Brown for Dame would be a terrible swap for the Celtics. Really terrible.
Why do you say that?
I initially thought the same, but after thinking more deeply about it I'm not so sure. I can see a few reasons why we might be better off with Dame than Brown:
1. Better basketball fit
A Lillard/Tatum/Porzingis combination seems to me like a much more balanced talent combination then Brown/Tatum/Porzingis. Brown and Tatum are such similar players - they basically bring the same thing to the table while also having the same weaknesses, so when a team finds a way to exploit those weaknesses the whole team falls apart. The three key weaknesses that Tatum and Brown both suffer from most are inconsistent scoring in clutch situations, and ballhandling/playmaking weaknesses that can result in mass turnovers when exploited. I feel replacing Brown with Lillard addresses all three of those issues beacuse he is an elite clutch scorer, a very good ball handling, an a well above average ball handler. Having him on the court removes the need for Tatum to be our primary ball handler and gives us a go-to guy we can depend on in end game situations.
2. Veteran leadership
A second key issue we have suffered from over the years is that we are consistently trying to push two young stars into forced leadership roles, when neither to this point has really been ready to make that transition. They are both getting better at being leaders, but it's something that can't be rushed and that they need to be eased in to, and it may take a couple of years before they find that skill - and some stars (like Harden, Embiid) never seem to get there at all. Bringing in Lillard gives us an immediate veteran who can be a leader both on the court and in the locker room, and having him out there takes pressure off Tatum and allows him to grow in to that leadership role over the next couple of years. Tatum could probably also learn a ton from somebody like Lillard, which may even help him develop in to that future leader later down the line.
3. Future flexibility
Right now Boston has Porzingis signed for 3 years, with Brown due for a supermax extension and Tatum due for one of his own in the near future. Locking up Tatum and Brown to long term supermax deals not only ties up a lot of cap space for a very long time (restricting financial flexiblity), but it also basically forces us to put all our hope on those two guys for the next 4-5 years. Tatum and Brown have yet to show that they can carry this team to a title, and whlie I'm hopefully that will one day change it's still very much up in the air. It already feels like there is unspoken animosity between Tatum and Brown, and a bit of a power struggle, so if we lock both guys in for the next 4-5 years and don't win a title in the next 2 seasons, I can see that relationship turning sour and one of those guys requesting a trade. On the contrary Lillard is only guaranteed for the next 3 years - same with Porzingis. That means Boston would only be committed to the Lillard/Tatum/KP big 3 for three years, which is a fairly decent championship window. If the lineup dosnt work as expected by the end of year 3 then Boston can move on from Porzingis and Lillard and retool around Tatum - who will by then be around 28 years old and right in the very core of his prime.
There are of course some downsides to the deal.
* If Brown and Tatum DID manage to work out they would give us a 5-6 year championship window, and trading Brown for Lillard reduces that window to around 3 years.
* Health is a major concern for both Lillard and Porzingis, and this introduces a very real risk to the deal. if the dice rolls the wrong way for those guys then it could hold back the teams hopes of success in a huge way.
* Lillard has expressed pretty clearly that he does not see Boston as one of his favoured destinations. This isn't necessary a deal breaker, because I think most players who end up in Boston end up loving it once they get there, and winning/success makes it easier to be happy no matter where ou are. If Lilllard can win a title in Boston then I can't imagine him complaining or wanting to leave. That said there is still a small risk that if he really doesn't want to be in Boston he could try to pull a James Harden and compromise the team to try to force a trade. Lillard seems like a pretty good guy though, so I really don't see him going to those extents.
Overall I can see good and bad in both options, but if Brad intends to go all in on trying to maximise odds of winning one or more titles, then I think making this trade hugely increases our probability of achieving that goal. With Brown I think our chance at a title is decent-to-good. With Lillard I think the probability of winning a title is excellent, and we probably become instant title favourites.
Topic: Can we trade Brown for Dame Now (Read 7214 times)