When Jaylen Brown was understandably non-committal about his future with the Boston Celtics given his contract ends after next season in a recent interview with the Ringer’s Logan Murdock, some fans and analysts of the ball club interpreted his words as a sign the Georgia native plans to decamp when he is free to do so.
But when asked about those words and what they could mean for his future, Brown replied that he was on a 50-win team that he doesn’t plan on taking for granted. “Right now, I’m focused on helping lead my team for another playoff run,” he explained via NBC Boston Sports.
“In terms of speculation et cetera, I can’t speculate on anything above what I’m doing right now,” he added.
Celtics Lab 177: On Boston’s looming seeding battle with the Bucks and Jaylen Brown’s future with Dalton Sell https://t.co/D1GZSh7ky1
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) March 23, 2023
Brown suggested that media coverage of his comments contributed to the furor his words created, an ever-present pitfall for answering such questions.
“I think sometimes when people write articles, they get taken out of context at times, especially when writers have their own agendas or whatever. So, for me personally, thinking about clarifying things that have been recently said. But other than that, I’m focused on my team.”
“I’m focused on playing basketball and focused on winning games,” he reiterated.
Celtics projected to be part of two biggest series draws in 2023 NBA Playoffs https://t.co/1VG25Zc5BO
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) March 24, 2023
When pressed for specifics on what it was that he would like to clarify, the Georgia native understandably sidestepped the question given such answers typically do little but feed the flames of controversy in NBA media circles.
“The only thing I want to clarify is that the Celtics need to play better and win more games. If I want to say something in the future about the kind of things that’s been floating around, I will, but in terms of right now, I like when people hear things from the horse’s mouth and you can see my reaction, and my face and everything — how I feel about what I’m saying.”
“Sometimes those things can get lost in translation, you know” Brown related.
The star Celtics forward recently hinted he might not be happy in Boston. Could he leave? https://t.co/8dXpOUj8Cn
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) March 24, 2023
“If I feel the need to (elaborate further), I will,” suggested the Cal-Berkeley alum. “I keep constant communication with my teammates and organization.”
“We have to have everybody on board if we’re going to do things that we say we’re going to do. Right now, I’m focused on that.”
“Me and Kyrie didn’t really see eye to eye when we was here,” explained Brown. https://t.co/X8HjH4sCCw
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) March 24, 2023
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