Celtics, Hornets Swap Stars In Intriguing Trade Proposal

The Boston Celtics have faced some significant challenges this offseason. Faced with the perils of paying astronomical luxury tax, the Celtics were forced to clear cap space by trading key players on their roster.

Celtics star Jaylen Brown was one of the several players on the roster who were mentioned in trade rumors. Given the franchise's commitment to Jayson Tatum and his recovery, Brown was viewed as a disposable asset that teams could target.

While the rumors have died down since, Sports Illustrated's Mark Morales-Smith presented an intriguing trade idea that would allow the Celtics to shed salary by trading Brown to the Charlotte Hornets.

Let's take a look at the trade package.

Proposed Trade Idea

Boston Celtics Receive: LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges

Charlotte Hornets Receive: Jaylen Brown, Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser

This trade package may not have complexity, but some significant pieces are being moved. Let's examine the impact of this deal on both teams involved.

For the Celtics, this trade could help them address their salary cap issues. With a total of $70.4 million in outgoing salaries, Boston clears up $7.5 million in cap space with this trade ($62.9 million in incoming salaries).

Acquiring LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges could be highly significant given Boston's outlook for the upcoming season. Considering that Tatum will be sidelined for a significant portion of the campaign, acquiring two capable players to play alongside Anfernee Simons would be in their best interest if they intend to stay competitive.

When healthy, Ball is one of the most exciting young players in the league. His offensive versatility is his biggest asset. While blending his natural flair for the game with decisive playmaking skills, he boasts the potential to be a perennial All-Star.

Last season, Ball recorded an average of 25.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game, while shooting 40.5% from the field and 33.9% from three-point range. 

Although his rebounding numbers are low for a player of his size, Ball remains an impressive asset. In the absence of Tatum, he could be a solid stand-in star for Boston.

Along with Ball, Bridges also brings a lot of value to the table. As an explosive forward, he has proven to be a reliable scoring option while also being a competent defensive player.

Bridges has a proven chemistry with Ball, which yielded some success in improving the Hornets' offensive output during the regular season. In addition to this, he is also capable of creating opportunities for himself, potentially serving as a replacement for Brown.

Last season, the forward put up an average of 20.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 43.1% from the field and 31.3% from beyond the arc. While his production from the perimeter may not be the best, he is still a threat on the offensive front.

This trade has some merit for the Celtics since both players have multiple years left on their contracts. Upon Tatum's return, Boston will have a solid core in place to emerge as a competitive team in the East again.

While the Celtics stand to gain something from this deal, the Hornets also have an opportunity to improve their franchise's trajectory. Acquiring Jaylen Brown, Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser could be quite significant.

Brown has proven himself to be one of the best two-way players in the league. As a four-time All-Star and Finals MVP, the 28-year-old generated interest in the trade market for his versatile skill set and leadership ability.

Last season, the Celtics forward notched an average of 22.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game, while shooting 46.3% from the field and 32.4% from three-point range.

On a developing team like the Hornets, Brown could be the culture-setting leader the franchise desperately needs.

The acquisition of Brown is complemented by the addition of Pritchard. The Celtics guard earned the 6MOY award last season. As a microwave scorer and deadly three-point shooter, the 27-year-old has demonstrated his potential to be a significant contributor as a starter. Joining the Hornets could give him this chance.

Pritchard had a solid series of performances last season. He ended the regular season with an average of 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game, on shooting splits of 47.2% from the field and 40.7% from three-point range.

To cap it off, Charlotte would also see a perimeter threat in Sam Hauser join the team. While Hauser wouldn't necessarily become a starter, as a role player, he would expand the variety on the Hornets' roster while shoring up their perimeter shooting. He put up an average of 8.5 points per game, on shooting splits of 45.1% from the field and 41.6% from three-point range last season. 

Overall, this move would imply a significant change in plans for the Hornets. By adding players with championship experience to the squad, Charlotte would effectively be signaling a culture shift.

The Celtics Don't Do This Trade Without Draft Assets

This trade package addresses the Celtics' immediate need to shed salary. When considering their present efforts, Boston has already successfully saved a lot in luxury tax bills.  While this is beneficial from a financial point of view, the Celtics have also prioritized trades involving draft picks to ensure sustained growth in the future. 

The notion of trading Brown and Pritchard without any draft capital being gained may also be viewed poorly, especially due to Ball's constant run-ins with injury and Bridges' controversial history.

Additionally, the Celtics' stance on retaining their star, along with their plan of starting Pritchard, appears to be fairly solid. Given that the upcoming season is effectively turning into a gap year for them, Boston may opt to be patient to see things through until Tatum returns, effectively shifting their sights to the 2026-27 campaign.