Jaylen Brown is hearing all the noise surrounding his future in Boston, but he’s not staying silent.
As trade rumors involving Giannis Antetokounmpo continue to dominate the NBA landscape, Brown addressed the speculation directly during a recent Twitch stream while training with Olympic sprinter Noah Lyles.
“To everyone who doubts me, wants me to do this, or wants me gone, you are turning me into a monster,” Brown said. “You made me appreciate something. I saw some negativity that I didn’t want, but it just added fuel to my fire.”
The comments come as Boston has emerged as one of the leading teams in the pursuit of Antetokounmpo. The Bucks superstar is reportedly only willing to stay in Boston or Miami long-term if a trade goes through.
The Celtics are fully involved in discussions, with Brown’s name reportedly at the center of a potential package, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
The timing creates an uncomfortable situation for Brown, who is coming off the strongest regular season of his career. The Celtics star averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game, all career highs, and was selected to the All-Star Game for the fifth time.
Despite those individual numbers, Boston ended the season in disappointing fashion after losing to Philadelphia in Game 7 at home in the first round. Brown was also fined $50,000 due to public criticism of his officiating during the series.
Any potential trade involving Brown would be in pursuit of one of the league’s most accomplished players. Antetokounmpo is a two-time NBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year winner, and led the Milwaukee Bucks to the 2021 championship while earning Finals MVP honors.
However, injuries have become a growing concern. The Bucks star played in just 36 games last season, although his status remains the biggest storyline in the NBA Draft.
The clock is ticking as the draft is set to begin Tuesday night. Brown heard the criticism, saw the speculation, and made his feelings clear.
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