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To Beal, or Not to Beal: Should the Boston Celtics Trade for Bradley Beal?

By Denholm Harold

WASHINGTON, DC -  DECEMBER 12: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards shoots the ball against the Boston Celtics on December 12, 2018 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC -  DECEMBER 12: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards shoots the ball against the Boston Celtics on December 12, 2018 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 17: Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards in action the NBA London game 2019 between Washington Wizards and New York Knicks at The O2 Arena on January 17, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 17: Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards in action the NBA London game 2019 between Washington Wizards and New York Knicks at The O2 Arena on January 17, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images) /

The case for a Beal trade

The Case for Trading for Bradley Beal is simple, he is an All-Star player, in his athletic prime at 25, who plays at a position that been a point of contention this season, whose skills as a shooter outclass any that the C’s currently possess, and who is under team control until the end of the 2020-21 season. Bradley Beal in Boston would see looks easier than he has ever experienced in his basketball career, playing off Kyrie Irving and Jayson Tatum.

His ability to shoot off the catch and the dribble would make him an extraordinary threat coming off high screens and handoffs from Horford and Baynes, and unlike Marcus Smart, he is someone you simply cannot afford to close out with maximum effort against.

Beal’s skills fit the ethos Boston plays with, they utilize a modern offense, with motion, multiple screens and actions, and they shoot a lot of threes.

Beal has been putting the league on notice of late, averaging 24.9 ppg, 5 reb, 5 ast on 47(fg%)/35(3pt%)/78(FT%) shooting splits this season. Since Wall went down for the season with yet another injury, Beal has kept the Wizards afloat and led them to 6-4 in the last 10 games. Beal’s incredible play of late is music to the ears of the Wizards brains-trust who simply refuse to tank their way to another high pick.

Trading for Beal sends a message to both the remaining players, fans and the organization itself; that the Boston Celtics are ready to win now.

Additionally, a trade for Bradley Beal would solve some of the Celtics’ rotation issues by consolidating some of their assets into a star. Assuming Gordon Hayward is off limits for sentimental and value-based reasons, any outgoing package the Celtics send would most likely consist of Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart/Marcus Morris, Robert Williams and several picks.

The loss of either of the Marcuses hurts more than the loss of Brown right now, as both Smart and Morris have played exceptionally well this season and are rightly credited for the major course correction the C’s experienced after 20 games.

Brown has struggled mightily thus far, through a combination of a drastic role change and a lingering injury to his shooting hand yet remains the centerpiece of any blockbuster trade. the C’s young swingman has been in the doghouse of Celtics fans lately, after tantalizing those same fans with his extreme athleticism and pure shooting just a season ago.

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