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Boston Celtics Rumors: Why team should consider trading for Bradley Beal

By Oliver Gold

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 28: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards looks on during the closing seconds of the Wizards 101-92 loss to the Chicago Bulls at Capital One Arena on December 28, 2018 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 28: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards looks on during the closing seconds of the Wizards 101-92 loss to the Chicago Bulls at Capital One Arena on December 28, 2018 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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With John Wall out for the remainder of the season, the Wizards will likely explore trading Bradley Beal. The Boston Celtics should try to make a deal for Beal.

The Boston Celtics love to make a deal, and Danny Ainge may have found his next target.

As if this season wasn’t going badly enough already for the Washington Wizards, things recently got much worse. Star point guard John Wall underwent season-ending heel surgery Sunday and will not resume basketball activities for another six-to-eight months.

The Wizards are already having a terrible season. They sit at 14-23 which has them currently at 11th in the Eastern Conference. With their best player now out for the rest of this season and likely some of next season, they should be listening to trade offers for Bradley Beal, their other star player.

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There have been rumors about a potential Bradley Beal trade all season long, but it makes much more sense now due to Wall’s injury.

Beal, 25, is enjoying the best season of his career. The former Florida Gator is averaging 23.6 points per game, with 4.9 rebounds per game, 4.7 assists per game, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 47.1% from the field and 33.7% from three.

Beal would be a great fit in Boston

The Boston Celtics have certainly underperformed so far this season. After being considered by many to be the favorite to win the Eastern Conference, the Celtics sit at 21-15, fifth in the Eastern Conference and five games behind the top seed Milwaukee Bucks.

It makes a lot of sense for the Celtics to make a push after Beal. The Celtics have a ton of draft picks as well as young assets that could be used in a trade for a star like Beal.

The Celtics have been a decent three-point shooting team this season. They are third in the NBA in three-pointers made with 475 and are sixth in three-point percentage at 36.2%. Beal would only add to that, as he is known as one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA despite his low three-point percentage this season.

Beal has always been an unselfish player and is excellent off the ball on offense. He would help space the floor and is also a good passer. He would work well with Kyrie Irving and would create more scoring opportunities for Irving, similarly to what he did with John Wall.

Beal would be a great fit with the Celtics and would make the Celtics a much better team offensively, as the Celtics are just 12th in the NBA with 111.6 points per game. He is also under contract for another two full seasons for a reasonable deal.

What would it take to trade for Beal?

The biggest issue trading for Beal is his contract. Beal will make an average of $27,093,010 over the next three seasons, far more than the Celtics can afford.

For a trade to happen, the Celtics would likely have to trade Marcus Smart. Smart is making $11,600,716 dollars this season, fourth-most on the Celtics behind Gordon Hayward, Al Horford, and Kyrie Irving. If the Wizards want to start a rebuild, they would likely want the 24-year-old Smart to equalize the salary on a deal. Smart and Beal also play the same position.

Beal is also obviously a talented player, so the Celtics would have to give up much more than just Smart. Terry Rozier and Jaylen Brown would likely be the next pieces that would be traded to even out the salaries.

This is almost certainly Rozier’s last season with the Celtics, as Rozier has proved that he can be a starter in the NBA and will be a free agent next season. It is unlikely the Celtics will be able to afford Rozier’s contract if they re-sign Kyrie Irving, which they are expected to do. Rozier is just 24 years old and still has a ton of potential.

Brown has struggled this season despite playing extremely well in the playoffs last season. The 21-year-old is averaging 12.0 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per game in 26.5 minutes per game. Brown played arguably his best game of the season Monday against the Spurs, dropping a season-high 30 points while making 66.7% of shots from the field.

So it would be Beal for Smart, Brown, and Rozier. If the Celtics want to get fancy and try to add another shooter to replace Brown in Tomas Satoransky, who is shooting 39.7% from three, they would have to trade Guerschon Yabusele to even out the salaries and make the trade work. The Celtics could also include a draft pick or two.

Marcus Morris continues to play key role. dark. Next

Bradley Beal and Tomas Satoransky for Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Terry Rozier, Guerschon Yabusele and the Clippers 2019 first round pick. Who says no?

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