Rumors surrounding the Boston Celtics potentially making some changes to their roster continue to flow through the media cycle.
After losing to the Miami Heat in game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals, there is a chance that Brad Stevens decides to re-tool the roster around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. According to Bobby Krivitsky of Sports Illustrated, one way Stevens could improve Boston’s roster is by swapping reigning Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon for Dorian Finney-Smith of the Brooklyn Nets.
A Malcolm Brogdon trade could keep Payton Pritchard in Boston. But in the event the latter’s playing elsewhere next season, I spent way too much time examining who or what the #Celtics could potentially get for the former Oregon Duck.
“The six-foot-seven hard-nosed wing is a talented and versatile defender, meshing with the calls from Boston’s players to return to an identity where defense sets the table for its success,” Krivitsky wrote. “And while this isn’t to say the former Florida Gator lives above the rim, he’d bring more athleticism. He’d also allow the Celtics to play with three wings while keeping Tatum at the three, his best position.”
Throughout his career, Brogdon has struggled with a slew of injuries, providing a healthy season in just his rookie year and this past season with the Celtics. As such, it would make sense if Stevens began to look for ways to move on from Brogdon rather than risk the injury bug coming to bite him next season.
Damian Lillard Prefers Miami Over Boston
Outside of potentially rebuilding the supporting cast, some former players, media members, and a portion of the fanbase would rather see a bigger change be made. With just one year left on his current contract, and a big decision regarding his supermax eligibility hanging over both him and the team, Brown has once again found himself being floated in trade rumors.
The most notable discussion that is circulating on social media at present is the idea of swapping Brown for Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers. However, there has currently been no noise surrounding the Western Conference team’s willingness to move on from their star player, and Lillard has remained steadfast in his desire to continue building with the Trail Blazers.
However, during a recent appearance on “The Last Stand” with Brian Custer, Lillard did note that should he be traded, he would prefer to join the Miami Heat rather than the Celtics – or New York Knicks, for that matter.
Damian Lillard says Miami is ‘obviously’ his first choice over Boston, New York and Brooklyn in a hypothetical trade
“Bam is my dawg”
(Via @Showtime )
“Miami, obviously,” Lillard said with a laugh. “Miami is the obvious one, and Bam (Adebayo) is my dawg. Bam is my dawg, for real…Brooklyn is another obvious one because Mikal Bridges is my dog too. Both have capable rosters.”
Lillard will be entering the third year of his current $176 million contract but also has a $121 million contract extension that is due to take effect in 2025 – a contract that will see him earn an average of $60 million per season.
Shaq Believes Boston Should Trade Brown
According to former Celtics big man Shaquille O’Neal, who was speaking on a recent episode of The Big Podcast, the Celtics should consider moving on from Brown so that they can improve other areas of their roster.
“I don’t want five stars on my team. I want a guy that I can go to every night, I want a guy that’s going to lead, and I want three dogs, three others. I would prefer if they were specialists: one to be a shooter, one to be a rebounder, and one to be a fighter,” O’Neal said. “I would, business-wise, break [Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown] up and use one of them to get the pieces I want. I will say Tatum is the number one; use Brown to bring in a Brown-type player, and then just do it like that.”
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Proposed Trade Sees Celtics Flip Malcolm Brogdon for Defensive Wing