The 2020-21 campaign was an eye-opening one for the Celtics, who needed to win their play-in game against Washington just to qualify for the playoffs. This season made clear that for Boston to compete with the likes of Brooklyn, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Atlanta in a loaded Eastern Conference, the Celtics need to make a major move either through free agency or the trade market.
Flipping free-agent bust Kemba Walker for aging retread Al Horford and intriguing seven-footer Moses Brown won’t cut it. Neither will re-signing Evan Fournier. Boston needs to be thinking bigger, pursuing other A-listers to pair with leading scorer Jayson Tatum. Even after dealing their first-round pick to Oklahoma City, the Celtics still boast plenty of intriguing trade assets including defensive whiz Marcus Smart and All-Star wing Jaylen Brown.
You could make the argument Brown is Boston’s best all-around player, contributing in all facets while Tatum is mainly touted for his scoring prowess. In a perfect world, the Celtics would be able to add another foundation piece without sacrificing Brown, but unless newly-minted President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens is willing to go WAY over the luxury tax threshold, that’s probably not realistic.
Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports opined earlier this week that offering a package of Brown, Smart and multiple first-round picks could entice the Blazers to trade Damian Lillard, who appears to have doubts about his long-term future in the Rose City. Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports Boston seems to be sharing a brain with Cowherd on the Portland front and also suspects the Celtics would be willing to move Brown for Wizards All-Star Bradley Beal, the NBA’s second-leading scorer this season and a close friend of Tatum, who grew up with Beal in St. Louis.
Beal is eligible for a four-year, $181.5-million max extension this summer, though after years of continued playoff disappointment (Philadelphia bounced the Wizards in the first round), the 6’3” guard may be ready for a change of scenery. Obviously, Tatum would love to reunite with his childhood pal in Boston, though Beal’s $34.5-million salary in 2022 (he’s due another $37.26 million the next year, unless he opts out) could make that an ambitious undertaking. It’s anyone guess where the Celtics go from here, but after aggressively jettisoning Walker last month, it’s evident Stevens isn’t waiting around for a superstar to fall in Boston’s lap.
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