Brad Stevens says Celtics value Jaylen Brown, but won’t predict his future

Brad Stevens had plenty of positive things to say about Jaylen Brown. What he didn’t do was guarantee Brown will remain with the Celtics.

Speaking after Brown’s name surfaced in trade speculation involving Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stevens revealed that he held multiple conversations with the All-Star forward before the rumors became public.

“With all the rumor mill and all that stuff, and his name being splashed all over the place, that’s not easy,” Stevens said, via ESPN’s Ben Golliver. “We certainly wanted to be as proactive and up-front with that as possible. I thought we had really good, candid conversations.”

Stevens added that he prefers to keep those discussions private.

“The rumor mill is the rumor mill, and there’s going to be a lot of noise out there,” he said.

The Celtics have been at the center of speculation ever since reports surfaced that Brown was included in Boston’s pursuit of Antetokounmpo before the Bucks ultimately traded the two-time MVP to the Heat.

Since then, questions have only intensified about Brown’s long-term future.

Stevens praised Brown repeatedly when asked about the situation.

“Jaylen Brown is a big part of us,” Stevens said. “The one thing I want to make very clear is how valued he’s always been. He’s been amazing. He’s been an amazing teammate. Great person to be around.”

But when it came time to address whether Brown would still be wearing a Celtics uniform next season, Stevens stopped short.

“I’m never going to predict the future,” he said.

That’s the line that stood out.

Brown is coming off arguably the best season of his career, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists while earning All-NBA Second Team honors.

Yet despite Stevens’ praise and Boston’s public appreciation for Brown, the Celtics continue to be linked to potential trade discussions involving the five-time All-Star.

Stevens acknowledged that the speculation isn’t easy for players to navigate.

“I’m extremely understanding of that,” he said. “There are things that are exaggerated at this time of the year and there are things that are real.”