While the Boston Celtics started off the offseason with a bang by trading Kemba Walker, this year’s first-round pick, and a future second rounder for Al Horford, Moses Brown, and a future second rounder, Brad Stevens is far from being done making moves.
After highlighting point guards the Cs should pursue this offseason in my previous article, I will now be focusing on the shooting guard position, the second installment of this series.
While after the Kemba trade, shooting guard may seem like not much of a need compared to point guard, improvements to the starting lineup and to the bench can always be made, no matter the position.
That especially applies given the versatility of both Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, for both of them can be viewed as a small forward and power forward, respectively, thus making shooting guard a position of need along with point guard, especially with Marcus Smart being a likely trade candidate with an expiring contract, and Evan Fournier being a free agent.
With this in mind, here is one star, one role player, and one depth piece the Boston Celtics should consider pursuing this offseason at the shooting guard position.
Boston Celtics star target: Bradley Beal
Bradley Beal seems like the perfect star player to target for the Boston Celtics not only this offseason but for upcoming ones as well.
Beal has one year and one player option year left on his deal, so even if the Cs don’t try to trade for him this offseason, they can plan to clear enough cap space to try and sign him next offseason or the following offseason, depending on if he accepts his player option or not.
While that may make it seem like trading for Beal doesn’t make a lot of sense, it’s no guarantee he will sign with the Celtics in free agency, so I feel that trading for him this offseason and convincing him to stay is the better option.
Similar to Damian Lillard, it may be hard to acquire the Wizard’s All-Star unless he says he wants out, but no matter if the two-guard requests a trade or not, I don’t think the Cs would have to give up Jaylen Brown, unlike with Lillard.
Trading for Bradley Beal would help the shamrocks form a Big-3 and give them the top-level talent necessary to compete for a championship for multiple years.
In terms of re-signing Beal after trading for him, considering his history with Jayson Tatum growing up, I feel that as long as their play on the court goes well, the shooting guard should want to stay, unlike some other top-level players from the Cs that have hit free agency.
In terms of fit on the court, considering Beal was nearly the top scorer in the entire league this season, he would be at the very least behind Tatum as far as scoring options go, and possibly even the first scoring option at times.
Given his offensive genius, that would also allow both Tatum and Brown to put more effort into the defensive end as Beal would relieve some of the offensive efforts they need to give and would help the Jays live up to the insane defensive potential that they both have.
Beal is also a good ball-handler, so while he’s not an elite playmaker by any means, that is another area that he could help take some pressure off of Tatum and Brown.
All in all, while Damian Lillard is probably the most talented player the Boston Celtics could look to pursue this offseason, Bradley Beal makes the most sense of any star player in terms of what the trade package would possibly be, fit on the court, and relationship with the players already on the roster.