The Boston Celtics are among the contenders for a 12th All-Star, according to a report.
Though the Boston Celtics were not engaged in the weekend’s biggest news — the trade that sent Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards to the Phoenix Suns — they could reap the benefits of the deal’s ramifications.
Phoenix sent Chris Paul to Washington as part of the transaction. Paul, who the Suns were said to be interested in earlier this month, had previously been linked to the Celtics. Those rumors resurfaced after the trade was announced. According to The Action Network’s Matt Moore, if the Wizards buy him out, Boston will be among the rumored destinations for the 12-time NBA All-Star.
“League sources expect Paul to either be traded or bought out and waived,” Moore said. “The Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Milwaukee Bucks are among the teams that league sources believe he’ll eventually be rumored to join.”
What motivates the Boston Celtics to pursue Chris Paul?
There are currently none. With the guard position already clogged, bringing in another quality option doesn’t help matters.
However, from a broader perspective, Boston’s pursuit of Paul may appear to be a wise decision. If the 38-year-old is bought out by Washington, he’ll almost certainly be playing on a low salary somewhere.
Adding the 11-time All-NBA guard for next to nothing could allow the Celtics to be more flexible in their roster reconfiguration. With Paul in the fold, Boston may feel more comfortable trading one of Marcus Smart, Derrick White, or Malcolm Brogdon in exchange for a player who boosts another part of the squad.Last week, MassLive’s Brian Robb mentioned this scenario as a possibility.
According to NBA Insider Marc Stein, Brogdon is the most likely to be moved of the three.
The 31-year-old is slated to earn $22.5 million next season, making him a valuable trade asset. Not to imply Brogdon is worth the money, or that Boston should sell him, but doing so would provide them the opportunity to bring in another impact player.
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