With the Boston Celtics seemingly walking up the down escalator at times (like last night against the Lakers) in 2021-22, other teams may see the Cs as a potential seller at the trade deadline.
Following all of the work new President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens has done since taking the reins of roster management this past June, it’s unlikely they’d be one even if they weren’t in a postseason position come February 10th.
PistonPowered seems to think the Boston Celtics will be in a position of vulnerability and would make a deal that would neither improve them in the short-term or the long-term.
The aforementioned swap would involve the C’s 1A superstar and would return no star-caliber players and no draft capital:
Let’s cover why this wouldn’t happen barring a self-sabotaging run of fireable offenses by Stevens and co.:
Why the Boston Celtics wouldn’t consider a Jaylen Brown for Jerami Grant/Saddiq Bey swap
Though the Boston Celtics would, in theory, gain a net total of 11 points of offense per game, they would also be crucified for dealing a multi-time All-Star for a player he’s only making slightly more than in Jerami Grant.
Grant may never reach that level and may have inflated stats on a young team with few other stat-sheet stuffers. Saddiq Bey is similar, putting up promising numbers but doing so inefficiently.
Without any draft picks, this deal would be denied within 60 seconds. Add a draft pick (or several) and all of a sudden this deal is one worth pondering.
But it shouldn’t be given extensive thought at this point.
Until there is a sign that either of the ‘Jays’ are unhappy with their current situation and would be willing to find a new home, Stevens should do everything possible to bolster the lineup around them…not break the store duo up.
Swap Marcus Smart here, and perhaps be the team to send draft capital the other way? Now we may be cooking with gas.
But the Boston Celtics should not consider sending Brown away for anything short of a superstar at the level of a Damian Lillard, Karl-Anthony Towns, or (maybe) a Bradley Beal.