Celtics are planning to keep Jaylen Brown ‘without a doubt’, Brad Stevens says

If Brad Stevens gets his way, Jaylen Brown will remain a Boston Celtic for the foreseeable future.

Amid speculation that the Celtics could trade Brown before his contract expires next summer, Stevens reiterated his desire to keep the all-star forward in Boston.

““I can say, without a doubt, we want Jaylen to be here,” Stevens said. “He’s a big part of us and we believe in him and I’m thankful for him … Jaylen had a great year, All-NBA year. He’s a big part of us moving forward in our eyes.”

Having made an All-NBA team, Brown is eligible for a supermax contract extension worth up to $295 million over five years. When asked if he plans to offer Brown such a deal, Stevens said he can’t discuss details at the moment.

“I’ve had nothing but great conversations with Jaylen,” Stevens said. “But we can’t talk about all that stuff as I said earlier with Grant. Like, I’m not allowed to talk about all the contract details, let alone the extension because it’s not of that time yet. Right now, his window is between July 1st and October whatever it is.”

Stevens said he admires Brown and Jayson Tatum for their willingness to take ownership in both wins and losses, along with how they handle having their performances scrutinized.

“I’m really thankful for when those guys have success, they come back to work,” Stevens said. “When they get beat, they own it, they come back to work and I know what they’re about. That’s hard to find … those qualities aren’t for everybody.”

Brown struggled in the playoffs, notching just one more assist (67) than turnovers (66). He particularly struggled in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, shooting 8-23. He called the performance “terrible” and said he failed when the team needed him most.

But, Stevens has faith that he’ll bounce back and hopes to re-sign Brown when the time comes.