Seemingly out of nowhere, Stephen Curry became connected to the Celtics after John Karalis suggested that Brad Stevens would probably call the Warriors if they ever made their franchise legend available. The idea quickly turned into reports of Boston preparing a blockbuster offer, but Karalis later clarified that the Celtics haven’t actually contacted Golden State or presented any package.
Nonetheless, Curry now has a decision that could completely make or break the Warriors. He’s entering the final season of his contract and can become an unrestricted free agent in 2027, although Anthony Slater reported that Curry and Golden State still have mutual interest in discussing an extension once he becomes eligible in late August.
Boston would obviously love to take advantage if Curry ever changed his mind, especially after one of the worst trades of the entire offseason. The Celtics moved Jaylen Brown for a declining Paul George, and clearly lost a massive amount of offensive firepower in the process.
I love what PG showed in the playoffs with the 76ers, scoring and guarding Brown excellently, so he can still help if he’s healthy, as he put up 17.3 points in 39.2% from deep last year with still some legs on defense, but replacing a star in his prime with an older player carrying serious injury concerns was an awful gamble.
Curry would immediately solve basically every offensive problem, but the Warriors trading him still feels almost impossible. If Curry isn’t available, Boston can use the same aggressive idea and search for another offensive weapon capable of replacing some of the scoring, shooting, and creation it lost by trading Brown.
Here are four stars the Celtics should target if their Curry dream remains only a fantasy.
4. Damian Lillard
Boston Celtics Receive: Damian Lillard
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Sam Hauser, Jordan Walsh, 2030 second-round pick
Damian Lillard is easily the biggest gamble on this list. He missed the entire 2025-26 season while recovering from a torn Achilles and hasn’t played an NBA game since April 2025. During his last healthy season, he still averaged 24.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 7.1 assists while shooting 44.8% from the field for the Bucks.
Those numbers are excellent, but nobody has any idea what Lillard will look like at 36 years old after one of the worst injuries a guard can suffer. Still, the situation with the Blazers is pretty weird. They now have Lillard, Ja Morant, Jrue Holiday, Scoot Henderson, and Shaedon Sharpe fighting for backcourt minutes. The Blazers continue saying they can all play together, but come on. There are only so many minutes and possessions available.
Lillard returned because he wanted to finish his career at home, not because he wanted to spend his final seasons watching Morant control the offense while Holiday and Henderson also need touches. If the guard experiment starts badly, somebody will eventually become unhappy.
The Celtics would offer Lillard a much simpler role. Derrick White could defend the best opposing guard, Tatum would remain the main scorer, and Lillard could focus on pull-up shooting, pick-and-roll creation, and punishing every defense that sends too much attention toward Tatum.
A lineup with Lillard, White, George, Tatum, and Mitchell Robinson would be old and risky, but offensively it could be ridiculous. Defenses couldn’t load up on Tatum with Lillard standing several feet behind the three-point line.
The trade framework is also pretty affordable because Lillard signed a three-year, $42.0 million contract. Boston could match the salary using Sam Hauser and Jordan Walsh without touching George, White, or Payton Pritchard.
The Blazers would receive two wings for a roster packed with guards, while the Celtics would take the medical risk. Boston shouldn’t include a first-round pick because nobody knows whether Lillard can still move properly, defend anybody, or survive an entire playoff run.
The other problem is that Lillard has a full no-trade clause. The Blazers can’t move him unless he personally approves the destination.
Right now, there’s no reason to think he wants to leave. But if the Blazers’ guard rotation becomes a complete mess and Lillard decides he wants one final championship run, Boston would probably be one of the first teams calling.
At this price, it would be worth the gamble.
3. Darius Garland
Boston Celtics Receive: Darius Garland, Rui Hachimura
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: Paul George, Sam Hauser, 2028 first-round pick (via Clippers), 2031 first-round pick (via 76ers)
Darius Garland might honestly be the best basketball fit on the entire list. He averaged 18.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 6.7 assists last season while shooting 46.0% from the field, 39.6% from three, and 86.1% from the free-throw line. He only played 45 games because of recurring toe problems, but when he was available, the Clippers looked much more organized offensively.
He gave them speed, shooting, and an actual point guard capable of creating easier shots for everybody else. The Clippers currently have no obvious reason to move him, especially after playing much better once he arrived.
This would only become possible if their season falls apart, or if the Kawhi Leonard situation pushes the organization toward a deeper reset with Keaton Wagler already taken as the No. 5 Draft pick and needing his minutes.
Garland isn’t Curry, obviously, but he can replicate some parts of the role Boston would be searching for. He can shoot off the dribble, run high pick-and-rolls, attack slower big men, and move without the ball instead of needing to handle for 24 seconds.
A Garland and Tatum two-man game would be horrible to defend. Switching puts a smaller guard on Tatum. Playing drop coverage gives Garland space to pull up. Trapping Garland leaves Tatum attacking a four-on-three situation.
White would also cover Garland defensively, which is important because Garland isn’t stopping many elite guards by himself. The trade would require George because Garland will make $42.2 million in 2026-27. Boston could send George and Hauser while receiving Garland and Rui Hachimura to balance the salaries.
The Clippers would also receive two first-round picks, including their own 2028 selection and the 2031 first-round pick Boston received from the 76ers. That’s a good package, especially because getting their own pick back would give the Clippers much more control over a tanking job.
For Boston, I’d do it. George is 36 years old, constantly injured, and clearly isn’t a long-term running mate for Tatum. Garland is only 26 and could run the offense for the rest of Tatum’s prime. Hachimura would also replace some of the forward size lost by moving George.
The health concerns are annoying. Garland’s toe problems have followed him for a while, and Boston would be giving up two valuable first-round picks for another player who has missed time.
Garland won’t have the superstar reputation of Lillard, or any other veteran superstar, but he’s probably the easiest player to imagine fitting naturally next to Tatum and White without completely changing how the Celtics play.
2. Kyrie Irving
Boston Celtics Receive: Kyrie Irving, P.J. Washington
Dallas Mavericks Receive: Paul George, 2031 first-round pick, 2031 first-round pick (via 76ers), 2028 second-round pick (Warriors, Thunder, Bucks), 2030 second-round pick (Wizards, Blazers, Suns)
This would be completely hilarious. Kyrie Irving returning to Boston after everything that happened during his first stint would instantly become the biggest story in the NBA. The promises, the playoff failures, the Nets move, stomping on the Celtics logo, and years of getting booed would all return on Day 1.
Basketball-wise, though, it would make a ton of sense. Irving missed the entire 2025-26 season while recovering from a torn ACL. Before the injury, he averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists while shooting 47.3% from the field and close to 40.0% from three.
Even at 34 years old, his last healthy version remained one of the best isolation scorers and shot creators in the league. There are very few guards capable of creating a good attempt against any defender late in the shot clock, and Irving remains one of them.
The Mavericks finished 26-56 without him and have started moving toward a younger timeline around Cooper Flagg, Zaccharie Risacher, Dereck Lively II, Morez Johnson Jr., and Sergio De Larrea, as a potential long-term guard who just dominated the Summer League.
Irving can obviously help them compete, but a 34-year-old guard returning from an ACL injury doesn’t exactly match that core. The Mavericks have rejected trade interest so far, and there’s no indication they’re trying to move him. Still, that could change if Irving returns slowly, the Mavericks start badly again, or the front office decides to stop pretending this is a win-now roster.
In Boston, Irving would be a nearly perfect offensive partner for Tatum. He can play with or without the ball, shoot from anywhere, attack switches, create in isolation, and close games without forcing Tatum to generate every difficult shot. White could once again handle the harder defensive assignment.
Yes, the history would be awkward. Some Celtics fans would hate the move from the second it happened. They would also probably forget most of that anger five minutes after Irving dropped 30 points in a big win against the 76ers.
The framework would send George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks to the Mavericks for Irving and P.J. Washington. Dallas would receive Boston’s own 2031 first-round pick and the 2031 first-round pick acquired from the 76ers.
Washington would be necessary for salary matching, but he would also be extremely useful for Boston. He can defend bigger forwards, rebound, and hit open shots next to Tatum.
For the Mavericks, George would mostly be salary. They could keep him for one season, let him mentor the younger players, or try to reroute him somewhere else. The actual value would come from the picks.
This is still a massive risk. Irving is older, coming off a major injury, and has already had one terrible ending in Boston. But come on, the idea alone would make this trade worth discussing.
If the Celtics want someone capable of replacing part of Curry’s shot creation and ridiculous offensive skill, Irving is one of the closest alternatives available.
1. Devin Booker
Boston Celtics Receive: Devin Booker
Phoenix Suns Receive: Paul George, Chris Cenac Jr., Jordan Walsh, 2028 first-round pick (via Clippers), 2030 first-round pick (swap), 2031 first-round pick, 2031 first-round pick (via 76ers)
Devin Booker is comfortably the best option. He’s younger than Lillard and Irving, more proven than Garland, and fits Tatum’s timeline almost perfectly. Unlike the other three, Booker could become Tatum’s long-term co-star instead of being a two-year gamble.
Booker averaged 26.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 6.0 assists last season while shooting 45.6% from the field. The Suns finished 45-37, reached the playoffs, and remained competitive after most people expected them to completely fall apart.
Booker was the main reason. He isn’t exactly like Curry stylistically, but he gives Boston the same type of offensive answer. Booker can run pick-and-rolls, create his own shot, work without the ball, attack mismatches, and score 30 points without holding the ball for the entire possession.
A trio of Booker, White, and Tatum would have basically everything. Shooting, playmaking, isolation scoring, defense, size, and three players who can close games.
Booker also turns 30 during the season, so this wouldn’t be another desperate move for an aging star. Boston could build around Booker and Tatum for several seasons.
There’s one massive issue: the Suns aren’t trying to trade him. Booker has spent his entire career with the franchise, became its all-time leading scorer, and remains the face of everything they’re building. The Suns also returned to the playoffs, so there’s currently no reason for them to tear everything down.
This only becomes possible if the Suns take a massive step backward or Booker eventually requests a trade. If that happens, Boston needs to offer basically everything except Tatum.
The package would start with George for salary matching. Chris Cenac Jr. would be the main young player, while Jordan Walsh would add another developmental wing.
The Celtics would also send all the major first-round picks available: the 2028 first-round pick originally belonging to the Clippers, Boston’s own 2030 swap, and the 2031 first-round pick, plus the 2031 first-round pick acquired from the 76ers.
Even that package might not be enough. The Suns could demand White, but that’s where I’d stop. The whole point is creating a trio with Booker, White, and Tatum. Trading White to get Booker would still improve the offense, but Boston would lose the defender and connector who makes the entire idea fit so well.
Booker is the only player on this list who could genuinely replace most of the firepower Boston lost by trading Brown. Lillard and Irving are short-term risks, and Garland is a great fit, but probably isn’t a true superstar. Booker is a player in his prime who could help Tatum compete for championships for the next four or five years.
He isn’t available today. Still, if that ever changes, Boston shouldn’t hesitate for one second.
