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Could the Boston Celtics make a major move by pursuing Mavs guard Jalen Brunson?

Justin Quinn
·3 min read
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With just under a month to go before the arrival of the 2022 NBA trade deadline, the Boston Celtics are seen by many analysts as likely to be one of the most aggressive franchises looking to make moves this season.

And while it might not be blockbuster deals going down with the Celtics, the expectation is that Boston will be an active participant in trade calls as the month of January melts into February. One such analyst is NBA.com’s Shaun Powell, who recently placed the Celtics among his six most likely teams to be making moves this trade season in a new article.

“Do the Celtics dare trade one of their star wing players,” asks Powell, “or hold tight with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown?”

“There is ample noise among the frustrated fan base in Boston that something must be done to reverse the tailspin of a team that should own a winning record,” adds the NBA.com writer.

“Tatum and Brown have the most trade value and would find plenty of suitors on the market. And certainly, the Celtics have had discussions — again, no harm in doing that.”

“But would dealing either player actually make Boston substantially better in the short and long term?” asks Powell, seemingly in agreement with the growing consensus they would not be in this deployment of his hypothetical.

“Most likely, the Celtics are searching for a creative point guard — someone like the Mavericks’ Jalen Brunson? — and could dangle Marcus Smart instead. Too often in the fourth quarter, the Celtics lack direction and leadership on the floor. That’s why they’ve blown a number of big leads. Previous experiments with Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker fizzled, and now, the search for a pass-first point guard continues.”

“Smart has value because he’s a top defensive guard; any team with a craving need for what he brings will make offers,” he suggests.

“Other than Tatum, Brown, and Smart, the Celtics don’t have any players with great trade value, so if Boston is active by the deadline and wants big changes, one of those three will be moved,” observes Powell.

It may well be an underwhelming trade season for those hoping for a major move because of these reasons, but Smart is the most likely player to be on the move should a major shakeup be on the menu for Boston.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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