If the Boston Celtics trade Jaylen Brown during the 2021-22 season–and that’s a possibility that becomes more remote as the Cs continue to distance themselves from the .500 mark in the right direction–it would not be for a player shooting 27% from the 3-point line on over four attempts per game that’s due $163 million over the next five years, or for a reserve due $61 million over the next three.
Yet HoopsHabit thinks such a deal is feasible…with the Cs giving up several recent first-round draft picks to boot.
While, yes, Hardwood Houdini has certainly been trying to find ways to upgrade the team’s underperforming 2020 first-rounders (Aaron Nesmith, Payton Pritchard), throwing them into a deal where the Celtics are already on the losing end isn’t a front office strategy we’d deploy personally.
This is HoopsHabit’s mock trade:
"Kings receive: Jaylen Brown, Josh Richardson, Payton Pritchard, Juancho HernangomezCeltics receive: De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield"
Let me say, the Houdini loves us some Jack Simone, who was once part of our own community here at HH.
But this trade is a lateral move at best for Boston, more likely registering as a major step back considering the issues Hield has had reaching his potential in the NBA consistently and Fox’s shooting woes this season.
Worse yet, it eliminates the chance of upgrading the roster further, sending away many of the team’s best trade assets in one fell swoop to a Sacramento Kings franchise that is typically the one on the losing ends of trades…and free agent signings…and draft picks…and everything else under the basketball sun.
We don’t want to see Brown dealt, but if he does, he should be swapped for an upgrade like Bradley Beal or Karl-Anthony Towns. As for Nesmith and Pritchard, they hold value of their own in potential deals with rebuilding franchises with ill-fitting veteran contracts.
This deal doesn’t move the needle for the Cs, and thus, we’d have to pass on it if a Freaky Friday situation ever had the Houdini in Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens’ shoes.