The Boston Celtics have already decided to blow up their team for the near future after trading stars Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Brooklyn Nets and as they are mentioned in rumors for deals involving Rajon Rondo, there is a chance they could decide to deal their other point guard on the roster in young star Avery Bradley.
As much as the Celtics want to believe it, there is no way they will be competing next year after pulling off that deal and with improvements coming on the horizon, there is a chance they could go fully all-in on a rebuild and trade both Rondo and Bradley, but that is likely never going to happen. Rondo may get dealt eventually, but the team appears okay to sit tight and wait things out and that could mean a deal for Bradley, as he already has put together a solid young career that could net the team even more draft picks in the future.
The 22-year-old would be an option for any team in the market for a young point guard and he already has started 16 games in the playoffs and has been named to the All-Defensive team in the NBA. While Bradley is not the offensive power that Rondo is, that is something that can be taught and developed and one reason the Celtics may decide to trade him is because his value is high now and it could decrease as the effects of shoulder surgeries comes back to him. He missed 32 games last season while dealing with injuries and he has a favorable contract with a $2.5 million salary guarantee this year. The Celtics like Bradley and Rondo, but depending on what type of offers they get for him, Danny Ainge will have to consider them.
Boston is built for the next few years with four future first round picks after the deal with the Nets and the Celtics could use Bradley to sway another team to trade their star, and according to Bleacher Report, a deal could include someone like DeMarcus Cousins from the Kings, LaMarcus Aldridge from the Blazers or someone like Brandon Jennings from the Bucks. The reason for a deal like that is the $10.2 million trade exception the Celtics now have, but if they can't sign one of those players long term, it might not be worth it.
The Celtics love Bradley for his defense and while they know his offensive game will follow, the team realizes that along with Rondo he is their best defensive player with the loss of Garnett and they may not want to lose that in a trade. Last season he shot 40.2 percent from the floor and 31.7 from long range and those numbers should improve as he gets older and develops into a consistent starter and scorer. Bradley is still young and if the Celtics trade him they may regret it, but if he holds enough value to snag an elite player, the team should try and pull the trigger.
The team brought in MarShon Brooks and Keith Bogans in a trade so they would be okay on the bench without Bradley, but that might not be something Ainge wants to do to new coach brad Stevens early in his coaching career. The idea of a deal is all speculative, but it could be something the Celtics consider as they move on with their rebuilding process.
