Hardwood Houdini loves to play general manager and get the Boston Celtics involved in trades–mock trades that currently live in the imagination but are possible–with current events in mind.
The hot topic current event of the NBA as the season draws closer every day is what in the world is going to happen with Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets. Of course, the 7x All-Star is sidelined until further notice due to his refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine and the state of New York’s laws that make him ineligible to work until he does.
If he doesn’t want it and is sticking to his principles, Nets GM Sean Marks will have to make a groundbreaking decision to move on.
NY Daily News columnist Mike Lupica came out and said (in pretty brutal terms) that Brooklyn should get rid of him:
"…the Nets should look into getting rid of him sooner or later, seeing if there is possibly a taker for him, with all of his baggage, old and new, perhaps from one of the teams from the dumber states when it comes to COVID, and that means we’re talking about you Florida and Texas."
Perhaps they will.
This Houdini-concocted three-team deal accomplishes that, and gets the Cs a win-now piece in the process:
Why the Boston Celtics do it
The upgrade from Josh Richardson to Malik Beasley could be significant enough to include an unprotected first-round pick. It’s definitely enough to include a lottery-protected first-round pick that Jayson Tatum and co. are all but certain to have convey in 2023.
Beasley is averaging 20 points per game the past two years and has seen his role shrink while playing behind Anthony Edwards.
It’s not as though his playing time wouldn’t be similar, if not even less, in Boston, but he’d be put in a position to win significant games in the summer months.
Why the Brooklyn Nets do it
Well, they have to get rid of Kyrie Irving. D’Angelo Russell could be an attainable player considering his underperformance last year, and given the results of his first stint…it’d be hard to not run it back.
Russell would be an ideal second-unit scorer when James Harden and Kevin Durant need a breather, but the trio sharing the floor would make it awfully tough for opponents to double-team any of them.
Jarred Vanderbilt is a step down from Nic Claxton in this deal, but the Nets avoid giving up any picks, which might be necessary in most Irving trade proposals.
Why the Minnesota Timberwolves do it
Karl-Anthony Towns respects Kyrie Irving’s COVID-19 vaccine stance, but he certainly had explosive words about the extra-curriculars in his explanation.
Regardless of any potential tension, the two in a lineup together would be tough to defend, especially if Anthony Edwards continues to require defensive attention.
Josh Richardson is a Malik Beasley fill-in here, and the Timberwolves getting a pick makes it hard to say no, even to all of the headaches that come with ‘Uncle Drew’.