Ramp to Camp: What ought to Jaylen Brown add to his bag this season?

Ramp to Camp: What should Jaylen Brown add to his bag this season? initially appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Demise. Taxes. Jaylen Brown including one thing to his bag over the summer time.

These are life’s solely certainties. And earlier than you even attempt to protest with one thing like, “Properly, it was a brief summer time, so are we actually positive JB goes so as to add one thing new to the toolbox this yr?” simply go chart his improvement since he’s arrived in Boston. Brown will discover one thing to enhance upon this season.

Each single season, Brown comes again a little bit higher. He’s obtained a pair of shiny postseason MVP trophies from Boston’s title run to indicate his progress.

So what is perhaps new in 2024-25? For the third installment of our Ramp to Camp 2024 collection, we requested our NBC Sports activities Boston panel to select one space that they hoped Brown would enhance for the 2024-25 marketing campaign. (Check out the first and second Ramp to Camp installments here.)

Brown’s strides are well-documented. Final season, he took on the problem of defending elite scorers and wiggled his approach into All-Protection consideration. Brown’s playmaking and imaginative and prescient has made notable strides. The offensive sport continues to develop with Brown seemingly changing into extra deadly within the midrange.

So what nonetheless wants enchancment? The preferred reply amongst our panel was Brown’s free-throw taking pictures. He plummeted to 70.3 % taking pictures on the charity stripe final season after taking pictures career-best 76.5 % in 2022-23. What’s extra, Brown shot solely 66 % on the line within the postseason.

We may quibble about how his defensive rebound proportion dipped, however everybody’s rebound fee went down with Kristaps Porzingis on the ground, and Brown was extra aggressive on the boards within the postseason, significantly when Porzingis was sidelined.

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If we’re going to nitpick, we’d yearn for Brown’s 3-point shot to develop into just a bit extra environment friendly. Again in his first All-Star season in 2020-21, Brown shot 39.7 % past the arc. Since that season he’s been at 35.8, 33.5, and 35.4 %, respectively, during the last three campaigns. Brown even getting north of league common (36.6 %) past the arc would make him much more of a three-level risk who can actually stress defenses.

Right here’s what our panel needs to see from a participant who will always find some sort of motivation no matter his accomplishments:

That is very particular, however when Brown acknowledges a good matchup for a teammate within the put up, can he get rid of the lobs into the stands?

Tom Giles, Multi-platform host

I truly look ahead to seeing Brown’s progress on the defensive finish. Final season, we began seeing him hunt the opposing staff’s finest participant late in video games. And we definitely noticed his defensive affect within the postseason.

How a lot additional can Brown push that to ensure he would not get left off an All-Protection staff once more?

Mark Hazlett, Multi-platform producer

A picture of Grant Hill for motivation — or an 80 % free-throw stroke.

Improved free-throw taking pictures. The charity stripe was Brown’s Achilles heel final season, as his 70.3 % free throw proportion was his worst for the reason that 2018-19 season.

Brown improved in virtually each different space final season, so we would wish to see him take a quick break from those underwater workouts and hoist a couple of extra free throws.

Improved free-throw taking pictures. It was painful to observe at factors final season and throughout the playoffs.

Baseline turnaround soar shot.

Kevin Miller, VP, Content material

Extra playmaking. Brown confirmed indicators of enchancment within the playoffs, however he has one other step to take there.