The Boston Celtics appear to be very in on Bradley Beal this offseason and could be one of his preferred trade destinations.
If Beal wants Boston only, it could be a very easy road to landing the former #3 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. If the wishlist is longer, newly minted President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens could have his hands tied and may need to dig into his depth to get a deal done.
Chowder and Champions’ Tarringo Basile-vaughan believes that Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and Robert Williams may all be necessary components of a Bradley Beal trade.
Given the likely reluctance to part with Jayson Tatum, Brown is the best trade chip the Cs have, given his recent All-Star selection and two consecutive seasons scoring 20+ points per game. It makes sense to see his name pop up. Washington may need a star in a trade return, and the Cs have one in Brown that could well end up having his own team in D.C.
Smart is probably the best player Stevens would be able to give up without spending many sleepless nights wondering whether to ride it out with the Jays or reunite the St. Louis-born Jayson Tatum-Bradley Beal duo. His inclusion could put any offer over the top, considering his usual placement on (or just missing) the All-Defensive First Team.
Meanwhile, the Time Lord is the cherry on top, and the gap between what would be considered a Godfather offer and an all-in attempt to land the 3x All-Star. Like Smart, Williams is due for an extension next summer, so the Wizards have the option of auditioning both or siphoning value from contenders for them at the trade deadline.
Bradley Beal could be the first domino to fall for the trade market this summer after pulling out of the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo, so keep these potential trade pieces in mind when the rumors really heat up.