Boston Celtics: 3 superstars to pursue with recently extended Cs

Boston Celtics superstar trade target #3: James Harden

After what it took for the Brooklyn Nets to land James Harden this past offseason, I expect many to be shocked by seeing the “Beard’s” name here, but there are a few ways he can once again become available by trade.

The first would be a backstage issue between Harden and Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving that prompts him to once again force his team’s hand in finding a new home. Given what Cs fans know about Irving, that is far from impossible.

The second (less likely) scenario would be Brooklyn no longer knowing how to play as cohesively and beautifully as they did in 2020-21 in the limited time the trio shared the floor.

While the Nets have locked down Kevin Durant to a max extension, Harden has yet to be signed long-term. Given his decision to find new management, it’s possible that the former Houston Rockets star could be onto his fourth franchise if things don’t go smoothly in Kings County this coming season.

Ideally, Brad Stevens could get a discounted rate for Harden, but he could go pretty deep into negotiations with all the assets on the roster.