Why the Boston Celtics shouldn’t trade for Bradley Beal

The Boston Celtics have more trade-able assets than most teams in the NBA. That doesn’t mean they should go star-chasing anytime soon.

The Boston Celtics are one of the few contenders that can truthfully live without a championship next season. For teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and LA Clippers anything short of an NBA Championship would be unfulfilling. The Clippers and Rockets, in particular, gave up myriad assets to acquire Paul George and Russell Westbrook from Oklahoma City in a pair of blockbusters to go all in this season.

Boston is in no such rush. While they did sign Kemba Walker to a max contract, the 29 year old understands why he is here. Jayson Tatum was a huge factor in his decision which tells me elevating Tatum’s game was one of the prerequisites that Walker spoke with Boston Celtics brass about.

Kyrie Irving’s desire to try to win games by himself was a detriment to the growth of Tatum’s game last season no matter how you slice it. Walker is here to be the guy that facilitates the birth of a new star in Boston.

With so much of a focus on Walker and Tatum heading into next season, the Boston Celtics should focus their time into maximizing the talents of their two Team USA representatives. Walker is “the man” for now, but Brad Stevens should do everything in his power to have that narrative changed by season’s end.

It’s Tatum’s time. Any move that takes the ball out of his hands should be avoided at all costs.

Which brings me to a recent Bleacher Report article that called for the Boston Celtics to trade for Bradley Beal. Now, let me start off by saying that I have called for Danny Ainge to make a move for Beal. The logic behind bringing Beal on board is sound; the Celtics (and every NBA team) could use a playmaker that has hit 38% of the 3-pointers he has taken in his seven-year NBA career.

But at this moment, it doesn’t make sense to yank the ball out of Tatum’s hands right after Ainge did all he can this offseason to build a team catering to his youth. That fact makes the proposed trade even more undesirable for the Boston Celtics.

In BR’s slide show naming one trade every contender should make, the proposed deal involved sending Jaylen Brown, Gordon Hayward, Carsen Edwards and a first round draft pick for Beal and the contract of Ian Mahinmi. While Mahinmi was  spun into a positive given the lack of center depth in the Celtics rotation, the entire deal would provide more questions than answers.

With Edwards gone, who becomes the backup point guard? Do you stagger Walker and Beal’s minutes? Does this make Tatum a third-wheel?

Simply put, it isn’t worth it for Boston to give up so much for a shot at a title this year. Allowing Brown and Tatum to grow together alongside Walker and even guys like Edwards, Grant Williams and Romeo Langford could be the key to a potential dynasty in the next 3-5 years.

Though I have advocated for Ainge to make a deal for Beal in the past (my proposed trade revolved around just Hayward and draft considerations), that was before the Celtics quartet took to Team USA looking to improve chemistry and represent their country when no one else would.

I’m all in on the Boston Celtics as they are. No deal for Beal is worth stifling a core that finally has a unified mission even if this season doesn’t end with a championship.