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It’s a shame that the Boston Celtics aren’t going to play in the NBA Finals this season despite being touted as heavy favorites to win the Eastern Conference over the Miami Heat. But of course, the Celtics can only look forward and hope to remain as perennial title contenders next season.
Following a major upset to the Heat, the Celtics will now head into a pivotal summer, much of which will revolve around Jaylen Brown. The 26-year old star could fetch a supermax contract extension this offseason, and the Celtics could choose whether or not to extend him.
Discussions around NBA circles express that the Celtics may be better off not extending Brown and trading him to another team following his lackluster performance in Game 7 where he shot 8-for-23 from the field for 19 points and committed eight turnovers.
As his future stands on shaky ground, Kevin O’Conner of the Ringer now tossed out some Brown-centric trade scenarios that involved the likes of Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simons, LaMelo Ball and Bradley Beal.
Per The Ringer:
“The top target on my list would be Damian Lillard, a born leader with elite shot-creation skills. Lillard is far more potent than Brown, and he brings more offensive versatility since he can both thrive as an off-ball shooter and settle into a pass-first role when necessary. But the Blazers are reportedly reluctant to deal Lillard and might prefer to flip the no. 3 pick in June’s draft to bolster the team around him. While I remain skeptical that that would remain true if the Lillard offers are strong enough, the Celtics should also consider a different foundation for a Portland trade: Brown to the Blazers for Anfernee Simons and the no. 3 pick. Simons is less of a playmaker than Lillard, but he was a super-efficient borderline-30-point-per-game scorer when he ran the show in games that Lillard missed this season. Simons is also more of a passer than Brown. Boston could also use that third pick in a separate trade or keep it to select a young playmaker such as the G League’s Scoot Henderson or Overtime Elite’s Amen or Ausar Thompson.”
“If the Hornets plan on taking Henderson with the no. 2 pick, I’d hit them up to ask about LaMelo Ball. He developed some bad habits under Steve Clifford last season. Maybe the Hornets would want to shuffle the deck and pay Brown, rather than pay LaMelo for an imperfect backcourt fit.”
“The other guy who comes to mind is Bradley Beal. But I wouldn’t feel good about giving up Brown for him unless the Wizards send additional pieces back—maybe Beal plus the no. 8 pick for Brown? Beal doesn’t solve the Celtics’ leadership problems. He’s never won anything, and he hasn’t been anywhere near his former All-Star status for two years. But he’s more of a shot creator than Brown, and he’s one of Tatum’s BFFs.”
