In an industry full of hot takes and reductive commentary, I prefer to gravitate toward more nuanced and layered points of view — to the point where one of my favorite phrases is “both things can be true.” Few embody this sense of duality better than Jaylen Brown. He’s a study of contrasts in himself. His game is explosive, yet he’s also methodical and dissecting. He’s not naturally vocal, but he has a burning desire to share his passions and projects with the world. He could be a bigger fish in a different pond, but he’s grown so much because of the pond he’s in.
The resume speaks for itself. Brown has the talent and experiences that could make him the face of a franchise. Half the league would sign up for a future with him as their number one guy. It isn’t Jaylen’s fault that Jayson Tatum is just a little bit better. In fact, both need each other to maximize their talents. Brown’s execution creates lanes and opportunities for Tatum to exploit. His hard work and sacrifice give Tatum the room to breathe. It goes both ways too, as Tatum taking on the focus of the opponents’ gameplans makes life easier for Brown. Of course, that also leads people to question how Jaylen would fare outside the “shadow” of Jayson. And now we’ll get to see that play out for at least the majority of this regular season.
Make no mistake, I’m sure that Jaylen feels terrible for Jayson. They are teammates and friends and want what is best for each other. I’m sure he hates to see Jayson struggle through rehab and be separated from the game and team he loves for a prolonged period of time. At the same time, he has to be giddy with excitement to finally get a taste of what it is like to be the undisputed number one guy on a team. Both things can be true.
Just like he can look back over the course of his career and know fully that he owes everything to the Boston Celtics and at the same time he owes them nothing. He’s had a remarkable stretch of success and prolonged exposure to the postseason in Boston. That’s something most young players don’t get to experience. He wasn’t just along for the ride either, he was central to the team’s successes. At the same time, he has continually seen his name in trade rumors from the day he was drafted and just about every season since. Every time the wheels have come off or adversity has hit the team, someone in the industry has looked at the roster and suggested that it really might be time to move on. That has to get old after a while. Winning a title certainly quiets that talk for a time, but it doesn’t guarantee it will go away permanently. So, while I have not seen any reporting to this effect, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if he occasionally wondered what life would be like in another town, perhaps as the face of another franchise.
So now is his chance to be the face and focal point without needing to leave town to do it. Perhaps this will go so well that some team will overwhelm Brad Stevens with an offer that he can’t refuse. Or, perhaps it will go so poorly that he’ll be humbled and rededicate himself to being the best 1B he can be. Chances are that reality will be something in between. He’ll have moments where he looks like a Finals MVP and other moments where it looks like the spotlight is just a little bit too bright. The end result may simply be a better and more well-rounded skillset that allows Tatum even more opportunities to both help him and be helped by him.
Brown’s progress has never been linear but it has always been constant. In a way, he’s the prime example of Brad Stevens’ growth mentality. Mistakes and setbacks are just learning experiences and fuel for his fire. He’s continually and tirelessly working on his craft, his style, his message, both on and off the court. This season is just another challenge and another opportunity to learn and grow. The team will take a step back as a whole, but he may take a step forward as an individual, which could result in a larger step forward for the franchise. All these things can be true at the same time and it will be fun to see it all play out.
