Celtics Offered Contract to All-Star Guard, Who Spurned Them for West Squad

The Boston Celtics are still looking for some help at the guard spot. After trading away Jrue Holiday, and as they try to move Anfernee Simons, they are hoping to get some guards who might be a little bit cheaper.

There aren't a lot of good guards left in the free agent market who are going to be on cheap contracts. They tried to get a former All-Star guard to sign with them on a relatively cheap deal.

Boston was hoping to land Bradley Beal after he was bought out by the Phoenix Suns. Instead, he spurned them to sign in the Western Conference.

While the Celtics were interested in bringing in Beal, he decided to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers instead. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Celtics tried to bring him in with the midlevel exception.

It's a bit surprising that Beal decided to sign in the Western Conference, where it will be much harder to get to the NBA finals. The East will be much weaker next year.

At the same time, perhaps Beal didn't think that the Celtics had a shot to win a ring without Jayson Tatum available. Tatum will miss most of, and possibly all, of next season with a torn Achilles.

Beal is hoping to be a good piece for the Clippers next season in what will be a tough Western Conference. LA was eliminated by the Nuggets in the first round this past year.

Boston will have to search for some guard depth elsewhere. If they do find a trade partner for Simons, they suddenly lack a guard off the bench that they can count on to put the ball in the hoop.

Moving Payton Pritchard to the starting lineup creates a void off the bench for a scorer. They need someone whom they can count on to be that microwave off the bench, especially at the guard spot.

This past season with the Suns, Beal averaged 17 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. He shot 49.7 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.