The Boston Celtics may be the best team in the NBA. They’ve got as strong of a chance to win the championship as anyone in the league. That was true last season, but somehow, the Celtics upgraded their roster this summer anyway.
Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis are both fringe stars. Adding them to a core that already featured Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White makes for an incredible squad. The Celtics could stand pat at this year’s trade deadline and feel good about the team that they’re bringing into the playoffs.
At the same time, the Celtics have some assets. They could make another move. Who should they target? Well, the Celtics could add another wing, and they could use someone to carry their second unit. Could they land both in the same player by acquiring Saddiq Bey of the Atlanta Hawks?
The Trade Proposal
Atlanta Hawks receive: F Oshae Brissett, G/F Dalano Banton, 2025 First-Round Pick (Lottery Protected – BOS)
Boston Celtics receive: F Saddiq Bey
The Atlanta Hawks are not the best team in the NBA. We can state that unequivocally. This team made a major move last summer. Now, it feels like they’re already prepared to move on from Dejounte Murray.
Was Murray ever the right player for this team? It’s debatable. At the time, it seemed the Hawks wanted to pair Trae Young with an elite point-of-attack defender. Unfortunately, Murray doesn’t appear to be that defender anymore.
Meanwhile, the offensive fit between the pair was always clunky. Young and Murray both need the ball to be maximized. Now, the Hawks have a lot of decisions to make. Should they decide to move Bey to the Celtics?
Why The Atlanta Hawks Do The Deal
Sure. It’s not that the Hawks don’t have a use for Bey. He’s solid, and on a win-now basis, they need the wing depth. With that said, the Hawks shouldn’t be operating on a win-now basis.
That’s not to say that they should rebuild. With Trae Young on their roster, that’s not a realistic option. The Hawks should retool. They can phone in the rest of the 2023-24 season, and make moves to upgrade their roster in the summer.
This deal would help them make those moves. The first-round pick that they’re landing here will be a reasonably valuable asset. After all, the Celtics are sure to avoid the lottery next season. Should they give up a pick that’s going to convey?
Why The Boston Celtics Do The Deal
Bey is a somewhat complicated player. He’s a wildly inconsistent shooter from long range. If he wasn’t, he might be a star in this league.
After all, he can create his own shot. Bey is effective in face-up situations, and he can drive to the basket. In other words, he could be the perfect sixth man. When Boston’s starters all need a rest, Bey can carry the offense for short stretches.
He’s also a solid defender. That’s a priority for Boston – they don’t want to add any weak links. After all, that’s part of how they’ve established themselves as one of the best teams in the NBA.
