By just about any rookie standards, Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown had a highly successful 2016-17 season.

Brown quickly proved himself valuable to Brad Stevens and the Celtics, demonstrating an athletic physical profile that made him a versatile defensive weapon. His shot developed throughout the season, finishing 34.1 percent from behind the arc as opposed to 29 percent behind the shorter college line in his one season at California. He played meaningful playoff minutes for a team that made the Eastern Conference Finals.

But Brown wants considerably more, and after the Celtics completed a deal that sent Avery Bradley to the Detroit Pistons, he might have a bigger opportunity.

He sure sounds ready.

"I'm using Summer League to get better, I'm using Summer League to prove a point," Brown told CSNNE's Abby Chin on Thursday.

What point, exactly? Brown hesitated for a second and appeared to choose his words carefully.

"That I want to be someone who can add and contribute, and be a play maker on this team right away," he said. "I don't want to wait two, three, four years down the line. I think I'm ready now, and I'm going to continue to get better to show that I'm better now."

The implication here seems to be that Brown wants more than the 17.2 minutes per game he received last season, and it's certainly possible he gets them. Bradley's departure leaves a hole in the Celtics' starting lineup, and Brad Stevens made it clear that he sees positionless basketball as the future. Under Stevens' designation, there are three real positions: Wings, bigs and ball-handlers. Isaiah Thomas is clearly the team's ball-handler, while Gordon Hayward can provide minutes alongside him as well.

Brown, meanwhile, could potentially slot into some dangerous lineups as a wing -- lineups that could even start games. For instance, Thomas, Brown, Hayward, Crowder, Horford would be small-ball only in theory -- the trio of Brown, Hayward and Crowder would be long-armed and strong, able to contain penetration and switch almost any screen. Brown's versatility and defensive awareness, especially with Thomas on the floor, will likely buy him more minutes next season.

It's interesting, however, that Brown feels he can "prove a point" in Summer League. After all, he proved to the league that he belonged by posting nearly 14 relatively efficient points and seven rebounds per 36 minutes as a rookie, and by breaking through into the playoff rotation for a conference finalist. Why does Brown think he needs to play meaningless games in July to prove a point about regular-season minutes?

There are a couple of possibilities. Before the 2016 draft, there were some weird whispers about Brown that implied basketball might not be his top priority. The whispers were, of course, ridiculous -- dumb narratives that largely existed because Brown likes chess and because one executive before the draft called him "too smart for the league." Perhaps Brown feels the need to prove he is all about basketball 365 days out of the year, despite Boston's obvious confidence in him.

It's also possible that Brown sees an opportunity to show the Celtics the laundry list of untapped skills he possesses. Last season, he was an off-ball threat -- either cutting backdoor, getting out in transition or working on his 3-point shot. At Summer League, Brown is often the primary ball-handler -- looking to take defenders off the bounce and get to the rim himself. He is also far more likely to be able to isolate -- whether from the wing or as a post-up threat. Brown may want the Celtics to see work he has put into various skill sets that he didn't feel he had a chance to flex last year, and the ways those skills could fit in with the current roster.

The results have been mixed. In his first game, Brown dominated the 76ers -- posting 29 points and 13 rebounds, while burying deep 3-pointers comfortably. He also blocked Sixers star rookie Markelle Fultz at the rim to end the game, putting an exclamation point on a marquee performance. His second game was less impressive -- six points, eight rebounds (a good number) and four turnovers, including an 0-for-4 performance from deep.

The Celtics, of course, aren't going to be particularly worried about Summer League stats. They will want to see signs of progress from Brown's game, and those exist. He looks more comfortable handling the ball (despite high turnover totals), and his jumper continues to look smoother and smoother.

And in any case, Brown is likely to get his wish. He will get more minutes in 2017-18, and his role will increase dramatically. Whether the Celtics give him a chance to fully prove whatever his point might be, or whether they shut him down to avoid an injury, the Bradley trade -- and the team's steadfast refusal to include him in reported trade talks -- made it clear that Brown is a key part of Danny Ainge's vision for the future.