Celtics’ Game 7 collapse leads to question mark for possible Knicks target
The Celtics were on the verge of being swept by the Heat after being down 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals, but Boston stormed back to win the next three games to force a Game 7. With everything on the line, the Celtics disappointed in front of their fans at TD Garden in a 103-84 season-ending loss.
Boston certainly didn’t disappoint New York Knicks fans, though. On the one hand, Knicks fans didn’t want to see the team that knocked them out of the playoffs advance to the NBA Finals, and on the other hand, Knicks fans also didn’t want to see the Celtics make history by becoming the first team to claw back from a 3-0 deficit.
Caleb Martin scored more points (26) than every Boston player, including Jaylen Brown (19) and Jayson Tatum (14). Because the Celtics lost, every sports talk show has pondered whether Boston can win a title with Tatum and Brown.
After being named All-NBA Second Team, Brown is eligible to sign a $295 million supermax extension this summer. Because of his poor performance on Monday (he shot 8-of-23 to go with eight turnovers), now the question of whether or not the Celtics should give him a supermax has been posed. Brown’s future with Boston has been unclear, so it’ll be interesting to see how the organization handles his situation this summer.
Jaylen Brown’s disastrous Game 7 could make him a Knicks trade target
Jaylen Brown is due to be an unrestricted free agent next summer, but his supermax eligibility was thought to play in the Celtics’ favor. However, after averaging 19 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 turnovers, and 3.4 assists in the ECF while shooting 16.3% from three, Brown and Boston have a big decision to make about what’s next.
When asked about his future after the Game 7 loss, Brown shifted the focus to what happened on Monday:
"“I expected to win today and move on. That’s what my focus was on, that’s what my focus has been on,” Brown said. “We failed, I failed, and it’s hard to think about anything else right now, to be honest. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”"
The Jaylen Brown trade speculation is back in action. If Brown and the Celtics can’t find a middle ground during the offseason, he could be on the move. Unsurprisingly, the Knicks would find themselves connected to the 26-year-old guard because of their assets. His looming free agency and playoff performance are two big reasons why New York should proceed carefully if he is made available.
There’s always the chance that Brown and Boston won’t come to an agreement and that he’ll remain with the Celtics for another year, meaning he could be a free agent target for New York next summer.
All that’s left for Knicks fans to do is sit around and wait to see how the situation plays out and learn how New York may or may not be involved.
