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Realistic Expectations for Boston Celtics Rookie Jaylen Brown in 2016-17
- Updated: July 21, 2016
While it was clear who’d go top-two in 2016’s NBA draft, the Boston Celtics’ selection of Jaylen Brown at No. 3 was unexpected.
Between the trade rumors and general manager Danny Ainge’s reported interest in Providence point guard Kris Dunn, according to The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski (h/t NESN.com)—along with the fact that Brown’s one-and-done season at California yielded mixed results—the pick raised a few eyebrows.
I’m not against the Jaylen pick – just feels like they took the 6th or 7th pick at pick 3. Wish they had traded down – maybe they couldn’t.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) June 23, 2016
“I had no idea, I promise you I had no idea,” Brown said, per Kyle Hightower of the Associated Press (via WWLTV.com). “I was actually sweating bullets when the final seconds came in. But I knew they [Celtics] were heavily interested when they asked me to come back for a second workout. But you hear different things every day. But I’m glad to be here, and I think it’s the right fit.”
“It was a tough choice. A lot of good players at [No.] 3,” Ainge said, per Hightower. “But unanimously, a lot of people really liked Brown.”
Brown flashed upside and explosiveness, averaging 21.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per 40 minutes as a freshman. Plus, he aces the NBA-wing eye test at 6’7″, 225 pounds with world-class athletic ability.
However, a number of holes in his game were also exposed, specifically an overall skill level that suggests a lengthy developmental timetable.
Despite an NBA body and bounce, he only shot 43.1 percent from the floor and 29.4 percent from the three-point line while totaling more turnovers (105) than assists (68). He also finished the year in a brutal slump that saw him shoot just 5-of-29 in three postseason games, including a four-point effort during the team’s NCAA tournament loss to Hawaii.
It’s the long-term upside that swayed Ainge to pull the trigger on a teenager with correctable weaknesses and unteachable gifts. The question is: How will Brown fit short-term with a team looking to compete …
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