Yes, that was 20-year-old, third overall pick (2016 draft) Jaylen Brown you saw playing a lot of point guard during summer league games in Utah and Las Vegas. Why all the ball handling for a 6’7” top prospect considered a natural small forward? Prior to summer league, the Celtics signed Gordon Hayward and drafted Jayson Tatum, that’s why. In addition, Avery Bradley was sent to Detroit to clear up contract room for Hayward. That means the Celtics are stacked at small forward, but have open minutes at shooting guard. Brown already received 15-plus starts at shooting guard last year when Bradley was injured, so this isn’t really a position switch for Brown. Plus, Coach Brad Stevens has said he doesn’t see traditional positions, instead relying on “a ball handler, a wing or a big”. That may be especially true for Brown, who could occasionally set up plays or square up for corner threes on offense, while trying to stop the likes of LeBron James on defense. The big question is will Brown or Marcus Smart get the start at shooting guard. Smart is atop the depth chart now due to seniority. But Stevens really likes bringing Smart’s defense and post-up offense off the bench, taking advantage of backup opponent mismatches. Brown is also a much better catch-and-shoot option than Smart, which is helpful when fellow starter Kyrie Irving is on the floor. That thinking means Brown has the long-term advantage towards gathering more starts. In addition, the three for one Irving trade with Cleveland weakens Boston’s depth. Whether starting or coming off the bench, expect Brown’s minutes to greatly exceed last year’s 17.0 minutes per game. The ceiling is high for Brown. It will be interesting to see how Stevens balances striving for the Finals while also developing young stars Brown and Tatum.

The Celtics made Brown the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 draft, adding even more young talent to one of the league's deepest rosters. While Brown's upside may not be as high as that of Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram, he has the makings of an intriguing swingman at the NBA level. Capable of playing and guarding up to three positions, Brown averaged 14.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists as a freshman at Cal last season, teaming with fellow five-star freshman Ivan Rabb to lead the Golden Bears to the NCAA Tournament. The 6-foot-7 Brown thrives as an attacker in the open court, but he struggled shooting the ball, converting 43.1 percent of his field goals and only 29.4 percent of his three-point looks. Failure to improve as a jump shooter could limit Brown's effectiveness as a rookie, but he's an all-around talent who should defend at a high enough level to warrant consistent minutes off the bench. Brown is projected to back up Jae Crowder at small forward, and he could also see time at shooting guard, as well as at power forward in small-ball lineups.