At Summer League in Las Vegas, about a month after winning his first NBA championship, Jaylen Brown told this author that he’s already turned the page to Banner 19.

“You get more motivation to follow it,” said this year’s Eastern Conference and NBA Finals MVP. “So, for me, it’s back to ground one. So, my mindset is, championship, it’s over now, and now we’ve got to get back to work.”

He also shared that his Olympic snub is an added source of fuel that has him “Super fired up. I’ve got all the motivation in the world,” stated the three-time All-Star, “I love that, honestly.”

And while Jayson Tatum described his experience with Team USA in Paris this summer as “challenging and humbling,” he could also use it as fuel as the 26-year-old star entering the peak of his powers builds his legacy.

“They just ruined everything for the NBA now, the USA team did. Cause now they just built a dynasty. You already told Jaylen Brown he wasn’t elite, so he (is) already on a revenge tour,” voiced Jeff Teague on the Club 520 Podcast.

“And now you (are) telling Jayson Tatum he (is) the worst player out of all the elites, pretty much. ‘(Out of) all the top players in the league on the Olympic team, and you (are) telling me I’m the worst one? I’m on that.'”

As Teague later pointed out, despite Tatum being the only 2023-24 All-NBA First Team selection on the U.S. men’s basketball team’s roster, even with Team USA trailing Serbia by double digits, entering the final frame down 13, head coach Steve Kerr thought they were better off with him on the bench. That should light a fire under Tatum.

And to Teague’s point about what transpired this summer helping Boston build a dynasty, another significant development that will help the former All-Star, who had a brief stint with the Celtics in 2020-21, look prophetic is that the reigning NBA champions have eight rotation members from their title team under contract for multiple seasons.

Fifteen of the 17 players with Boston for the 2023-24 campaign, including those on two-way deals, are returning to help them try to take the next step in building the dynasty Teague warns of, which starts with receiving their championship rings and raising Banner 18 to the TD Garden rafters on Oct. 22 before tip-off of their opening night rivalry clash with the Knicks.

Warning: The following is a link to the Club 520 Podcast, which includes the use of profanity.

Further Reading

Jaylen Brown, Jason Kidd Discuss Bringing The XChange to Oakland

There’s Jeff Bezos Buzz Surrounding Sale of Celtics

Top 5 Games on Celtics’ 2024-25 Schedule

Sam Hauser Grateful for Extension with Team That Gave Him His First Chance

Brad Stevens Shares Encouraging Rehab Update on Kristaps Porzingis

Jayson Tatum Opens Up About ‘Challenging and Humbling’ Olympic Experience

Jrue Holiday Makes History in Team USA’s Gold Medal Win

Fenway Sports Group Considering Buying the Celtics

Here’s What to Know about Jaylen Brown’s Boston XChange

Jayson Tatum Gets Candid about Relationship with Jaylen Brown

Celtics Rookie Anton Watson Shares Brad Stevens’ Message to Him

Celtics’ Coaching Staff Changes Match Theme of Boston’s Offseason

Al Horford, Raising Cane’s, and a Region that Loves Him

On Derrick White and the Fuel for Unprecedented Journey to NBA’s Best Role Player