Boston Celtics’ potential Team USA star trio #2: Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal
In this scenario, the Cs would swing a deal for Damian Lillard this offseason–which looks likelier every time a report comes out about the controversy behind the seasons in Portland–and would stick to the plan of preserving cap space to make an impact free agent addition in the future.
The ceiling of this squad is higher in theory, though Team USA’s struggles early do not 100% support that notion.
HH would roll the dice that such a Cs trio would thrive in NBA competition, though. A Lillard-Beal backcourt would instantly be the best in the league, while Jayson Tatum would never have an easier time scoring.
Boston Celtics’ potential Team USA star trio #3: Jayson Tatum, Zach LaVine, Bradley Beal
This iteration of the deal would see Jaylen Brown shipped off to Chicago for Zach LaVine. And the idea of such a deal probably just caused a swath of readers a great deal of anger.
Let me explain.
LaVine is a better shooter and playmaker, though he is not the defender Brown is by any stretch. While he is two years older, he is on an expiring deal and could come with other assets in a hypothetical swap.
Ultimately, what could be a mild downgrade–if not a slight upgrade depending on how their careers turn out–could come with reinforcements elsewhere in the lineup.