Bradley Beal’s next move is suddenly even murkier after LeBron James picked the 76ers, a decision that also complicated the Celtics’ place in the conversation.
Before James chose Philadelphia, Jake Fischer said on his Bleacher Report live stream that the Heat had interest in the three-time All-Star. He also said the information he had did not rule out Boston.
But with James off the board, the picture around Beal still points most strongly toward Miami.
The Heat remain the likeliest landing spot because the fit is cleaner. Beal could walk into a meaningful role and give the team the scoring punch it needs.
There are still real questions about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s durability and the overall strength of the supporting cast, which makes it fair to wonder how far that group can go next season. Even so, Miami offers plenty to sell: a competitive team, a strong organization, warm weather, and no state taxes.
From that angle, there appears to be more mutual interest between Beal and the Heat than between Beal and Boston.
The Celtics’ case is more complicated. The obvious draw is Jayson Tatum, Beal’s close friend.
Teams should listen when their franchise player has a preference, and if Tatum truly pushes for this, it likely carries weight. But that doesn’t mean Boston should automatically say yes.
There is a basketball argument for Beal in Boston, too. The Celtics are expected to stay near the top of the Eastern Conference, and that kind of structure has appeal. But the roster math gets messy fast.
Boston has a group of young wings it needs to keep developing, and that matters. Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, and Ron Harper Jr. all need minutes, and growth is not always linear, but those are the players the Celtics should be investing in. Add in the veteran trio of Tatum, Paul George, and Sam Hauser, and the wing rotation is already crowded.
Beal, who played only six games last season because of a fractured hip, would also be looking for more than the Celtics’ 15th roster spot could realistically offer. That vacancy could end up being part of Boston’s two-way roster battle, not a place for a player who just turned 33.
So while Beal and Tatum’s St. Louis connection has made the idea of them teaming up feel like a dream scenario, Boston may be doing little more than due diligence here. It could also simply be a way to help Beal and his agent build his market.
And if the Celtics are serious about developing their young wings, the better move may be the one they don’t make.
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Brad Stevens and the front office can still add help if the right move comes along, whether that is through a trade or a free-agent signing, as long as the money going out and coming in stays close enough to keep the team under the line. The Celtics also have room to consider bringing in second-round rookie Dillon Mitchell on a standard deal and still remain in the clear, which gives them a little more room to maneuver than they had a year ago. [Read more 🡒]