July 05, 2026
David Butler II/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Jaylen Brown is a polarizing player, and now the face of the NBA's latest analytical debate.
Jaylen Brown has, for a number of reasons, become one of the most polarizing players in the NBA. And when a player is seen as a walking litmus test, many misconceptions about them inevitably arise.
Perhaps the most glaring misconception about Brown as a player, as he has become the face of the sport's latest analytics debate, is that the only way to poke holes in Brown's game is to perform a series of complex mathematical calculations.
Brown is a five-time All-Star and one of the highest-volume scorers in the NBA. For 10 years, he has been part of a winning machine with the Boston Celtics, and in that respect, the 2024 NBA Finals will bring a level of pedigree to his new team that the Sixers did not have beforehand. But Brown is clearly a flawed player, and he is imperfect in ways that are not just detected by analytical models, but also by any viewer's simple eye test.
Which aspects of Brown's game do the Sixers need to worry about and work around? If Sixers President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey's first major swing does not improve his team as much as most in Philadelphia are anticipating, what will cause the disappointment?
In the second of two film breakdowns examining Brown, a look at the flaws in his game which could frustrate Sixers fans:
MORE: Jaylen Brown at his best
In our first film breakdown, Brown's mid-range prowess was examined, but it is certainly concerning that he spends so much time operating in that area of the floor. And while Brown finished sixth in NBA MVP voting in his final year in Boston, his shot diet became considerably less optimal.
Take a look at the frequencies of Brown's shot attempts in terms of distance from the basket last season compared to his career norms, courtesy of basketball-reference:
| Distance from basket | 2020-25 | 2025-26 |
| 0-3 ft. | .223 | .160 |
| 3-10 ft. | .228 | .262 |
| 10-16 ft. | .110 | .171 |
| 16 ft.-3P | .081 | .145 |
| 3P | .354 | .262 |
Brown's three-point volume declined significantly last year, and that would be less of an issue had his rim volume not also plummeted. (In fairness, Brown did enjoy a serious uptick in volume when it came to drawing fouls, which helped offset a less efficient shot chart.) Brown's mid-range frequencies exploded in a way that will not be compatible with the optimized version of these Sixers. Brown's ability to reliably get to his spots in the middle of the floor on his own will vastly improve the Sixers' floor, particularly when Joel Embiid is sidelined, but it will not be something he can lean on as much when sharing the floor with the former NBA MVP.
A kind way to describe Brown's shot selection would be "ambitious," and it is fair for one of the league's best at making tough shots to try more challenging looks than most. But he still settles for too many off-balanced, contested jumpers, particularly long two-pointers. Brown does not function as a creator for others nearly as much as just about any other player with so much on-ball responsibility.
Brown's questionable decision-making is not limited to the shots he takes or the passes he does not make. On paper, the most alarming part of Brown's game might be his turnovers; decision-making is a piece of that puzzle but so is execution. Brown's ball-handling is infamously shaky, particularly when it comes to his left hand. He is prone to turnovers, which spark transition offense for the opposition:
Some examples of Jaylen Brown's frequent live-ball turnovers: pic.twitter.com/FTGLO1lphP
— Adam Aaronson's clips (@SixersAdamClips) July 4, 2026
To a small degree, Brown's scoring arsenal relies on the off-arm pushes that have driven Sixers fans crazy for many years. And, for what it's worth, it was evident during last year's playoffs that officials were honing in on Brown dribbling with one hand and pushing off with the other:
Every offensive foul called on Jaylen Brown in last season's first-round playoff series between the Sixers and Celtics: pic.twitter.com/NisOOmi8Zf
— Adam Aaronson's clips (@SixersAdamClips) July 4, 2026
Brown's calling card is his scoring, and in what is widely regarded as the best season of his career, he was a tick below the NBA average in terms of overall efficiency while committing lots of turnovers and not adding much playmaking for others.
Being able to handle the absurdly high usage Brown did last season is a massive skill in itself. That is a floor-raising skill on any team. But even in that campaign, Brown's spotty shot selection, poor handle and turnover-prone style made him less productive in terms of overall offensive impact than most players to flirt with averaging 30 points per game.
MORE: Learning about new Sixers Anfernee Simons, Caleb Love, Rayan Rupert
When Brown is engaged on the ball, he can be a high-level defender. Sixers head coach Nick Nurse now has three players – Brown, VJ Edgecombe and Dean Wade – comfortable taking on primary assignments. While guarding the ball is the most visible part of defending in the NBA, it is a very small part of the job.
Defending off the ball is where Brown lags behind some, particularly when it comes to ball-watching and falling asleep. Granted, Brown has played in some of the highest-level basketball imaginable, so perhaps it has become challenging for him to lock in for possession after possession in the regular season. But these plays are produced by bad habits, and Brown's weakness as an off-ball defender was capitalized on by the Sixers in April and May. The Sixers, in what should be the best version of the Eastern Conference since Embiid and Brown started their active NBA careers, do not have the luxury of giving up points by losing focus:
While Jaylen Brown is largely good as an on-ball defender, he often struggles to remain engaged as an off-ball defender, prone to getting beat on back-cuts: pic.twitter.com/9NoxrP28aY
— Adam Aaronson's clips (@SixersAdamClips) July 4, 2026
Most advanced metrics, for whatever they are worth, have typically regarded Brown as a slight positive defensively, but a slight negative this past season – predictable as he shouldered a massive offensive workload.
Even when factoring in Embiid's inevitable absences, Brown should be able to pick his spots more often offensively with the Sixers as he teams with Tyrese Maxey and Edgecombe. The Sixers should hope that will allow Brown to do a better job of utilizing his physical and athletic capabilities as a defender.
MORE: Rich Paul confirms Sixers have LeBron James' attention: 'Everything has changed'
