The Boston Celtics have built a special team around the duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Both players were top lottery picks that joined the Celtics and instantly contended for an NBA Championship. Boston has made six of the last nine Eastern Conference Finals since Brown was drafted to the team in 2016.
However, a recent quote from Brown confirmed that he was planning to leave the Celtics after seeing his name in trade rumors throughout the years. NBA legend Tracy McGrady was the one to talk Brown into sticking it out and remaining in Boston. Brown talked about one of his favorite players giving him a perspective that changed his mind.
“T Mac was like, stay bro,” shared Brown. “Trust me, whatever you can do, if you can stay and you got the opportunity to win, win,” McGrady suggested. Brown said he took that message to heart, and it made his 2024 NBA Championship run with the Celtics even sweeter.
Why Jaylen Brown Almost Left Boston
Brown discussed that McGrady and Kobe Bryant were his two favorite players growing up to make the advice even more important. The belief of the Celtics guard was that McGrady would have suggested leaving since he left Vince Carter and the Toronto Raptors to break out on his own. However, the surprising answer made him change his mind and commit to Boston.
Another quote from Brown explained why he was considering requesting a trade away from the Celtics:
“There were times where things were looking rough here in Boston. I was like, ‘I think it may be time to go, know what I mean? I think I can go somewhere else. I think I’m talented. I think I can score the ball at a very, very high level. And I’m not allowed to grow the same like other players.”
Brown confirmed he has been tempted by the temptation of having a chance at more individual success and scoring more points away from Tatum. However, McGrady living that exact scenario and giving him the opposite advice that he expected ultimately caused him to fall back from his desire to move elsewhere.
Is Jaylen Brown Boston For Life?
The NBA has drastically changed from past eras where it was common for great players to spend an entire career with one franchise. Brown and Tatum have the chance to do something truly unique, and both spend their entire careers together in Boston. However, a lot of variables will come into play to impact that.
Brown confirming that he was considering leaving for a bigger role on another team means that he could be tempted by that again. The Celtics could also be the ones to pull the trigger first since the NBA salary cup and various rules have made it harder to keep a lot of players on the same roster for multiple contract cycles.
Boston must look like a contender again once Tatum is back and utilize other role players to pair around the superstar duo. Brown is far more likely to get dealt than traded since Tatum is the better overall player and the bigger fan favorite. Either way, Celtics fans owe McGrady a thank you for Brown sticking around long enough to win a ring.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Jaylen Brown Planned To Leave Celtics Until Legend Changed His Mind appeared first on Heavy Sports.