Would the Celtics be willing to move Jaylen Brown for Bradley Beal or Damian Lillard?

The Washington Wizards, Portland Trailblazers and Boston Celtics have a lot in common. All three teams made changes at head coach following the season. The Trailblazers made a controversial hire in Chauncey Billups. Boston landed Ime Udoka. Washington is still searching, but are expected turn to an assistant turned first-time head coach much like Portland and Boston.

All three teams are stuck in the middle searching to appease homegrown All-Stars while improving their rosters. Portland is looking to keep Damian Lillard happy; Boston is trying to do the same with Jayson Tatum; and the Wizards the same with Bradley Beal.

And maybe just maybe, the answer for one of them is to turn to other two. Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix revealed with NBC Sports Boston, the Celtics may be willing to dangle their other All-Star Jaylen Brown in trade talks if it was to land either Lillard or Beal.

“There are a couple of players out there that I think the Celtics would move for Jaylen Brown,” Mannix said. “One would be Bradley Beal, who has to make a decision of his own the next couple weeks if he wants to sign that extension with Washington. If he doesn’t, that’s tantamount to a trade request and he can become available. And we all know at this point about the relationship between Bradley Beal and Jayson Tatum.“

Beal and Tatum are both St. Louis natives and their close relationship is well-documented. Tatum expressed his desire to play with Beal in an organized basketball game. He was talking about the All-Star Game, but let’s be real. In the era of super friends and super teams, it would only be natural for Beal and Tatum to want to play on the same NBA team at some point in their careers.

“The other is Damian Lillard. It’s still very much up in the air, Lillard’s future in Portland. If in the coming weeks the Blazers decide that they have to trade Damian Lillard, I think Boston would be in a pretty good position to make a strong offer that would have to include Jaylen Brown. So, you don’t just move him to shake things up, but if one of those two players becomes available I think you have to look long and hard about trading Jaylen Brown.”

There are rumblings that Lillard may request a trade out of Portland, despite the hiring of Billups. But his desire to go to the East Coast is questionable. Thus, it turns back to Beal, right?

Beal has emerged as one of the best scorers in the league. He averaged 31.3 points per game this season, barely missing out on a scoring title to Steph Curry. Beal also became a starter in the NBA All-Star Game for the first time this season. He earned third-team All-NBA honors for his efforts.

But, the Wizards are stuck in purgatory and are in much worse shape than the Celtics. Beal has a tough decision this summer, as the Wizards are prepared to offer him a max contract extension. If Beal were to turn down the extension, it wouldn’t be a trade request, but keep in mind he does have a player option at the end of 2021-22 season.

That’s why it may not make much sense for the Celtics to trade for Beal now, especially if it would cost them a stud like Brown. If Beal was to hit free agency, Boston and Tatum would jump at the opportunity to nab his best friend.

Nonetheless, Mannix’s tidbit shines the light on the complicated situations with the Wizards, Blazers and Celtics as they move into the summer. It also shows, this summer could bring great intrigue and potential movement around the NBA.