Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix dropped a nuke on Boston Celtics fans during NBC Sports Boston’s Early Edition.
After the new President of Basketball Operations, Brad Stevens, dealt Kemba Walker for Al Horford hired Ime Udoka, the next logical step figured to be finding a deal for the C’s other guard (Marcus Smart) who has the opportunity to hit free agency in 2022.
Mannix mentioned Smart perhaps having a trade value of a 2021 first-round pick in the 7-9 range. Considering Cs owner Wyc Grousbeck expects more trade fireworks this July, all eyes were on the longest-tenured Celtic playing on a new team for the very first time.
Instead, the focus has shifted to a potential Jaylen Brown deal after Mannix said this (transcript via NESN):
"“One would be Bradley Beal, who has to make a decision of his own the next couple weeks if he wants to sign that extension with (the) Washington (Wizards),” Mannix said during an appearance on NBC Sports Boston’s “Early Edition.” “If he doesn’t, that’s tantamount to a trade request and he can become available. And we all know at this point about the relationship between Bradley Beal and Jayson Tatum.”"
And this:
"“The other is Damian Lillard. It’s still very much up in the air, Lillard’s future in Portland (with the Trail Blazers.),” Mannix said. “If in the coming weeks the Blazers decide that they have to trade Damian Lillard, I think Boston would be in a pretty good position to make a strong offer that would have to include Jaylen Brown. So, you don’t just move him to shake things up, but if one of those two players becomes available I think you have to look long and hard about trading Jaylen Brown.”"
So, with the two targets named, let’s play an HH favorite…Pass or pursue:
Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown trade target #1: Damian Lillard
The Damian Lillard agenda has been on full blast all summer around these parts, and the thought of landing the league’s best floor general and adding it to one of the league’s best scorers in Jayson Tatum may give one Steph Curry-Kevin Durant vibes in Golden State.
Of course, in order to land Lillard, it could take a monster haul that could potentially make the Cs significantly shallower of a roster than those Warriors. My co-editor Mark Nilon has thrown around trade ideas to bring the Oakland product to Beantown, and every name from Brown, to Marcus Smart, to Robert Williams, to 2020-21 rookies Payton Pritchard and Aaron Nesmith came up. Multiple first round picks also factored into the equation as well.
Given that Boston just gave up a first-round pick to get off of Kemba Walker’s contract in the Al Horford deal, it may not be the most prudent long-term move to trade even more to find Walker’s replacement.
Unless that player is Damian Lillard. Then you do it.
With Lillard unhappy with the Blazers’ handling of their head coaching search, it could be time for him to move on from the City of Roses after nine years of being unable to crack the NBA Finals.
The Olympics will be a good time for Tatum to start recruiting Lillard as they will likely be starting together for Team USA in Japan.
Verdict: Pursue
Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown trade target #2: Bradley Beal
Friends tend to play well together in the NBA. The Miami Heat “Heatles” trio famously came together after years of bonding on Team USA together and proceeded to take home two championships and four Eastern Conference titles during LeBron James’ time in South Beach.
Bradley Beal and Jayson Tatum will share the floor this summer for Team USA, but their bond began back when the two were residents of St. Louis.
They shared the same high school, and Beal became somewhat of a big brother to Tatum. When they played together in this year’s All-Star game, Beal was over the moon about it:
"“It was fun, man. That’s my brother. That’s my brother forever. It was very unique and awesome to be able to share the floor with him and for us both to get going. We’ve never been on the same team. That in itself an honor,” Beal said."
Jeff Goodman of Stadium suggested that either Brad Stevens or Jaylen Brown will be a goner this offseason. Stevens is no longer in his head coaching role, though he remains in Boston. Could Brown be the goner in a Beal trade?
We think Stevens should find out if Washington will go for it considering the potential success Beal can have together with Tatum.