Last week's announcement that Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown had been named to one of the league's three All-NBA teams had damning ramifications on the Houston Rockets, who were rumored to have been interested in Brown. This is because the Celtics will now possess the ability to give Brown a supermax deal, which requires a player to be named to one of the All-NBA teams in one of the final two years of their rookie extension.
The Rockets' interest in Brown makes a ton of sense, as he's known to be very fond of newly-hired Rockets coach Ime Udoka, even after the scandal that led to Udoka's dismissal in Boston. But Brown isn't a free agent and would have to be dealt by the Celtics, which they'd only do if they weren't comfortable with his contract situation.
For what it's worth, Brown has gone public about some of the challenges he's faced while living in Boston, citing unfavorable treatment and a toxic fanbase at times. In spite of this, Brown would certainly not turn down a $300 million contract extension, so it's fair to believe a Brown chase could be for naught.
But even if it may seem that way, the Rockets should still remain optimistic in their hope for landing Brown, for several reasons.