Jaylen Brown’s ascension into NBA stardom wasn’t by mistake, his breakout All-Star season, this year, was inevitable while the 2021 Boston Celtics, on the other hand, have been disappointing, inconsistent, and mediocre.
The Celtics (18-17), currently fourth place in the Eastern Conference, enter Thursday night’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors, in the midst of their mission to right the ship, are looking to stretch their winning streak to four in a row. Before it’s too late, Brown, alongside fellow All-Star Jayson Tatum, has a lot to prove between now and the end of the 2021 campaign.
But at this point of the season — 35 games in — it’s still unclear if the Celtics have enough talent to convert adversity into a title-contending opportunity. We know Tatum, Brown, and Kemba Walker give them a shot for a deep playoff run but is the likelihood of Boston emerging into a championship threat truly in the cards, this season?
If not, maybe Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge will start seeking out every potential avenue, in search of a new route that will leave his team better equipped for the future.
Jeff Goodman: ‘Celtics Should Look At Dealing Jaylen Brown’
If that means parting ways with one of his under-25 years’ old stars, Jeff Goodman, co-host of CLNS Media’s Bob Ryan & Jeff Goodman podcast believes it’s worth Ainge checking out.
“The Celtics should look at dealing Jaylen Brown,” Goodman said via the Bob Ryan & Jeff Goodman podcast. “Is there a team out there, Bob that feels that Jaylen Brown is or could be a franchise player? A franchise guy; a top-10 player in the NBA. If that is the case, why not look and see what you could get for him now? I’m not trading him for 75 cents of the dollar. I’m not trading him for anything less than another All-Star and maybe more because he’s 24 years old.
“But, I would look to see what I could get only because I still do not think that Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Kemba Walker are great together.”
Goodman’s not convinced this current Celtics trio can make things work.
“I don’t think they fit so well together because,” Goodman explained, “they are still, at their core; all scorers.”
Goodman: ‘I Would Do A Trade Of Jaylen Brown For Bradley Beal’
One All-Star Jeff would pair with Tatum with is a name that’s been linked with Jayson before due to their respective native St. Louis background — Washington Wizards All-Star guard Bradley Beal.
“I would do a trade of Jaylen Brown for Bradley Beal; I would do that trade,” Goodman said. “I don’t know where you stand with that. Bradley Beal; he’s a scorer in Washington because he has to be. They got nothing else, for the most part, really. I know they have (Russell) Westbrook now and they had John Wall, who’s hurt. But ultimately, Bradley Beal can be a ball-mover, also.”
Beal, 27, also isn’t, as Goodman points out, closer to 30 than he is to 25 — which certainly fits within the Celtics’ preferred championship window.
“He is a very good passer (and) a very good scorer,” Goodman said. “(Beal’s) not as good, defensively, as Jaylen Brown. But, still a good defender, as well. And he’s 27. He’s not 24 (but) let’s not make it sound like 27 is over the hill, here. He’s in his prime.”
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NBA Analyst Suggests Celtics Split All-Star Duo For Bradley Beal