Boston Celtics: C&C prefers Zach LaVine to Bradley Beal as a trade target

The Boston Celtics have long been linked to Washington Wizards superstar Bradley Beal, but Zach LaVine’s name has been popping up in recent days due to a report from the Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn.

With Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens signing several of his non-superstar core players to long-term extensions, the idea is that he could pursue a trade deadline blockbuster for either player.

But which one?

Well, Chowder and Champions’ Tarringo Basile-vaughan believes LaVine is the preferable option:

"Although Beal is a better scorer, him and Brown would pretty much be the same player and how would the Beal and Tatum friendship impact Brown as a part of that Big 3?  There could be some potential drama there off the court.  There is drama potential with any max player the Celtics bring in (if they can attract any), but LaVine at the point guard position gives the team an overall upgrade at the position over both Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker in that LaVine wouldn’t be a liability defensively."

LaVine and Beal have similar career assist numbers, but Beal has been at his best when not sharing the floor with another high-usage player.

In the second half of 2018-19 and across the entire 2019-20 season, with John Wall out of the lineup, Beal averaged over five assists per game. That number dropped to 4.4 with Russell Westbrook alongside him in the starting five.

LaVine, on the other hand, has steadily increased his assist totals, reaching five per game for the first time last season. That is with more talent at the top of the depth chart, too, with Nikola Vucevic making his way north during this past March’s trade deadline.

While Beal has the St. Louis connection with Tatum, LaVine–as Basile-vaughan points out–has experience alongside Tatum and head coach Ime Udoka from the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Neither option is a bad one, but the debate of who is the better option has already begun.