Getty Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics
With Marcus Smart gone, the Boston Celtics are in need of a playmaker on the team to fill the void. If that’s their main intention with the time remaining left in the offseason, ESPN’s Kevin Pelton floated Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden as someone they could look into.
Pelton proposed the following trade between the two sides that would send the 2018 NBA MVP to the Celtics.
Celtics receive: James Harden
Sixers receive: Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III
Pelton gave the full details on how a trade would work.
“A trade would probably have to involve Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III, with the latter a candidate to be rerouted to a third team given his overlap with Embiid at center.”
Pelton explained why the Celtics would look into acquiring Harden.
“Despite outlasting Harden and the Sixers in a seven-game conference semifinal series, Boston could use a playmaking upgrade — particularly after trading away Marcus Smart as part of the Kristaps Porzingis deal.
Pelton added that the Celtics and Sixers sharing the same goals alone would make it hard for the two sides to agree to a deal.
“Although Boston and Philadelphia have worked out important deals in the past, this one feels too complicated to be realistic given both teams are East contenders and wouldn’t want to strengthen the other to their detriment.”
Harden opted into his deal of $35.6 million for the 2023-24 season with the expectation of being traded, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Doc Rivers Convinced Patrick Beverley to Sign With Sixers
On the July 5 episode of “The Pat Bev Podcast With Rone,” Beverley said that former Celtics coach Doc Rivers urged him to sign with the Sixers.
“I hit Doc. ‘I might go to Philly. Obviously, you was there. How’d you like the situation?’ Now this is a Hall of Fame coach that just got fired, and his response, exact words, ‘I love Philadelphia for you. They need you. You will be great with Joel (Embiid). James (Harden), he respects you. You will be great with him. If I had you last season, we would have been a different team.’”
Beverley added that the Celtics were an option, but he was already sold on the Sixers after his talk with Doc.
“Once Doc gave me the green, I call my agent back with my agent like, ‘Man, give me the end of the day. I’m gonna talk to some more teams, you feel me? I’m gonna talk to Boston. I’m gonna talk to Washington’, but when Doc gave me the green, I…trust Doc.”
Beverley signing with the Sixers took away another possible ballhandler for the Celtics.
Marcus Smart Refutes Beef With Jaylen Brown
During his first interview since being traded by the Celtics, Smart wanted to make it clear that there was no tension between him and Jaylen Brown.
“I just want to shut all the rumors down now that me and J.B. had beef,” Smart told reporters, per Bobby Manning of CLNS Media. “I have no beef with anybody with the Celtics, none of my teammates. I love those guys. They love me. We’re brothers, and I know that if I’m ever in need, or need or what anything, I can call those guys, and it’s vice-versa.”
Smart went as far as explaining the rapport between him and his former teammate.
“Me and J.B., we’re great. That’s my brother. He actually texted me and was just as disappointed as I was. So we’re good, and just because J.B. or any of my teammates didn’t post anything doesn’t mean we have beef.”