‘Hard to believe’ Celtics signed Jaylen Brown to supermax

Jaylen Brown earned himself quite the pay day in the offseason when he signed the largest contract in NBA history with the Celtics.

The guard was eligible for a supermax deal when he made the All-NBA team. And even though it took longer to get done than many

thought, Boston committed five years and $304 million to Brown.

For one Basketball Hall of Famer, though, he doesn’t quite get the decision by the Celtics to give Brown such a deal.

“You look at some of the contracts they have, even Brown — $306 million. I mean, that’s just hard for me to believe,” Barry told Joy

De’Angela. “His average in the playoffs for them is 18.5 points a game. I mean, 18.5 points, and he’s going to make $69 million in the last

year of his contract. But 18.5 points a game, that’s nothing. Seriously. To pay someone that kind of money — and he’s a nice player. I really

like him — But man, he’s going to have to improve his game. He turns the ball over too much.”

Brown’s eight turnovers in the Celtics’ Game 7 against the Miami Heat in this year’s Eastern Conference Finals not only was a career-high,

but the most in a C’s Game 7 in franchise history.

But the 26-year-old also averaged a career-high 26.6 points last season to go with 6.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 67 games.

Banner 18 is a priority for the Celtics after failing to reach the Finals last year. They acquired Kristaps Porzingis in a three-team trade,

committed to Brown for the next five years and likely will do the same for Jayson Tatum when it’s his turn for the supermax next season.