Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big storyline. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
Yahoo Sources: On Jaylen Brown’s four-year extension, he can secure $8M in incentives if he wins MVP, DPOY or makes one of three All-NBA Teams. He pockets $4M if plays 65 or more games, team wins 49 or more games and reaches second round of playoffs. Total guaranteed salary $103M
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) October 21, 2019
That seems like a fair deal. The $4M incentive for playing 65 games, with the team winning 49 games and making the second round of the playoffs should be attainable in the first year of the extension.
Interestingly, the deal does not contain a player option or a team option for the fourth year.
Yahoo Sources: Jaylen Brown’s four-year extension with Boston does not contain a team option or player option.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) October 21, 2019
This is the first rookie extension the Celtics have handed out since Rajon Rondo’s 5 year/$55M deal ten years ago.
The deal seems fair. And honestly, concerns about the money are, to a certain extent, strictly about the luxury tax. The Celtics are going to hit a two-year stretch in 2021/22 where they’re going to have Kemba, Tatum, and Brown under sizable contracts (assuming they re-sign Tatum), and they’re not going to be able to play much in the free-agent market.
They might also have Hayward on a pretty hefty contract at that point as well, meaning that the balance of the roster is likely to be filled out with rookie contracts, which is a relatively novel way of filling out a championship contender’s roster.
Signing any two of Kemba, Tatum, and Brown was always going to squeeze the Celtics out of the free-agent market no matter what else happened, so the team seems to have decided to pay all three. In the past, the Celtics have prioritized flexibility over locking up players on rookie contracts but letting Jaylen Brown hit free agency next summer wouldn’t leave the Celtics with much flexibility, given their salary commitments elsewhere, along with Jaylen’s cap hold.
Also worth remembering, the team would’ve had to pay any player with Jaylen’s abilities at least $20M per year, and there’s not a really clear path for the team to get a similar player via trades or free agency, so it makes sense for the team to extend Jaylen rather than take their chances on the limited opportunities to secure a comparable player at a lower salary by other means.
And, of course, IT has thoughts on it all:
So happy for my ugly ass friend!! https://t.co/UwRegBthxO
— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) October 21, 2019
Side note: IT’s been cleared for practice, but not for full contact yet.
“I’m definitely playing next week though,” Thomas said over his shoulder as he left the Wells Fargo Center visitors’ locker room. “Fa sho!”
On Sunday afternoon, Thomas made significant progress toward his pledge and participated in a complete practice. For the 30-year-old Thomas, it was the first time he has worked out fully with teammates since Sept. 16 when he ruptured a ligament in his thumb during a voluntary game of 5-on-5.
“He looked good today,” Coach Scott Brooks said.
Page 2: Where Mike Gorman knew there were issues before the season started:
“I didn’t think it was going to work and I didn’t think Kyrie understood what he said he wanted…that he wanted to have his own team.”
“I just thought, this isn’t going to be good, it’s not going to really work out, and at the end of the year, nobody is going to be happy.”
Fortunately, in a little under a day and a half, we’ll be able to drive a stake through the heart of the 2018/19 season.
But since we’re not there yet, let’s take one more look at the corpse, eh?
On Friday I said that Kyrie wasn’t cut out to be a team leader. And frankly, if that was obvious to someone 1,500 miles west of Boston, it was almost certainly obvious to guys who travel with the team.
The vibe coming from this season’s team could not be more different than last year’s. Brad Stevens was as crabby headed into last season as he’d ever been as a Celtic head coach, and it was clear both from what he said to the media and how the team played over the first month of the season that there was a disconnect between what he was saying and what the team was doing.
But, for all that’s been said about Kyrie being a poor leader (which he was), Kyrie wasn’t responsible for Rozier’s distorted reality or the overconfident arrogance of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. True, had he been a better leader, he might have been able to squash those attitudes, but ultimately, it’s not his job to correct the shortcomings of other players. That’s on them.
Both Jaylen and Jayson seem to have learned valuable lessons, and Kyrie and Terry are now problems Brooklyn and Charlotte have to deal with.
The rest of the links
MassLive: 5 Boston Celtics games that are perfect for families | Boston Celtics Enes Kanter, Daniel Theis, & frontcourt issues, Carsen Edwards, & chemistry without Kyrie Irving (video mailbag) | Jaylen Brown contract extension: 5 ways this impacts the Boston Celtics
Boston Herald: Celtics notebook: Jaylen Brown agrees to contract extension
Boston.com: Celtics’ fate this season hinges on three players
NBC Sports: Walker likes Brown’s deal: ‘He deserves it’ | Getting past the Jaylen Brown sticker shock | Five bold Celtics predictions for 2019-20
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