There is only one (reasonable) move the celts can make to (maybe) contend

[Rondo9]

With a healthy Hayward, we are in the Finals this year. And that is with a semi-hobbled Kemba and both of our young stars still on rookie contracts. If Kemba can get his knee feeling right again, he is that All-Star starter, All-NBA guy that we signed who is one of the premier scorers in the NBA. Trading our most versatile player for yet another scorer isn't of interest to me with our current mix players. I get the excitement with Harden and I could probably get behind it if we did make a trade, but there is no reason to trade Brown for Beal.

Fools gold. 

Milwaukee probably beats us too.  Toronto in a regular year with HCA maybe beats us.  Clippers would have been favored against us too.  Never mind that the lakers almost definitely take us out.

So we’re not nearly as close as people think.

Please, against the Raptors, the Celtics beat them and the Bucks weren't as mighty in the Playoffs as people thought. A healthy Hayward could at least pushed the Bucks.

[blink]

I don't think the basic idea of this thread makes sense.  Hayward has been injured or recovering pretty much 75% of the time he has been here.  I like Gordon, but for whatever reason it hasn't worked out here for him.  I am not trading Tatum or Brown at this point.  Brown is younger, better, and on a better contract that Hayward.  No reason to trade Brown.  DA just needs to be smart and get some assets out of Gordon if he moves on. 

The Hayward thing is really nobody's fault.  Gordon got injured badly, and Tatum and Brown turned into all star level players.  I doubt there is as much bad blood between Hayward and the C's as is being speculated.  Hopefully DA finds a solution that is good for the C's and Hayward.

[nickagneta]

And that’s trading Jaylen Brown.

Sure, we can move Hayward for turner (puke) or kemba for a Jrue type but that’s just tinkering around the edges.  You want to really go for it, it has to be brown.  He’s the 2020 version of Al Jefferson; a player with tantalizing talent that will satisfy the other team but like Jefferson, isn’t THAT guy (cue the, Jaylen is already 10 times the player as Al chant).

Brown and parts could get you in the door for harden or Beal or potentially another established star that make you a contender right now.  From there you can trade Hayward for a big and or Kemba if you like to balance the team.
 
But these little moves or waiting on Jaylen and Tatum to get to their prime just isn’t it.  Just going to lead to many years of hope.  I know most fans wouldn’t have the cajones for such a move but will be interested in whether DA does.

This take does not surprise me one bit as you have been down on Brown for years.

Unless you get a Giannis, Doncic, Kawhi, Davis, Harden or LeBron, I would not trade Brown.

[Rikibellevie]

 So our only way to succeed is to trade away Brown ? LOL
Jaylen is a pearl of a player, who will pic only in few years, at the same time than Tatum. We have two diamonds, you can trade whoever else you want, but Brown and Tatum, I wouldn't trade them against anyone but Doncic and Giannis. We have the best pair of young wings in all the league.

And for the one who argue people lile me always want to make a step behind, I would say it is the opposite. Last year after we failed to trade for AD, a trade hoped since long time ago, our perspectiv changerd I guess (at least my wish for the team did).
JH wouldn't make surely the gap to the title (if it is possible at all for a player like him) and the pic of Tatum would fall.  Maybe we will be the future OKC, maybe we will have a wonderfull all time dinasty. But I am all in  to continue with youth.
If Hayward leave for nothing, we will again just be outsiders, so no need to panic and take a cancer like Harden. Our team has an identity and the

[Csfan1984]

Thought OP was going to say run it back and hope for chemistry winning out.

[Rikibellevie]

So our only way to succeed is to trade away Brown ? LOL
Jaylen is a pearl of a player, who will pic only in few years, at the same time than Tatum. He is a hard worker and perfect complement to Tatum. Players like him progress more slowly sometimes...  We have two diamonds, you can trade whoever else you want, but Brown and Tatum, I wouldn't trade them against anyone but Doncic and Giannis. We have the best pair of young wings in all the league.

And for the one who argue people lile me always want to make a step behind, I would say it is the opposite. Last year after we failed to trade for AD, a trade hoped since long time ago, our perspectiv changerd I guess (at least my wish for the team did).
James H wouldn't make surely the gap to the title (if it is possible at all for a player like him) and the pic of Tatum would'nt be in the same time than Hardens one.  Maybe we will be the future OKC, maybe we will have a wonderfull all time dinasty. But I am all in  to continue with youth.
If Hayward leave for nothing, we will again just be outsiders, so no need to panic and take a cancer like Harden. Our team has an identity and I wa s so happy to grow this year and believe we can do as good next year and really contend later

[boscel33]

Brown is 1,000% not the problem.

I would not trade Brown.

Agree 1000%.  I still believe the main issue for last year was health.  RWill missed a lot of time which set him back.  Romeo missed time when it was critical, playoffs.  Same with Gordon, missed the playoffs.  If we're healthy throughout the year and into the playoffs, I think it's a slightly different story, I believe we at least make the finals.

[Who]

For Harden? Yes.

G: Kemba
G: Harden
F: Hayward
F: Tatum
C: Theis

That is a darn good basketball team. Harden's superior passing, ball-handling, outside shooting and ability to get easy points in the paint and at the FT line would take this offense to an unreal place.

[dannyboy35]

  If Jaylen is here ( I love Jaylen) he must be prioritized over Marcus. We can’t have all these games with Marcus chucking with Jaylen standing in a corner. Well... we can.. and Brad will do that.
  Strike that, I wish it was made clear he was #2 now. Not Kemba and smart you’re not #3 either.

[Darth_Yoda]

For Harden? Yes.

G: Kemba
G: Harden
F: Hayward
F: Tatum
C: Theis

That is a darn good basketball team. Harden's superior passing, ball-handling, outside shooting and ability to get easy points in the paint and at the FT line would take this offense to an unreal place.

Team would need to score 125 a game cause they would give up 124.

[johnnygreen]

And that’s trading Jaylen Brown.

Sure, we can move Hayward for turner (puke) or kemba for a Jrue type but that’s just tinkering around the edges.  You want to really go for it, it has to be brown.  He’s the 2020 version of Al Jefferson; a player with tantalizing talent that will satisfy the other team but like Jefferson, isn’t THAT guy (cue the, Jaylen is already 10 times the player as Al chant).

Brown and parts could get you in the door for harden or Beal or potentially another established star that make you a contender right now.  From there you can trade Hayward for a big and or Kemba if you like to balance the team.
 
But these little moves or waiting on Jaylen and Tatum to get to their prime just isn’t it.  Just going to lead to many years of hope.  I know most fans wouldn’t have the cajones for such a move but will be interested in whether DA does.

This take does not surprise me one bit as you have been down on Brown for years.

Unless you get a Giannis, Doncic, Kawhi, Davis, Harden or LeBron, I would not trade Brown.

You pretty much just listed arguably the top players in the league. Do you think Brown is a top 10 player?

[mef730]

Swapping Brown for Beal doesn't make that big a difference contention-wise.

Not worth it.

Agreed. Brown stays, Smart stays and, assuming you don't get a Godfather deal, Tatum stays.

Everyone else is tradable.

Mike

[johnnygreen]

Brown is 1,000% not the problem.

I would not trade Brown.

Agree 1000%.  I still believe the main issue for last year was health.  RWill missed a lot of time which set him back.  Romeo missed time when it was critical, playoffs.  Same with Gordon, missed the playoffs.  If we're healthy throughout the year and into the playoffs, I think it's a slightly different story, I believe we at least make the finals.

An argument can be made that the Celtics don't even make it out of the first round if Ben Simmons is healthy. I like Robert Williams and Romeo Lanford too, but they were buried so far deep into the bench, that their injuries were irrelevant to the team's success this season. Now the Hayward injury is a different story, as I do believe he was the team's best overall offensive player.

[Muzzy66]

And that’s trading Jaylen Brown.

Sure, we can move Hayward for turner (puke) or kemba for a Jrue type but that’s just tinkering around the edges.  You want to really go for it, it has to be brown.  He’s the 2020 version of Al Jefferson; a player with tantalizing talent that will satisfy the other team but like Jefferson, isn’t THAT guy (cue the, Jaylen is already 10 times the player as Al chant).

Brown and parts could get you in the door for harden or Beal or potentially another established star that make you a contender right now.  From there you can trade Hayward for a big and or Kemba if you like to balance the team.
 
But these little moves or waiting on Jaylen and Tatum to get to their prime just isn’t it.  Just going to lead to many years of hope.  I know most fans wouldn’t have the cajones for such a move but will be interested in whether DA does.

Sorry man,  but no way in hell id trade Jaylen Brown for Harden.

Harden is an egotistical egomaniac who cares about nothing but stat padding and individual accolades.  He's been on one stacked team after the other and has never made a serious run at a title.  I have so interest in him.

And I wouldn't trade Brown for Beal either.   He's too injury prone, and while he's put up good numbers the past few years he's done it on garbage teams which doesn't count for all that much to me.  Is be happy to get Beal   but not if it means giving up Tatum or Brown.

[wdleehi]

Brown just fits so well with Tatum that I would not want him traded unless it was for one of the two or three top big men in the NBA.