The Boston Celtics need to do something before the NBA trade deadline on March 25th. They are one of the biggest disappointments thus far this season, as they currently sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with an identical 17-17 record with the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors.
The Celtics have two All-Stars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but not much else in the way of consistency behind them. Kemba Walker is still working his way back into shape. Marcus Smart is dealing with a calf injury. They have a solid three-man group at center, but no one that truly stands out.
Boston was considered a contender coming into the season. But, with how things have gone thus far, it all adds up to what even general manager Danny Ainge says isn’t a roster good enough to win the Eastern Conference. He takes credit for the team’s shortcomings, and it is time to comes through and strikes a deal to push the team toward contending again.
The Boston Celtics could quickly move back into the picture as a Eastern Conference contender with some moves. This suggested blockbuster trade with the Washington Wizards would accomplish that.
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In this deal, the Celtics land All-Star Bradley Beal in exchange for Marcus Smart, Daniel Theis, Aaron Nesmith, Robert Williams III and three future first-round draft picks in 2021, 2023 and 2025. Draft swaps in 2022 and 2024 would likely be included as well.
Could Boston trade away the heart and soul of their team in Smart? If it is for someone of Beal’s caliber, they would have to seriously consider it. While Bradley Beal isn’t the tenacious defender Marcus Smart is, adding him to Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker would give the Boston Celtics some serious firepower on offense. Only the trio in Brooklyn would challenge that firepower.
For Washington, this is probably not enough of a haul. For starters, while their defense should become more competent with the added depth, their offense would crater without Bradley Beal. Besides, those draft picks would likely be in the late ’20s as the trio of Beal, Brown and Tatum would be shoe-ins for the postseason in the Eastern Conference for the foreseeable future. Beal is the oldest of that group and he turns only 28 in October.
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While Nesmith and Williams are intriguing young pieces, Washington would probably want more established players on the team. As long as Russell Westbrook is on their roster, they won’t be fully embracing a tear-down rebuild.
While Washington would become a deeper team with this trade, it lacks the potential star power they would be looking to receive in a package for Bradley Beal. Without extra draft picks at their disposal, making a deal for Beal would be very difficult.
