Celtics Rumors Going Wild: Jaylen Brown Exit, Derrick White Next?

CCT June 22 === Steve: [00:00:00] Welcome to another week of "Celtic Chalk Talk." My name's Steve Purciello, lifelong Celtic fan. go back to the Bill Russell days, always with them, and will stay with them forever. before I begin, I just wanna mention this is part of a network of podcasts, the, peachbasket.net podcasts. We are all independent. We are not press. We are just independent fans. We like the game, and we will talk about it. Now, if you go on the-- I'm talking about the Celtics, but if you go on and look at the website, there are people from various-- that talk about various teams. It's not just a Celtic, Celtic, network. it's a podcast network. I would suggest you try it because there's a lot of good ones that are on the network that you might enjoy. So when you get a chance, take a look. And if you really like it, subscribe. Now, [00:01:00] here we go. This week it's getting crazy. it's Monday afternoon. It's about 1:00, or 12:50 act- 12:48 actually. But, the Jaylen Brown rumors are going wild. They say it's down to two teams between Boston and Miami for JB and Giannis and all that. now, couple things to cover. First of all, I'm not for the trade. I haven't been for getting Giannis for a long time. I just think the risk is too big in the way that Giannis gets hurt so often. He's missed a lot of playoff games over the last couple years, missed a lot of games last year, 35, I know, or 36. I know the Bucs held him out, at the end of the year where he could have played a few more, but even 50 is not enough. he's susceptible to injuries. He's a great player. He's a great player. He changes the Celtic dynamic if they got him because now they have a rim protector, a guy that can go to the basket and score. the key thing is he's gotta be there. As for Jaylen Brown, I think [00:02:00] Jaylen Brown is a really good player, top 15 player in the league. outstanding. Goes to the basket well. I think there's parts of his game that have holes. He doesn't see his teammates as often. he's on one track. He puts the ball on the floor and stays on the floor and doesn't think about other players on his team. I think that's a detriment And I think it hurts the Celtics because what Brad Stevens put together was a team of shooters around Tatum and Brown with the hope of kicking the ball to them when defenses converge on, on, on the dribble drive. it didn't work this way and it doesn't work that way for JB. I think Tatum, it does. Tatum is a walking, triple-double every night. If he's healthy, he can play and he's great, and he also rebounds real well and he defends. JB can rebound for a guard very well. He can defend very well. the one other thing, and it's not a major thing, but just remember JB's had little injuries over the years. A couple years ago he missed the playoff [00:03:00] series, against the Nets where Boston was worn out in five games. he was out for the end of the year because he had some problems with his legs. And then last year he played with a meniscus problem that he got out- fixed at the end of the season. So JB's not completely unhealthy and I think that's something you do have to consider. There's one other piece to this. Once the word got out that JB Is it a deal? You can't put the toothpaste back in the bottle or the, any other thing, any other, cliché you wanna use. It's over in Boston for JB. He's not gonna be happy. I don't know, and I'll just think about this. I don't know if JB after the season's over said he wanted out or it's just come about. I don't know which way it went. Brad Stevens is generally loyal, so I don't know what to make of it. I've tried to think it through and figure out where they're going with this. But [00:04:00] if Miami wins the deal with the Bucks and they get Giannis, expect JB to be traded. I don't know where. I can throw a couple ideas out there, but I just don't see JB staying a Celtic. Word was a couple things. His house was up for sale in Boston. He has a couple houses. I think both of them are up s- for sale. so that's one thing. The next thing is they say that he took all mention of the Celtics off of one of his websites or something. That's another thing. So was this planned before? We don't know. We don't know. We'd like to know, of course, but we don't know. Now, what does that do if he wanted out from the get-go? naturally you do wanna get m- you wanna get something for him. Giannis is a great thing if he's healthy, as I said. the other thing with that though, and me, I would not, and word is Milwaukee wants Ugo. I would never [00:05:00] put Ugo in a deal. It's either straight up or goodbye. because you're trading better health for a better player, but it's a gamble. Giannis is a risk, and you're not gonna give away the store. Maybe you can throw in a draft pick 'cause Boston's picking 28th or 27th, I believe this year. You can throw that in. They can have that. that's fine. But I'm not giving up Ugo or Shireman. I will not give those people up. They are needed, especially when you next hear about the Derrick White situation, and this means this could be major shakeups in Boston It's rumored that Derrick White is... it's wild, but Minnesota has been interested in him. Now, they are offering Naz Reid. The salaries match. Now, think about this. If Boston got Giannis and Naz Reid, you have Tatum, Naz, and Giannis as your three bigs, three [00:06:00] forwards. I don't know what else, if Boston is gonna kick in more or Minnesota or what to the deal. I would think Minnesota should kick in a little bit more, but you have that pace. But if you lose Derrick White and you lost Jaylen Brown, you have a problem. You need guards. You really need guards. I would think you're gonna hope that maybe Hauser can play the two, but that's shaky. He doesn't defend, and he's gonna get k- cooked by a lot of quick players who will go right by him, especially two guards. you also need a point guard. I know you have Pritchard, and he'd be fine. and it would work, but you need more. You need a defensive point guard and, defensive guard and a, and a second guard that can help you. Baylor Scheierman's not gonna be the answer as a two guard. Ugo, I don't think would be the answer as a two guard, and Ugo needs time. he's gonna take another year or two. I think he could be really good. That's why I wouldn't trade him for, in the Jay- in the Jaylen Brown deal. But I think Ugo [00:07:00] can play, and I think he's going to be a very good player, borderline... I'm gonna make a crazy statement, but he could be, as good as a borderline all-star down the road if he learns and he becomes a more consistent shooter, particularly out of the corners. Now, you could tell me, Ugo hit that big three against the Nets to put the game in overtime and Boston later won." You're right, but he also wasn't a great shooter, and he is a horrible foul shooter for a guard/forward type player. that has to improve for him to be... If it does, look out, because he's a game changer defensively and really a high energy guy, which is needed in this game. But now what we're looking at, and it's really crazy, and by the way, I will come back if Boston trades Giannis or whatever later in the week and talk about this. but in what we're looking at is the Celtics, if these things are all true, the Celtics will be a completely different team. They do have JT coming [00:08:00] back, but if you think about it, their second and third best players would be gone among maybe more. But the second-- And now you have Giannis and Naz Reid. So conceptually it becomes Giannis and Naz Reid for Derrick White and Jaylen Brown. Now I told you my feelings on Giannis, but of course, if you make the deal, you gotta hope he's healthy. If those two stay healthy, which Nas Reid should, but if they stay healthy with Tatum, you're dangerous, but you still have to get yourself some guards. That is mandatory for your team to compete. so Boston is looking at a couple different things. They're talking about that. Now let me just go back to J- JB, Jaylen Brown for a second. what if they take the Miami deal? as I said, I think the toothpaste is out and Jaylen Brown has to be dealt because I don't think he's gonna be happy coming back, and you [00:09:00] don't want an unhappy guy making a lot of money that can just wreck a locker room and just do too much. There's another side. Is Boston tired of him going on these different, media, things and speaking too much, and maybe they're tired of that? I don't know where that stands. however, if you don't get this deal with the Bucs, what do you do with JB? there's a lot of interesting things out there, and one of the things I'm gonna bring up And I think I mentioned this a couple weeks ago, but it's an intri-- and to me, it intrigues me. I know Atlanta wouldn't wanna, doesn't wanna in- include, Jalen Johnson in any deal. But you know what? They get Jaylen Brown. So either you pony up or you're out. Now, because Portland also wants JB. But, my mind thinks about Nikhil Walker, Johnson, although that's another forward. Nikhil Walker, of course he'll take. Johnson makes 30 million. Now you're trying to [00:10:00] match the salaries with Jaylen Brown, and that's important. And a guy like Richaun Shea. So those three. But again, Richaun Shea is a forward. You want guards. You do want guards in the deal. So that kinda throws that out, but it's something to think about for Boston. there's other deals. You-- they also can go up to Portland with, JB. Portland is said to have wanted him, and now you're looking at Shaedon Sharpe, who's a great shooter, a two guard, decent defender. he could help. He could help, and you need something else, and I know Portland would love to get rid of Jerami Grant. Again, that's a three. You need guards. I keep saying it. Unless Boston goes out and can sign somebody like Anfernee Simons, you're getting a little stronger at the guard position. But in the deal with, with Portland, I'd want something else. I'd want more than those two guys. I'd want a couple picks, or I want another player. Money-wise, it just about works out, but you need [00:11:00] more to do it. Now, that's all I have to say today. It's a wild day. and tomorrow until the draft is over, I will be back if there's any major trades done by the Celtics. By major, Derrick White or JB, Jaylen Brown. Thank you. Have a good day, and talk to you soon.