Celtics president gives update on contract talks with Jaylen Brown

Even with Damian Lillard trade rumors swirling around them and the potential to make a massive blockbuster deal lingering over the franchise's head, the Boston Celtics appear to still be focused on keeping Jaylen Brown in town for the long haul. It would be tough to argue that the Portland Trail Blazers could get a better offer than a potential deal with Boston (aside from 1-2 rebuilding teams), specifically if it included Brown.

But Brown, who's eligible for a super-max deal with the Celtics, would not be tradeable for a full year after signing the deal, which would complicate things for Boston if they were eyeing a potential push to acquire Lillard. Even with all of that factored in, Celtics president Brad Stevens sounded optimistic when discussing Brown's potential contract, as Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe detailed.

“It’s been all good discussion,” Stevens said. “We want Jaylen to be here for a long, long time and we’ve made that clear. We’re looking forward to all sitting down, and we’ve got time here. I probably shouldn’t say anything else, but I feel optimistic.”

One other important tidbit mentioned by Himmelsbach is the fact that "there are no indications that they are offering him [Brown] less than the max" and that the delay is likely due to the incentive structure or the decision on a fifth-year player option. All of this appears to point toward the Celtics likely coming to terms with Brown on a long-term deal sooner rather than later.