Let’s face the facts: Jaylen Brown isn’t talking like somebody who wants to stay in Boston.
The Celtics’ rising star has spent the last couple of weeks hinting at his frustration with Joe Mazzulla’s coaching style and calling out his teammates for their lack of effort. Now, he’s speaking negatively about his experience of living in Boston as an outspoken Black athlete.
the lazy criticisms of Jayson Tatum
In a wide-ranging interview with the New York Times, Brown expressed his irritation with systemic barriers when it comes to starting a business or buying a house. His description of some Celtics fans isn't very flattering, either.
“It’s not the whole Celtic fan base, but it is a part of the fan base that exists within the Celtic nation that is problematic. If you have a bad game, they tie it to your personal character,” he said. “I definitely think there’s a group or an amount within the Celtic nation that is extremely toxic and does not want to see athletes use their platform, or they just want you to play basketball and entertain and go home. And that’s a problem to me.”
This isn’t the first time Brown has voiced his displeasure with some segments of the team’s fan base. Last year, he told Sports Illustrated he still thinks about getting booed on draft night when the Celtics selected him with the No. 3 overall pick in 2016.
But Brown’s comments to the Times go beyond the “prove people wrong” schtick. One of the most ascendant players in the NBA, who’s in the midst of a career season, said his experience in Boston “has not been as fluid” as he thought it would.
He’s said there’s “not a lot of room for people of color to start a business,” and mentioned he’s run into adversity.
Those are Brown’s feelings, and as a result, they are the only ones that matter here. He can be an unrestricted free agent after next season, and it doesn’t seem as if he’s itching to provide the Celtics with any negotiating advantage.
When asked directly about his potential free agency, Brown demurred, saying he’s been able to make “a lot of connections” in the city and met “amazing families who have dedicated their lives to issues of change.” But when it came to talking about his relationship with Jayson Tatum, what Brown didn’t say is more notable.
“I would say the [relationship is the] same as it’s always been,” he said. “You know, two guys who work really hard, who care about winning. We come out and we are extremely competitive. People still probably don’t think it’ll work out. But, for the most part, it’s been rarefied air.”
To be fair, those are positive remarks — “for the most part,” to quote Brown directly. He left in some hints of doubt.
It’s possible that Brown, 26, is tired of playing second-fiddle. He’s averaging a career-best 26.7 points per game; and yet, he’s still far beyond Tatum when it comes to receiving late-game chances. As the Globe’s Gary Washburn recently pointed out, Mazzulla must get Brown involved more often. Brown dropped a game-high 43 points against the Jazz Saturday, while Tatum didn’t score in the fourth quarter.
Despite those numbers, Mazzulla said after the one-point loss that the error-laden final play was supposed to be a hand-off to Tatum, who languished at midcourt.
Brown may feel like he’s languishing in Boston, personally and professionally. At least, that’s how he’s coming across.