The Boston Celtics’ team, as currently assembled, doesn’t have enough to contend for the NBA Finals this year.
We know it. They seem to know it. And it seems unlikely they can make a real push for a title unless they’re active ahead of the upcoming March 25 trade deadline.
While the Celtics may not have the draft assets they once held in previous seasons, they still have enough young players and future picks to put together an enticing package to fill areas of need. And depth at the wing, ideally with size and shooting, is one of those glaring gaps.
Washington Wizards guard and three-time NBA All-Star Bradley Beal comes to mind, of couse. But would it be worth what you’d lose to bring him in? Let’s explore that …
BRADLEY BEAL
—Age: 27
—Position: Guard
— Height: 6-foot-3
— Weight: 207 pounds
— 2020 Stats: 30.5 PPG, 6.1 AST, 4.2 TRB, 1.2 STL, 45.5 FG%, 35.3 3FG%
— Contract Status: Beal is in the final year of a five-year deal worth around $127 million, and is owed $28,751,775 for his work this season before his two-year extension kicks in.
Pros: Well, where do we even start? Beal is a proven star who currently ranks in the top 10 in scoring, plays defense and is essentially unguardable at times. He’d be a perfect fit — and then some — for what Boston currently lacks.
Not to mention, the St. Louis native is pretty tight with Jayson Tatum. We’ve seen the power players have in expressing a desire to be traded to a different team, and maybe that’s something Boston can use to its advantage. It doesn’t seem like a matter of if Tatum and Beal will play on the same team for the first time in their life — but a matter of when.
Cons: It still seems very unlikely the Celtics bring Beal in this season. Their $28.5 million trade exception won’t be enough to foot what Beal is owed this year. On top of that, Beal and the Wizards organization have expressed multiple times they’re content with their current situation.
But that could change, especially if Washington can’t find any success with Beal alongside Russell Westbrook. If a trade doesn’t work out this year, maybe they can get it done in the future. This season, though, Boston just doesn’t have the same quality of assets it can package together compared to the numerous other teams who’d all line up for Beal’s services in the event he became available.
Verdict: When it comes to Beal, there should be no untouchables aside from Jayson Tatum. The whole point is to get them together. So despite how unlikely it is that a deal like this is worked out this year, if there’s a slight possibility that they can bring him in and still keep Tatum and Jaylen Brown, they should jump on it. Heck, even parting with Brown would have to be strongly considered.
