East Notes: Celtics, Jaylen Brown, Raptors, Knicks, Donovan Mitchell

Raptors

• The Raptors are seven weeks into their coaching search, though there is no consensus on who may be the frontrunner for the job, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN.
• Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson, Virtus Bologna coach Sergio Scariolo and Grizzlies assistant Darko Rajakovic are still in the running for the vacancy, per Marc Stein of The Stein Line. Scariolo is a former Raptors assistant.

Celtics

Guard/forward Jaylen Brown is eligible for a five-year, $290 million supermax contract extension, and confidant Isiah Thomas said Brown should take the deal if offered.

“Take the money,” Thomas said, via Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. “He’s had a great career there, and he’s become one of the best players in the league. They’ve done well, and he’s done well there. It’s been a win-win, I think, for him and for the Celtics.”

Thomas went on to suggest that the suspension of coach Ime Udoka (now of the Rockets) and departure of several assistants may have made an impact on Brown.

“Hey, I don’t care how talented your team is, when half of your coaching staff walks out of the door, that’s going to affect you,” Thomas said, via Bulpett. “That’s just how it goes. You lose your head coach and your top two assistants, you’re going to be impacted by that.”

• For the record, the Celtics do seem to be likely to offer an extension to Brown, as noted by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and we relayed here.
• Offering support to that thought were some recent comments from head of basketball operations Brad Stevens, who indicated the Celtics aren’t likely to make changes to their core. We have that full post here.
• Forward Grant Williams underwent left hand surgery but is expected to be ready for training camp, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Williams will be a restricted free agent at the end of the month.

Knicks

• The Knicks very well could pursue a trade for Cavaliers star guard Donovan Mitchell at some point, per Peter Botte of the New York Post.
• Knicks president Leon Rose is likely to look to land another star for this summer — but Botte added that Mitchell is likely on the team’s radar for down the road. Mitchell is a native New Yorker who the Knicks tried to acquire from Utah last summer — only to have Cleveland swoop in at the last minute. 
• The Cavs will have a decision to make on Mitchell at the end of next season if he doesn’t sign an extension. He has a player option on his deal at the end of 2024-25.