Boston Celtics rumors: 3 ways to ignite fireworks this offseason

With the NBA Finals on the cusp of starting up, that means that the NBA offseason is only a few weeks away. That hasn’t stopped the Boston Celtics though, as they already made a major move by trading away Kemba Walker and their first round pick in this year’s draft for Al Horford and Moses Brown.

Even with that big move, it feels like that was only the tip of the iceberg in what should be an eventful offseason. Even owner Wyc Grousbeck said the other day that he expects “a very busy July”, which should signal that the Celtics front office is gearing up for some big moves.

Do Grousbeck’s comments provide Celtics fans a good reason to expect big moves this offseason? Maybe they do, maybe they don’t. Either way, it’s clear this roster is in dire need of a shakeup, and moving Walker, combined with the recent hire of Ime Udoka as the new head coach, provide good building blocks for that impending change.

There are many different avenues this offseason could go, and in sports crazed Boston, everyone is looking for big moves to change things up. We already got one with the Walker trade, but here are three more ways the Celtics front office could set off some fireworks this offseason.

No. 3: Boston Celtics need to trade Marcus Smart

Marcus Smart has been an enigma for basically the entirety of his seven seasons in Boston. He consistently will make plays on offense (does a long-range three just mere seconds into the shot clock ring a bell?) that just leave you scratching your head. But for every bone-headed decision he would make on offense, he would make up for it with a standout hustle play that would turn the tide of a game.

There’s probably not another player in the league who could get James Harden to commit two fouls in a row off of inbound passes, but Smart did it here, and single-handedly won this game for the Celtics. Moments like these have been on display just about every night he took the floor for Boston, and are why he is largely considered the heart and soul of this team.

But those moments felt few and far between this season, in part to the Celtics sheer incompetency for the most part. And as we head into the offseason, it’s starting to feel like Smart’s tenure in Boston could be reaching its end.

Smart followed up a lights out bubble run with a regression back to his normal ways this season. His three point shot continued to be inconsistent at best, and his defensive impact on the game regressed this season. Smart’s defensive win shares (which is an estimate of the number of wins contributed by a player due to defense) was the lowest of his career, as his usual high level defense was missing this season.

If Smart’s defensive play has regressed, that makes him almost unplayable at times. Too often he settles for a low percentage shot rather than trying to find a better shot. Guys like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were clearly frustrated with Smart at times this season, and it seemed like they were sick of Smart’s constant bemoaning despite his lack of results.

It may be time to move on as a result. Smart’s offensive numbers improved, although minimally, and he still is an above average defender. He certainly still holds value, and with only one year left on his current deal, the Celtics should try to get some value for him before he potentially leaves in free agency.

No. 2: Boston Celtics Trade Jaylen Brown

While I am certainly not in favor of this option, trading Jaylen Brown would certainly create fireworks in Boston. Despite establishing himself as an All-Star caliber player this season, Brown’s name continues to float around in trade rumors for other big names, and maybe Boston’s front office feels it needs to pull the trigger on a deal involving Brown.

Brown came into the league as a good finisher on offense who couldn’t really shoot, while offering good defense on the other end. Now after finishing up his fifth season with the Celtics, Brown has developed into a dangerous scorer at all three levels of the floor, while maintaining his high level of defense. And heading into his age 25 season, it’s scary to consider that Brown may not have even reached his full potential yet.

Based on what we have seen, and what he still could become, Brown’s trade value is very high. But why would you trade Brown and breakup him and Tatum, who have the potential to become one of the most dangerous duos in the league?

The main line of thought seems to be that Tatum and Brown fill relatively similar roles. They score a lot, but they function better as off-ball options, not guys who bring the ball up and initiate the offense. With Walker out of action for most of the season, the offense struggled to get off the ground at times, with both Tatum and Brown experimenting as the primary ball-handler.

So, why not move Brown for a scorer who can also fill a different role than Tatum? The logic makes sense, but does moving Brown actually make sense? There aren’t many other players his age who can do what he does, so trading Brown and breaking up him and Tatum seems like quite a large risk.

But after the season the Celtics just labored through, maybe it’s a risk that needs to be taken. Brown and Tatum have both grown into superstars, but they haven’t been able to reach the heights that have been expected of them. They failed to overcome a lesser Miami Heat team in the bubble last season, and could only manage to post a 36-36 record despite fielding basically the same team from the season before.

Personally, it feels premature to move Brown, as we haven’t really seen what he and Tatum can do over a full season. The Celtics options in free agency will be limited due to their cap situation, but finding a veteran point guard to run the offense (or sticking with Marcus Smart) could help initiate the offense, and solve the issue Boston is faced with. But there is one potential trade candidate who may be worth giving up Jaylen Brown for…

No. 1: Boston Celtics Trade for Damian Lillard

Trading for Damian Lillard would be the ultimate firework not just in Boston, but in the entire NBA. And he may be the only player worth giving up Jaylen Brown for.

Obviously there’s a ton of risk involved, and it’s not likely to happen, but let’s take a look at this hypothetical for a moment. Lillard has been rumored to potentially want out of Portland after their controversial head coach hiring, and is concerned about whether the Trail Blazers can actually build a title contender around him.

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This has sent the NBA into a frenzy, as the potential of having one of the top players in the league on the trade market is a rare occasion. However, the price for Lillard is obviously going to be high, and many teams will immediately bow out as a result. But the Celtics have a potential bargaining chip in Brown that could be used to foster a trade.

The question is whether it would be worth it or not. Lillard has long been one of the top scorers in the game, and his playmaking abilities have taken another step forward over the past two seasons. An offense pairing Lillard with Tatum and others would be downright deadly, and has championship potential that the Celtics lacked last season.

But is giving up Brown worth it? It’s safe to assume the Celtics have no chance of landing Lillard in a hypothetical trade without having to give up either Brown or Tatum. And quite frankly, that may be too much to ask for from Boston.

Despite his continued superstar play, Lillard is going to be heading into his age 31 season, meaning he could only have a few more seasons performing at this level. Meanwhile, Brown will be just 25 next season, and there doesn’t appear to be any slowing down his ascent to the top players in the league. Lillard is certainly the better player now, but will that ring true three years from now?

As with many of the moves the Celtics front office will be faced with this offseason, there is a huge risk associated with making a move of this caliber. But it’s time to take a risk, whether it be making a move for Lillard or not.

Former general manager Danny Ainge waited too long to make a move to finally push the Celtics over the championship hump, and now he’s out of a job. If his replacement, Brad Stevens, doesn’t want to end up in the same spot as him, he needs to take a risk and make a move that will finally push the Celtics over that hump. Lillard is the firework you set off as the grand finale, and Brad Stevens is standing there with a lighter, ready to ignite him; the question is whether or not he will.