Celtics star Jaylen Brown isn’t approaching this season any differently than he did the previous nine. He isn’t concerned with the “media narratives,” including those who label him as Boston’s No. 1 option now that Jayson Tatum will start the season on the sideline.
“Obviously, it’s going to be different with JT not on the floor, but in terms of how I approach things, it’s no different,” Brown said when he joined NBC Sports Boston’s live stream during Celtics Media Day on Monday.
Brown believes there’s one area of his game he’ll be able showcase more, though.
“I think my playmaking,” Brown said. “Over the last two years, I’ve been put more in that role to be a playmaker and even though the numbers haven’t really jumped off, I think I’ve improved in that area a lot. I think this year will be a great year to see that.”
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Brown averaged a career-best 4.5 assists last season. It’s not a number that jumps off the page, as Brown shared. He ranked third on the team behind Tatum (6.0 assists) and Derrick White (4.8) and tied for 45th in the NBA. But it was a noticeable improvement after he averaged 3.5 assists per game over the previous four seasons.
“Hopefully I have a few triple-doubles this year, multiple assist games,” Brown said.
The Celtics need that from Brown.
With Jrue Holiday traded to the Portland Trail Blazers and Tatum likely to miss at least the majority of the regular season, the Green need other guards to step up their game. Payton Pritchard and White will facilitate in their respective roles, but the Celtics would benefit from another player like Brown doing the same.
The four-time NBA All-Star had offseason knee surgery after he played through a partially torn meniscus during the 2024-25 season. The procedure has allowed Brown to tap back into his athleticism this offseason. Brown, who said he’s feeling a little lighter, is closing in on 100 percent fully healthy.
That’s especially a good thing given Brown wants to play with more pace this season.
“For me, I wanna play fast,” said Brown, noting he’s had that conversation with head coach Joe Mazzulla. “I’ve been saying that for a few years now. Some of the teams we saw play in the Finals, they play fast. Indiana plays fast. OKC plays fast. More and more teams play with that pace. That’s the pace that I’ve always wanted to play at.
“Our personnel hasn’t always been able to suit that, but I think we’ll be able to play a little faster this year, so I’m excited about that,” Brown said.
If Brown can transition into an improved playmaker and facilitator, there will be plenty of excitement to go around.