Celtics star Jaylen Brown hasn’t made a final decision on whether to have surgery for the partial meniscus tear that has been bothering him since March, writes Noa Dalzell of Celtics Blog.
Brown discussed the injury during an appearance Saturday in Boston to promote his latest sneaker line. Dalzell notes that it was his first public appearance since the Celtics were upset by the Knicks in their second-round playoff series.
“l 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.”
Brown had another outstanding individual season, averaging 22.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 63 games and earning an All-Star berth for the fourth time in the past five years. However, the team missed an opportunity to defend its NBA title, and Brown admitted that he was “expecting to be playing right now” instead of doing the shoe launch.
Brown’s sneaker line is unique because he established his own brand, called 741 Performance, in September rather than signing with an established company. It offers a wide apparel line in addition to the shoes, and Brown hopes it will inspire other athletes to pursue similar ventures.
“Just to really get it out there is an accomplishment in itself,” he said. “Just to take the route of independence and starting your own brand … for a high-profile athlete, you don’t really see that too often, especially at this stage in my career. It’s a lot of risk in that, but I wanted the next generation to know it’s possible.”
The Celtics are entering a summer of uncertainty, with numerous reports suggesting that a few high-salaried players will be traded to ease the team’s luxury tax bill. There’s been some speculation that Brown might be among them because of his super-max contract, but he’s hoping to stay put and lead the team back to title contention once Jayson Tatum returns from his Achilles surgery.
Brown talked with fans on Saturday about the team’s prospects for next season and said he’s motivated by their support for his company. Dalzell states that Brown plans to spend most of the summer in Boston for the first time in his career.
“I’m in the community a lot, but I’m leaning toward being even more in the community,” Brown said. “I’m just really trying to touch this community and be around, be available for the city of Boston.”