return to action following a knee injury, and Antetokounmpo took exception to those aforementioned remarks made by Edens.
Haslam has said publicly and privately that the Bucks will work with Antetokounmpo in the coming weeks on an outcome that works for both the team and the two-time MVP, according to Charania, who says Giannis’ belief that the time has come for both sides to move on hasn’t changed, even though he has never explicitly made a trade request.
Milwaukee didn’t have any luck in Sunday’s lottery and are slotted at the No. 10 pick. None of Antetokounmpo’s projected suitors, such as Miami and Golden State, moved into the top four.
There are two more years left on Antetokounmpo’s contract, but the final year is a player option worth $62.8MM, so he could become an unrestricted free agent in 2027. Any potential suitor will likely want to know if he’s willing to sign an extension before trading away multiple assets.
Hawks Could Be Among Suitors For Jaylen Brown
The Celtics and Hawks had a “brief conversation” last offseason about Jaylen Brown, according to Chris Mannix of NBC Sports (video link), who expects them to revisit the idea of a trade this summer (hat tip to BasketNews).
Mannix adds that initial talks between the teams were only exploratory because Atlanta was “leery” about taking on Brown’s $53.1MM salary and wasn’t “really in a position to go all in” with a developing roster. He states that Boston wasn’t “looking to give Jaylen Brown away” so there wasn’t much common ground to work out a deal.
Brown wound up posting the best statistical season of his career as the team’s primary scoring threat while Jayson Tatum was recovering from an Achilles tear. However, the season ended in disappointment with a first-round playoff loss to Philadelphia, so Mannix believes the Celtics could consider moving on from Brown’s pricey deal, which still has three years remaining at more than $183MM.
A late-season surge propelled the Hawks to the No. 6 seed, so they could be more open to taking on salary this offseason in hopes of becoming a serious contender in 2026/27.
In addition to the Hawks, Mannix states that several other clubs could make a run at Brown if he becomes available. He mentions the Heat, Rockets and Warriors as teams that are expected to pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo and suggests they could turn their attention to Brown if they fail to land the Bucks star.
As Mannix notes, it has been a tumultuous week for Brown since the Celtics were eliminated last Saturday. He blasted series officials on his Twitch stream, claiming they had “an agenda” against him that resulted in an unusually high number of offensive fouls, and singled out Sixers star Joel Embiid for flopping. His remarks on the referees resulted in a $50K fine from the league.
There was also a backlash from Boston fans after Brown called this his “favorite season” even with the early playoff exit. NBC’s Tracy McGrady, who has served as Brown’s mentor, claimed that he has “frustration” with the Celtics behind the scenes, leading president of basketball operations Brad Stevens to tell reporters at his end-of-season press conference on Wednesday that Brown hasn’t expressed any unhappiness to him.
Brown tried to diffuse the situation later in the week by reaffirming his commitment to the organization and stating that he would like to finish his career in Boston. He also denied any friction with Stevens, saying they have a “great relationship.”
While Brown is an all-NBA talent and won’t turn 30 until October, his contract could make some teams think twice about making a deal. He’ll earn $57MM next season, $61MM in 2027/28 and nearly $65MM in 2028/29 before becoming a free agent that summer.