The Boston Celtics are expected to be active in the offseason as they’re hoping to put together a roster that will help them return to title contention.
Doing so may require some difficult decisions, such as parting ways with All-Star swingman Jaylen Brown. Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix has two players in mind who Boston would have to consider trading the 24-year-old for.
(via NBC Sports):
“There are a couple of players out there that I think the Celtics would move for Jaylen Brown,” Mannix said Thursday on Early Edition. “One would be Bradley Beal, who has to make a decision of his own the next couple weeks if he wants to sign that extension with Washington. If he doesn’t, that’s tantamount to a trade request and he can become available. And we all know at this point about the relationship between Bradley Beal and Jayson Tatum.
“The other is Damian Lillard. It’s still very much up in the air, Lillard’s future in Portland. If in the coming weeks the Blazers decide that they have to trade Damian Lillard, I think Boston would be in a pretty good position to make a strong offer that would have to include Jaylen Brown. So, you don’t just move him to shake things up, but if one of those two players becomes available I think you have to look long and hard about trading Jaylen Brown.”
The Celtics do not have the piece to form an appealing package for superstar players like Lillard or Beal, so including Brown will be a must.
Trading the 24-year-old forward will not be easy for Boston. During the 2020-21 season, Brown set career-highs in points per game (24.7), assists (3.4), shooting percentage (48.4), and 3-point percentage (39.7).
