With the 2021-22 NBA trade deadline drawing closer, teams are starting to get serious about what they want to do. Plenty of rumors have been swirling the Boston Celtics with the possibility of a trade involving Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown. While the rumors are out there and heavy, it appears that Brad Stevens and company aren’t planning to make any such move.
According to a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Celtics have zero plans to move either Tatum or Brown ahead of the trade deadline.
The 19-21 Celtics have indicated to rival teams that they want to build around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown — and have no interest to split up the two All-Star forwards right now, sources said. The 18-21 Celtics appear open for business around other players on the roster. Boston engaged with the 76ers before the season about a potential Simmons deal, but showed no inclination to move Brown.
There have been reports of unrest between Brown and Tatum. However, even after a massive triple-double performance, Brown continued shutting those rumors down by praising the star duo’s connection.
“I think we can play together. We have played together well for the majority of our career and things like that. The last year or so hasn’t gone as expected, but I think a lot of the adversity that we’re kind of going through now is going to help us grow and get better in the future.”
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Those sentiments appear to be shared by Stevens, who has zero intention of trading either of his stars. Instead, the Celtics could look to add better talent around them that fit them better. Dennis Schroder is a name that could depart from the Celtics prior to the trade deadline.
So far this season, Tatum has averaged 25.5 points per game to go along with 8.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists. He has shot 41.8 percent from the floor overall and 33.4 percent from the three-point line. Tatum’s shooting numbers could improve, but he has had a solid year.
For Brown, the season has been strong as well. He has averaged 24.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. Brown has also shot 46 percent from the floor and 36.4 percent from the three-point line.
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If the Celtics’ star duo can get better at creating for their teammates, they could get back to being a serious contender in the Eastern Conference. That has been the one major knock on them over the last couple of years.
Expect to continue hearing rumors surrounding the Celtics. Even with this report, there will still be speculation about a big trade if Boston continues struggling. Make sure to stay tuned, as we will keep you up-to-date with all of the news and info leading up to the trade deadline.
