Jayson Tatum: 'Extremely Important' for Celtics to Sign Jaylen Brown to New Contract

Jaylen Brown's future with the Boston Celtics will likely be a major topic of discussion this offseason, but his most prominent teammate wants him on the roster for years to come.

"It's extremely important," Jayson Tatum told reporters when discussing the Celtics signing Brown to a long-term extension. "He's one of the best players in the league."

Brown is under contract for just one more season after Boston was eliminated by the Miami Heat in Monday's Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. His future with the team also didn't seem particularly secure in the past when he was the subject of trade rumors.

"It's hard to think about anything else right now to be honest," Brown said when asked about his future with Boston following Monday's loss. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

The comments come after a particularly disappointing game for both stars. Tatum turned his ankle on the opening possession and didn't look like himself for the rest of the contest, while Brown finished with eight turnovers and shot 8-of-23 from the field and 1-of-9 from deep.

Miami cruised to a 103-84 victory and prevented the Celtics from becoming the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a playoff series.

Still, the future remains bright for a Boston squad that was just in the NBA Finals last season.

Tatum is just 25 years old, while Brown is 26. If the organization can find a way to keep them together, they can learn from Monday's loss and perhaps make a run at a title next season and beyond.