Jaylen Brown is hearing all the noise about his future in Boston, and he’s not keeping quiet.
As trade rumors involving Giannis Antetokounmpo continue to dominate the NBA landscape, Brown addressed the speculation directly during a recent Twitch stream while training alongside Olympic runner Noah Lyles.
“For all the people who doubt me, want me to do this, or want me to leave, you can make a monster,” said Brown. “You make me grateful in a way. I’m starting to see bad things that I didn’t want to, but that just gives me more fuel for the fire.”
The comments come as Boston has emerged as one of the leading teams in pursuit of Antetokounmpo. This player known as the Bucks is reported to be willing to make a long-term commitment to Boston or Miami once the job is done.
The Celtics are fully involved in the negotiations, and Brown’s name is reportedly in the middle, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
The timing has created an awkward situation for Brown, who is coming off the worst regular season of his career. The Celtics star averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists, all career highs, while earning his fifth All-Star selection.
Despite those individual numbers, Boston’s season ended on a disappointing note after a Game 7 loss at home to Philadelphia in the opening round. Brown was also fined $50,000 following public criticism of his handling of the series.
Any potential deal involving Brown could be done to acquire one of the league’s most accomplished players. Antetokounmpo won two-time NBA MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and led Milwaukee to the 2021 championship while earning Finals MVP honors.
However, injuries have become a growing problem. The Buckeyes star appeared in just 36 games last season, although his status remains a big issue heading into the NBA Draft.
With the draft set to begin Tuesday night, the clock is ticking. Brown has heard the criticism, seen the speculation and made his feelings clear.
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