Jaylen Brown finished sixth overall in the 2026 NBA MVP voting. Although he did not receive any first-place votes, his role as the primary engine behind the Boston Celtics earning the No. 2 seed did not go unnoticed. And given that the Knicks eliminated them from the 2025 playoffs, revenge is certainly on the 29-year-old’s mind. With the upcoming season still months away, Brown has set his sights on next season, despite his future in Boston still being in limbo.

“Just like it all, the stars lined up, and to win a championship, that’s what it takes,” Brown appreciated the Knicks on his Twitch stream. “It takes you to be healthy, it takes you to be good, and you’ve got to have some luck and some favor. So once again, shout out to the Knicks.

“Next season, this season is over. Getting prepared for next season, it’s any man’s game. So now we’re back to work, you know. Plenty of motivation, plenty of motivation to improve, get better. Personally, I know a lot of people think like they’ve seen the best version of me. And you stand corrected.

“No matter what the situation is, no matter what the case is, I feel confident in the sense that I’m coming into my physicality, my mental game, my weaknesses are turning into my strengths. And you have not seen the best version of Jaylen Brown. So I look forward to the next season. We’ll see where the chips fall, but I’m excited about that.”

Many considered it a gap year for the Celtics as they cut ties with Porzingis, Holiday, and Horford, who were the backbone of their 2024 championship run. Their departures were a major talking point, and the absence of Jayson Tatum due to a torn right Achilles tendon, reportedly sidelining him until March 2026, was another. Yet Jaylen Brown delivered, finishing the season with 28.7 points per game, the fourth-best mark in the league. He also averaged 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists while shooting 47.7% from the field.

Despite the career-best numbers, Jaylen Brown has vowed there is more to his game. The Celtics were eliminated by the Knicks in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, and this season they suffered another unexpected setback against the 76ers after blowing a 3–1 lead. While Brown wants to improve further, it may not be in Boston.

Reports have intensified, suggesting that Giannis Antetokounmpo could be headed to Beantown, which could put Brown’s future with the Celtics in doubt due to potential salary cap implications.

Jaylen Brown’s uncertain future is linked to the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade

“I think Boston’s gonna get Giannis. Okay, and I think it will happen in the next week, would be my prediction,” Simmons said on his podcast. “I would not bet my life on it.”

Simmons added that he had heard Boston made an offer within the past week, though he acknowledged he did not know which players or assets were included. Trading for Antetokounmpo would most certainly require Boston to part ways with Brown.

Should that actually materialize, Brown is going to be out of the championship-contending picture for a while as the Milwaukee Bucks try to retool. Marc Stein even confirmed Bill Simmons’ Giannis report.

“My old friend Bill Simmons beat me to it. Bill was the first one to talk about Giannis’ interest in Boston, and from everything I’ve heard the last 2-3 weeks, his report was spot on,” Stein said.

His original notes state that Miami retains momentum in any Giannis chase, while Boston has emerged as a credible threat:

“Does Atlanta or Portland want to be the third team that joins the party to acquire Jaylen Brown and help facilitate a trade that makes Antetokounmpo a Celtic? The closest thing to a certainty, as of publication time on this Sunday, is that we’re nearing clarity.”

Jaylen Brown is linked with a third team as the Bucks remain interested in acquiring young stars and multiple picks to complete the deal.