Why is Jaylen Brown not signed to the super max yet?

jrleftfoot wrote:

worcester wrote:I would much rather read Dylan Thomas than Dylan Thompson.

                                                            in the original Welsh?

JR,

I would much rather have a Welsh rarebit than a bit of rare Welsh.


Bob


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https://celticswire.usatoday.com/lists/nba-boston-celtics-why-wait-jb/



Explainer: What are Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics negotiating over?


Cameron Tabatabaie
July 17, 2023 5:15 pm ET



At the time of this writing, negotiations between the Boston Celtics and Jaylen Brown on a possible contract extension are incomplete and on hold. Brown is eligible to sign a 5-year supermax deal after earning All-NBA honors this year, but he and the Celtics have yet to come to terms on such an extension. The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach reported these negotiations are on pause while Brown attends an NBPA meeting overseas, but both sides are eager to eventually ink a deal.

Brown could sign an extension for five years worth as much as $304 million, depending on estimated changes to the NBA’s salary cap. Such a deal is both longer and more lucrative than Brown could earn with another team as a free agent next summer if he forgoes a new contract with Boston this offseason.


Brown and the Celtics have until October to complete an extension, though it is believed this will be finalized sooner rather than later.


Although both Boston and Brown are reportedly looking to come to terms with this extension, that doesn’t mean they agree on every detail. As Himmelsbach reported, the structure of the contract, future opt-outs, and possible incentives represent the bulk of the negotiations that remain.

Let’s take a closer look at some of these finer details that are still being considered as Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics discuss a contract extension.


What is a supermax?

The size of an NBA contract is usually limited by years of service. For example, a player usually needs 10 years of experience before he can be offered a salary worth up to 35% of a club’s salary cap. However certain criteria can allow players to bypass this age-restriction. By landing on the 2023 All-NBA second team, Brown became eligible for a deal worth 35% of the cap despite only having seven years of NBA service.

Boston and Brown are now at an interesting crossroads. The Celtics are the only team who can offer Brown a 5-year, $295 million deal, and Boston could offend Brown if they don’t extend this maximum amount. Brown could also be leaving millions of dollars on the table if he forgoes an extension entirely. Again, both sides are likely eying the full supermax, and ongoing negotiations revolve around finer details.


Importantly, a full supermax is always ascending in value at 8% annually. Brown doesn’t have enough experience to be offered a no-trade clause, but can’t be traded in the first year of his new deal if he signs the full supermax.

It is possible the Celtics offer Brown a deal worth slightly less than the full 35% outright. In that scenario, Boston could create a contract worth a few million dollars less than the full supermax, opening the door for incentive-based bonuses. This could be tied to things like a player option (more on this shortly), or a trade kicker.

Technically Brown could still reach the full value of the supermax deal, but with extra barriers. This could be a source of tension in negotiations but is not an uncommon practice in the NBA.


Team or player options

The final few years of Brown’s potential extension may be a cause for extended negotiations. Boston can offer a deal worth exactly five seasons with no caveats, but there are ways to change this structure.

The Celtics may grant Brown a player option for the final year of his contract. This would allow the Georgia native a chance to hit free agency a season sooner if he feels he wants a change of scenery or wants to start negotiations on another new contract with Boston even earlier. Jayson Tatum was offered a player option on his most recent deal signed in 2020.

Boston could also want a team option to be part of the deal. In this scenario, the Celtics would have more say in what the tail end of the contract looks like. Team options are not uncommon, but are less desirable for players.


Trade kickers

Another consideration for any Brown supermax extension is a potential trade kicker. This is a bonus paid to a player if he is traded away from the Celtics. For example, Marcus Smart had a trade kicker worth 15% in the contract he signed last season with Boston.

Brown’s name has been popular among NBA analysts for almost his entire career. Despite being one of the top players in the Association, Brown is consistently pegged as someone who Boston could flip at any moment. It would be understandable for Brown, a Vice President of the NBPA, to want an added layer of protection.

A trade kicker could be a tool for Boston’s front office to show their commitment to Brown. That said, a trade kicker of any size could be quite expensive when attached to this new contract, and moot if it would bump the contract past supermax thresholds. So, a trade kicker is only useful if Brown doesn’t sign for the full 35%, or for marginally smaller pay boosts each season his 8% pay raise lags behind the projected cap increase of 10%.


Payment structures

There are a few other things Brown and the Celtics may be negotiating, though these may be more akin to bookkeeping than anything else. Perhaps the most important of these is how Brown would be paid.

Most NBA players receive paychecks twice a month without much added consideration. However, sometimes players prefer lump sum payments or even advances on their salary. Brown could decide he wants a specific payment structure once his new deal goes live.


Final thoughts

The reporting around this issue has been consistent across multiple sources, and it does indeed appear Brown and the Celtics will come to terms on a full supermax. Brown has been a rising star in Boston, and is unlikely to agree to a smaller contract.

The details here matter, though, and both sides are right to consider their options carefully. Boston has been the darling of the Eastern Conference for many years now in part because of shrewd roster design. It’s not very hard to find teams who are paralyzed by messy contracts or bloated, inflexible payrolls.

Even if contract negotiations last into the summer or even early fall, there’s too much money and opportunity at stake to not feel optimistic. Nothing is guaranteed but expected Brown to be in Boston for the foreseeable future.


Bob
MY NOTE:  I don't think that "optimism" is the right word.  I think it's more like "bank on it".  Jaylen will be banking it, and so can we.  I don't know what the final details will be but as a NBAPA Vice President he knows more about what the players were trying to accomplish with this new CBA than most players and will "play it" that way.  He is also more aware of the constraints put upon owners with the new CBA and how that will hamper their efforts to put together a Championship winning roster.  There are some things that I believe I know about Jaylen Brown after 7 years in the league (yep, time sure has flown.  He is now going into his 8th season, and he won't be 27 until late October).  One is that he is a very thoughtful man.  Another is that he doesn't point fingers, he accepts his share of whatever shortcomings the team is having and is committed to the continuous improvement of himself and the environment he works and lives in.  His team, his society, his game; you see these efforts of his in almost everything he says, does and is involved in.  Yet another thing I believe I know about Jaylen Brown is that he isn't sneaky.  He deals forthrightly with people and issues.  Therefore, I believe, that the work, effort on his contract extension, the optimism expressed by Brad regarding the progress that has been made (although, admittedly, Brad is optimistic and positive about everything) encourages me to conclude that this is going to get done.  It would require Jaylen and/or Brad to be completely conniving individuals for all the smoke signals to be so wrong and that's not who either of those men are. This is going to happen.  Bank on it.

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jrleftfoot wrote:Bob Ryan has thrown his two cents in. Jaylen's not wort it. He thinks he's as good as Tatum. Blah blah blah.

I heard that interview. IMO, Bob Ryan is coasting on his past performances and is no longer putting in the work.

It seems to me that he hasn't kept up with the evolving financial reality of the NBA. The CBA includes many guidelines for compensation and if you meet them, it means that you have earned that money. The NBA is full of players that get overpaid and underpaid, if you are going to overpay, it may as well be for an All-NBA player.

As we just learned, you don't overpay for non-starting talent (Grant) because their contributions can be replaced. At least, that is what we have been told. If Brad takes a hard stand on Jaylen and he ends up getting upset and wants to leave, how do we replace him?

We are a contending team, not a rebuilding one. Ryan doesn't seem to know the difference.

Jaylen may have still been dealing with hand issues during the 7th game.

dboss wrote:

Ktron wrote:Let’s not forget that when we needed Jaylen to step up when Tatum got hurt he had one of his worst performances.
An aberration? Ion know.
JB is a great player but when has he come through in the crunch?

Maybe my memory is shot and if so, id like to hear where he came through in the clutch on meaningful games.
I want JB on this team and if he gets Max I’m cool with it.

But…Lets not ignore his shortcomings because he has many…..    
Hint…..

I do not think that 7th game is indicative.  I recall last year during the finals JB played better than JT did

JT has been our best 4th QTR scorer 432 points (ranked 7th) during the season and JB had 409 points (ranked 13th)  we are looking at a toal of 23 points total separation in the 4th for the entire regular season.

Reflects our #1 and #2 scorer and how close they are in terms of scoring in the 4th QTR.

JB's 2 biggest short comings is ball handling and free throw shooting. IMO.

+1

I’ve seen numerous games where Jaylen came up big in 4th, and had no idea are only 23 points that separate Tatum and Brown in the 4th. I would have thought it was alot bigger, especially with Tatum getting the ball and more plays called for him as our primary scoring option.

gyso wrote:Jaylen may have still been dealing with hand issues during the 7th game.  

He was dealing with right hand issues the whole playoffs, try shooting and dribbling a basketball with 6
stitches on one of your fingers.

Quick update:

Jaylen is at an NBA Players Association Conference at the exclusive wellness resort, The Sanctuary, in Marbella, Spain.  I saw an Instagram of him with former NBA player Andre Iguadala and Donovan Mitchell.  I'm sure there are other players from the NBAPA there as well.

The Retreats are one week long.  The current one runs from July 17 - July 24.  So it should have been expected that Jaylen left Vegas around Thursday the 13th or so.  That gave him time to fly home, pack for his trip and fly out to Spain no later than the 16th.

https://thesanctuarymarbella.com/

All is well.  There is no requirement for Jaylen to leave Spain immediately after the end of the Retreat (I'd stay in Spain a lot longer than a week if I was him, especially in the Marbella area) so I wouldn't start panicking if nothing happens for another couple of weeks.


Bob


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https://celticswire.usatoday.com/2023/07/21/jaylen-brown-celtics-set-to-resume-extension-negotiations-next-week/


Jaylen Brown, Celtics set to resume extension negotiations next week


Cameron Tabatabaie
July 21, 2023 1:40 pm ET


The Boston Celtics and Jaylen Brown will resume negotiations over a contract extension for the All-NBA forward starting next week, according to the Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn. Brown and the Celtics paused dialogue while Brown was overseas for an event with the NBPA. Now that Brown is back stateside and in Boston, talks are set to pick up again.

Brown is eligible for a supermax contract extension worth north of $300 million over the course of five seasons. Such a deal could be the richest in NBA history. It is believed both sides wish to come to terms on a deal, but there are still some negotiations remaining. Specifics related to player options, the possibility of a trade bonus, or payment schedules have all been cited as possible areas of disagreement.

Brown returned to the Hub to help emcee a celebration at the Fenelon Street Playground in Dorchester. He spoke about his commitment to advocacy in underserved communities, including in the Boston area. Brown has long been a vocal and active supporter of civil rights, education, and racial equity.


Bob


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dboss wrote:Foot

Once you take the position that a player is not worth x amount, you have to come up with reasons.  The reasons can be more opinionated than factual.

I try not to listen to the noise.  

First Danny along with Brad established a pathway to greatest for this team.  They determined that you can build a championship team around the Jays.  I believe Brad remains in that mindset.  

The Celtics knew that if the Jays became top NBA players it would cost money to retain them.

Very few players have the charming careers of Larry and Magic and Russell and can lead a team so early. Tatum is so soft spoken with very vanilla responses, he and Jaylen are going to have to learn to lead. The J’s are definitely talented enough 2 way players to build around. Maybe not quite Michael and Scottie, but as close as there is today. If Tatum could have just been more of his better version, we should have beaten GS. Last year we developed alot of bad habits, blowing big leads, we really should have had best record in the league as we blew at least 5 very winnable games. We still had 2nd best record in the L, with some big wins where we showed the vision of Danny and Brad with big blowouts vs Bucks and Nuggets. Could we have used better coaching and discipline? Ofcourse, hopefully this year we grow up and stay focused and healthy…..

Jaylen's back in the US from his NBAPA Conference.  His first task when he got back was to go to Dorchester to do work for his 7uice Foundation which helps Boston area schools.  Here's what he said in an interview at that event:

“I just see opportunity. A lot to learn — a lot to improve on,” Brown said. “You can’t take for granted the opportunities that you get. It’s a privilege to be in a winning organization with a winning team, so it’ll be great to bring back the guys and try to go on another run.”

Doesn't sound like someone who's got one eye on the door, does it?


Bob


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