Jaylen Brown played through pain during the Boston Celtics’ playoff run — but his future on the court could depend on a decision he hasn’t made yet.
After partially tearing his right meniscus during the grueling series against the New York Knicks, Brown faces an uncertain offseason. Speaking to "CelticsBlog" on Saturday, the All-Star guard admitted he hasn’t ruled out surgery — and that conversations with the Celtics management and staff will play a major role in what happens in the coming months.
“I got a lot of doctors I gotta get evaluated with — see the potential for surgery versus no surgery, wait to speak to the (Celtics) organization,” Brown said. “For now, it’s just rest and recovery. I’m taking a step back from a long season. Mentally, it was a lot of stuff going on.”
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson shoots against Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson shoots against Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown.
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
That uncertainty will certainly leave fans and analysts guessing what the next steps are for Brown in his recovery process.
Brown’s injury wasn’t fully revealed during the postseason, but Celtics President Brad Stevens recently shed light on what the team was dealing with behind the scenes.
“I think he felt comfortable getting out there and going after it,” Stevens said. “And, hopefully, he’ll feel better after being off of it for a couple of weeks here.”
During the regular season, Brown averaged 22.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 63 games. He averaged 22.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 11 postseason contests.
Whether Brown ultimately goes under the knife remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: The situation is far from resolved. With doctor evaluations still pending and internal team discussions on deck, Brown’s offseason plans and next season’s availability are still very much in limbo.