Has Jaylen Brown reached his time to shine?
ESPN's Tim Bontemps on Tuesday named the Boston Celtics swingman as the team's breakout candidate for the 2020-21 NBA season.
Bontemps believes Gordon Hayward's departure and Kemba Walker's injury will create the opportunity to shoulder a larger share of Boston's scoring and playmaking responsibilities. Bontemps won't be surprised if Brown handles them capably and he and the Celtics flourish as a result.
Here's what Bontemps wrote:
With Hayward now in Charlotte and Walker out at the start of the season with an injured left knee, the Celtics need Brown to continue his ascent toward becoming a true-blue star on the wing. Brown could've been an All-Star last season; Boston would love to see him eliminate any doubt from that sort of conversation this year. If Brown can do that, Boston will be just fine -- even after losing Hayward.
Brown averaged career-highs in points (20.3), rebounds (6.4), assists (2.1) and minutes (just under 34) per game last season, while also emerging as one of the NBA's best young leaders on and off the court.
Should Brown, 24, continue his growth in these and other regards, his first NBA All-Star selection should follow.
However, the ultimate measure of Brown's breakout likely will depend on whether the Celtics meet the expectations they carry into the season.
Boston will tip off its campaign Wednesday night at TD Garden when it takes on the Milwaukee Bucks.
