Trade Talk

https://www.radio.com/weei/sports/celtics/who-says-no-to-this-celtics-trade-with-the-hawks



Who says no to this Celtics trade with the Hawks?



By Tyler Devitte

4 hours ago


After all was said and done, most would look back at Danny Ainge's 2019 Draft and say it was ... OK.

Romeo Langford (picked one spot in back of Tyler Herro) showed flashes, while guards Carsen Edwards and Tremont Waters offered some optimism with their play in Maine. And Grant Williams certainly proved to be a useful piece of the puzzle during key moments in the postseason.

But it might be wise for the Celtics' chief decision-maker to use these assets to help his team take its next step. So, how about this ...


Langford, Williams and Edwards along with the No. 14 and No. 26 picks in this year's Draft to the Hawks for John Collins and Kevin Huerter.

Who says no?

Collins is obviously the key piece in the deal, coming off a season in which he 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. But he also is due to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2021-22 season. He will be a restricted free agent after this coming season.


In other words, let the Celtics worry about all that max contract talk.

As for Huerter, he represents the kind of cheap, young shooter that would go along way for this Celtics team.


Bob
MY NOTE:  This trade is successful on the ESPN Trade Machine, both using Grant Williams, or Robert Williams, or both.

The $ for Collins might be an issue, fair enough, but if he's resigned I'd do this trade in a NY second.  Either Williams.  Or both.  Collins would fix our center issue. Huerter would fix our shooter issue.

Would Atlanta do this trade? Paging Dboss...


.

https://hardwoodhoudini.com/2020/10/17/boston-celtics-2-trades-paul-george/



2 offseason trades for Paul George

by Andrew Hughes
6 hours ago


Things seem to have gone irreparably south for Paul George and the Los Angeles Clippers, and he may be available this offseason in a deal with the Boston Celtics. Here’s where the Houdini draws the line in the sand in negotiations.

The idea that you need three superstars to win a championship is a tad dated now that the Los Angeles Lakers have climbed to the top of the NBA mountain in this cursed coronavirus season. That said, the Boston Celtics could form quite the trio this offseason on the wing.

I know what you are thinking. Yes, the Cs are already stacked on the wing, but there could be an opportunity to get better. It all starts with a franchise in similar disarray to Boston: the Los Angeles Clippers.

Paul George is one of the most popular scapegoats in the league right now, despite the fact that he admitted to struggling severely with depression in the bubble. His game was not to the level it should be–especially given the price the Clippers paid to bring him on last offseason,

Five draft picks, two pick swaps, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danillo Gallinari is a steep price to pay for a second round 3-1 collapse to the Denver Nuggets. The duo of George and Kawhi Leonard could bolt in the 2021 offseason to boot.

Perhaps the Clippers could see their crossroads and find synergies with the Boston Celtics, who would make for the league’s most talented big-3 if they could combine Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and George.

Here are 2 deals that can bring “PG-13” to the Cs:


Deal #1

CELTICS GET
PAUL GEORGE
LANDRY SHAMET

CLIPPERS GET
KEMBA WALKER
DANIEL THEIS
2020 MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES FIRST-ROUND PICK
2021 BOSTON CELTICS LOTTERY-PROTECTED FIRST-ROUND PICK


Switching up the point guard spot

The first deal proposed sees Paul George and Pat Beverly make their way to Beantown for a haul that includes All-NBA point guard Kemba Walker, starting center Daniel Theis and a pair of first-round draft picks over the next two years.


Why the Boston Celtics do it
Not only would bringing George aboard build the best wing trio in recent history, but rugged defender Landry Shamet would join the green and white as well. Shamet’s presence would enable the Cs to start Marcus Smart alongside the new star wing trio and the third-year wing would handle ball duties for the second unit.

Shedding the final three years of Kemba Walker may be a prudent move given his recent injury history, and Daniel Theis could fetch an unreasonable salary next summer. Given the Cs’ tax woes, giving up draft picks to immediately upgrade the roster would be a necessary sacrifice given how close the team seems to be to breaking through.


Why the Los Angeles Clippers do it
If the Paul George situation really is that bad, collecting a few draft picks to go along with a franchise point guard under contract for the next three seasons is a good way to save face from what history would look back at as a disastrous transaction.

Daniel Theis would be a solid addition at the center position if Montrezl Harrell walks in free agency. If Leonard bolts, Theis could also hit the open market having played on a likely top team out west.


Deal #2

CELTICS GET
PAUL GEORGE


CLIPPERS GET
GORDON HAYWARD
ROMEO LANGFORD
2020 MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES AND MILWAUKEE BUCKS FIRST-ROUND PICKS
2021 BOSTON CELTICS LOTTERY-PROTECTED FIRST-ROUND PICK

The Houdini is at it again

We couldn’t resist. If the Boston Celtics have the chance to bring on Paul George, a Boston Celtics starter would have to be involved. The most expendable is Gordon Hayward, and Romeo Langford didn’t exactly prove himself as indispensable after an injury-riddled rookie year.


Why the Boston Celtics do it
If you think about it, this deal really wouldn’t change much about the Celtics postseason rotation other than adding Paul George. If the goal is to win a championship in 2021–and it should be given the fact that the Los Angeles Lakers are in the driver’s seat to surpass them with banner #18–this trade brings them as close as they can realistically get next season.

Gordon Hayward has proven to be too injury prone, and Romeo Langford could be well on his way to being the same.


Why the Los Angeles Clippers do it
If the Clippers can somehow bring back three first-round picks, a recent lottery pick, and a former All-Star for George given how far his stock has fallen, that would be an unmitigated win. The lineup would suffer, especially if both incoming Clips continued to struggle with injuries.

Worst case scenario, Leonard walks and the rebuild can begin in earnest with a potential building block in Langford and three rookie salaries over the next two years.


Bob
MY NOTE: Doesn't fix our big problem, in fact Deal #1 hurts it, but both of them sure do fix our shooter problem. I don't see these deals as realistic, though. What do you think of them?

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https://hardwoodhoudini.com/2020/10/09/boston-celtics-2-kemba-walker-deals/


2 potential offseason Kemba Walker deals



by Andrew Hughes1 week ago


Could the Boston Celtics look to move on from Kemba Walker already after one season in green and white?

The point guard position has been a carousel for the Boston Celtics in the Brad Stevens era. Initially starting the 2013-14 season with Avery Bradley as the starting floor general (and, fun fact, Vitor Faverani as the starting center), there have been several All-NBA point guards that have donned the green and white since.

Of course, the Isaiah Thomas era was among the most unpredictable and genuinely fun rides a sports fan base has seen this millennium. His ascent from a sixth-man and third-string point guard in Phoenix to an MVP candidate in Boston was among the greatest association feel-good stories of the last few decades.

His tenure was followed by far less feel-good vibes with Kyrie Irving as the lead man in tow. The greatest team achievements of his time in Boston happened with the 6x All-Star on the sidelines, and Irving has since been known to have been actively recruited to the Brooklyn Nets by Spencer Dinwiddie while still in a Celtics uniform.

Luckily, he has been ousted, and Kemba Walker has gracefully slid into his place. Walker was an All-Star starter in 2020 and the Cs made it to the Eastern Conference Finals for the third time in the last three seasons.

That is why they should sell high on their latest answer at the 1. Walker experienced an injury-plagued campaign in year one of his four-year max contract, giving Boston Celtics fans plenty of reason to worry about the later years of that pact.

Given his effective Eastern Conference finals performance that saw him average around 20 points per game and eclipse 45 percent efficiency from the field in half of the games, Walker’s value may never be higher.

So with that in mind, here are two potential trade returns for Walker:


Deal #1

CELTICS GET
DAMIAN LILLARD
JUSUF NURKIC
TREVOR ARIZA
RODNEY HOOD


TRAIL BLAZERS GET
KEMBA WALKER
GORDON HAYWARD
2020 MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES FIRST-ROUND PICK
2021 BOSTON CELTICS FIRST-ROUND PICK


A Portland Megadeal

The first deal would be a whopper: a swap that includes Kemba Walker, Gordon Hayward and two future first-round picks to bring on Damian Lillard, Jusuf Nurkic, Trevor Ariza and Rodney Hood.


Why the Boston Celtics do it

If you are going to lose an All-NBA point guard, why not replace him with another? That has been the C’s motto the last five years, having gone from IT to Irving to Walker in a span of three summers. Damian Lillard is one of the few true upgrades available on the market, and having two closers (along with Jayson Tatum) would vault Boston into the conversation of who the top dog in the east is.

Giving up Gordon Hayward and a pair of draft picks helps get the deal done, and the team would bring on a stud center in Jusuf Nurkic–whose team-friendly contract could make losing Daniel Theis in 2021 free agency a lot easier of a pill to swallow.

Trevor Ariza would be a valuable veteran hand, and if Rodney Hood could recover from a torn right Achilles injury (something I recently suffered in a pickup game and wouldn’t wish on anyone) the Cs would have one of the strongest second units in the association.


Why the Portland Trailblazers do it

There’s no sign of Lillard wanting out of Portland, but if that conversation ever happened, this is about as enticing as a package that exists. Walker would not replicate Lillard’s 30 points per game, but his playmaking alongside C.J. McCollum would keep Portland afloat in the Western Conference.

Let’s not downplay what a contract-year Gordon Hayward could bring either. He’d have an elevated role in Portland compared to what he projects to be in Boston in 2020-21. Adding two first-round picks is the cherry on top.


Deal #2


CELTICS GET
JRUE HOLIDAY
LONZO BALL


PELICANS GET
KEMBA WALKER
VINCENT POIRIER
2020 BOSTON CELTICS FIRST-ROUND PICK


A 2-for-1 guard swap

The second deal is not quite as massive, but this deal brings on two starter-caliber point guards for the Cs in Jrue Holiday and Lonzo Ball. The New Orleans Pelicans would take on the contract of Vincent Poirier and Boston’s own 2020 first-rounder to acquire Walker.


Why the Boston Celtics do it

The Cs would have a surplus of lineup versatility if they were able to bring on the guard duo of Jrue Holiday and Lonzo Ball. Holiday is a proven All-Star talent who has not had the chance to reach those heights in a top-heavy Pelicans lineup the past few years and Lonzo Ball is a buy-low candidate after another ill-fit with his second professional team.

With both players in tow, the Celtics would be able to rotate the duo with Marcus Smart at the 1, while also moving Jaylen Brown to a more natural small forward position. This deal also opens up a roster spot with three outbound cap holds for only two.


Why the New Orleans Pelicans do it

New Orleans hasn’t been much of a free agency destination in recent years, doing most of their work in the trade market to build and then destroy the team they built around Anthony Davis. Kemba Walker would be as good of a get as the team can hope for this offseason, especially at a point guard position that has one marquee free agent that may be out of the Pelicans’ price range (Fred VanVleet).

Doing so while ridding themselves of Ball and cashing in on the final year of Holiday’s deal before he potentially looks elsewhere in 2021 free agency (player option) would be a win for a team that just traded their franchise player to a team that is one win away from an NBA Championship.


Bob
MY NOTE: Yeah, it's Silly Season, but it's fun to play amateur GM.


.

bobheckler wrote:https://www.radio.com/weei/sports/celtics/who-says-no-to-this-celtics-trade-with-the-hawks



Who says no to this Celtics trade with the Hawks?



By Tyler Devitte

4 hours ago


After all was said and done, most would look back at Danny Ainge's 2019 Draft and say it was ... OK.

Romeo Langford (picked one spot in back of Tyler Herro) showed flashes, while guards Carsen Edwards and Tremont Waters offered some optimism with their play in Maine. And Grant Williams certainly proved to be a useful piece of the puzzle during key moments in the postseason.

But it might be wise for the Celtics' chief decision-maker to use these assets to help his team take its next step. So, how about this ...


Langford, Williams and Edwards along with the No. 14 and No. 26 picks in this year's Draft to the Hawks for John Collins and Kevin Huerter.

Who says no?

Collins is obviously the key piece in the deal, coming off a season in which he 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. But he also is due to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2021-22 season. He will be a restricted free agent after this coming season.


In other words, let the Celtics worry about all that max contract talk.

As for Huerter, he represents the kind of cheap, young shooter that would go along way for this Celtics team.


Bob
MY NOTE:  This trade is successful on the ESPN Trade Machine, both using Grant Williams, or Robert Williams, or both.

The $ for Collins might be an issue, fair enough, but if he's resigned I'd do this trade in a NY second.  Either Williams.  Or both.  Collins would fix our center issue.  Huerter would fix our shooter issue.

Would Atlanta do this trade?  Paging Dboss...


.

Atlanta would definitely say no to that trade.
Collins is very close to an all-star.
Boston would not even be giving up a starter.

bobheckler wrote:https://hardwoodhoudini.com/2020/10/09/boston-celtics-2-kemba-walker-deals/


2 potential offseason Kemba Walker deals



by Andrew Hughes1 week ago


Could the Boston Celtics look to move on from Kemba Walker already after one season in green and white?

The point guard position has been a carousel for the Boston Celtics in the Brad Stevens era. Initially starting the 2013-14 season with Avery Bradley as the starting floor general (and, fun fact, Vitor Faverani as the starting center), there have been several All-NBA point guards that have donned the green and white since.

Of course, the Isaiah Thomas era was among the most unpredictable and genuinely fun rides a sports fan base has seen this millennium. His ascent from a sixth-man and third-string point guard in Phoenix to an MVP candidate in Boston was among the greatest association feel-good stories of the last few decades.

His tenure was followed by far less feel-good vibes with Kyrie Irving as the lead man in tow. The greatest team achievements of his time in Boston happened with the 6x All-Star on the sidelines, and Irving has since been known to have been actively recruited to the Brooklyn Nets by Spencer Dinwiddie while still in a Celtics uniform.

Luckily, he has been ousted, and Kemba Walker has gracefully slid into his place. Walker was an All-Star starter in 2020 and the Cs made it to the Eastern Conference Finals for the third time in the last three seasons.

That is why they should sell high on their latest answer at the 1. Walker experienced an injury-plagued campaign in year one of his four-year max contract, giving Boston Celtics fans plenty of reason to worry about the later years of that pact.

Given his effective Eastern Conference finals performance that saw him average around 20 points per game and eclipse 45 percent efficiency from the field in half of the games, Walker’s value may never be higher.

So with that in mind, here are two potential trade returns for Walker:


Deal #1

CELTICS GET
DAMIAN LILLARD
JUSUF NURKIC
TREVOR ARIZA
RODNEY HOOD


TRAIL BLAZERS GET
KEMBA WALKER
GORDON HAYWARD
2020 MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES FIRST-ROUND PICK
2021 BOSTON CELTICS FIRST-ROUND PICK


A Portland Megadeal

The first deal would be a whopper: a swap that includes Kemba Walker, Gordon Hayward and two future first-round picks to bring on Damian Lillard, Jusuf Nurkic, Trevor Ariza and Rodney Hood.


Why the Boston Celtics do it

If you are going to lose an All-NBA point guard, why not replace him with another? That has been the C’s motto the last five years, having gone from IT to Irving to Walker in a span of three summers. Damian Lillard is one of the few true upgrades available on the market, and having two closers (along with Jayson Tatum) would vault Boston into the conversation of who the top dog in the east is.

Giving up Gordon Hayward and a pair of draft picks helps get the deal done, and the team would bring on a stud center in Jusuf Nurkic–whose team-friendly contract could make losing Daniel Theis in 2021 free agency a lot easier of a pill to swallow.

Trevor Ariza would be a valuable veteran hand, and if Rodney Hood could recover from a torn right Achilles injury (something I recently suffered in a pickup game and wouldn’t wish on anyone) the Cs would have one of the strongest second units in the association.


Why the Portland Trailblazers do it

There’s no sign of Lillard wanting out of Portland, but if that conversation ever happened, this is about as enticing as a package that exists. Walker would not replicate Lillard’s 30 points per game, but his playmaking alongside C.J. McCollum would keep Portland afloat in the Western Conference.

Let’s not downplay what a contract-year Gordon Hayward could bring either. He’d have an elevated role in Portland compared to what he projects to be in Boston in 2020-21. Adding two first-round picks is the cherry on top.


Deal #2


CELTICS GET
JRUE HOLIDAY
LONZO BALL


PELICANS GET
KEMBA WALKER
VINCENT POIRIER
2020 BOSTON CELTICS FIRST-ROUND PICK


A 2-for-1 guard swap

The second deal is not quite as massive, but this deal brings on two starter-caliber point guards for the Cs in Jrue Holiday and Lonzo Ball. The New Orleans Pelicans would take on the contract of Vincent Poirier and Boston’s own 2020 first-rounder to acquire Walker.


Why the Boston Celtics do it

The Cs would have a surplus of lineup versatility if they were able to bring on the guard duo of Jrue Holiday and Lonzo Ball. Holiday is a proven All-Star talent who has not had the chance to reach those heights in a top-heavy Pelicans lineup the past few years and Lonzo Ball is a buy-low candidate after another ill-fit with his second professional team.

With both players in tow, the Celtics would be able to rotate the duo with Marcus Smart at the 1, while also moving Jaylen Brown to a more natural small forward position. This deal also opens up a roster spot with three outbound cap holds for only two.


Why the New Orleans Pelicans do it

New Orleans hasn’t been much of a free agency destination in recent years, doing most of their work in the trade market to build and then destroy the team they built around Anthony Davis. Kemba Walker would be as good of a get as the team can hope for this offseason, especially at a point guard position that has one marquee free agent that may be out of the Pelicans’ price range (Fred VanVleet).

Doing so while ridding themselves of Ball and cashing in on the final year of Holiday’s deal before he potentially looks elsewhere in 2021 free agency (player option) would be a win for a team that just traded their franchise player to a team that is one win away from an NBA Championship.


Bob
MY NOTE:  Yeah, it's Silly Season, but it's fun to play amateur GM.


.

Hardwood Houdini definitely has too much time on his hands.
I think a very fair trade is CP3 for Hortford and other players.
OKC might be able to get one of Philly’s young players with Horford.

https://hardwoodhoudini.com/2020/10/19/boston-celtics-big-men-vets-minimum/


2 FA big men Cs should pursue for veteran’s minimum


by Andrew Hughes1 minute ago


Left just short of contention at the conclusion of the 2019-20 campaign, the Boston Celtics find themselves in a similar position to last year. Could they once again consider these 2 veteran centers?

Somehow, an entire 2019-20 season spanning a calendar year has come and gone, and yet the Boston Celtics could still use another veteran big man on the roster. It was evident in the offseason when was forced to dig deep into their rotation and relied on rookie Grant Williams at the center spot for extended stretches.

Williams has proven more than capable of banging in the paint with much larger bigs at just six-foot-five, but ultimately relying on him to give you anything more than 2-3 minutes per contest as the 5 is a questionable strategy at best and a high-risk strategy at worst.

Robert Williams is starting to seem more than up to the task of playing in big spots opposite the likes of Bam Adebayo, Serge Ibaka, and Marc Gasol–as he showed in the 2020 postseason, emanating from the Lake Buena Vista bubble on Walt Disney World’s Wide World of Sports complex. That said, his injury woes are well documented…he missed 43 games last season and sat out 50 games in his 2018-19 rookie year.

Enes Kanter seems likely to test the free-agent market, and if the current rumors hold, Vincent Poirier looks poised to be dealt in what could be his final season in the NBA unless he undergoes a sophomore year transformation into an impact player.

Behind Daniel Theis, there is room for a sure thing. Luckily, there will be plenty of veterans to be had for a minimum salary…which is all the Boston Celtics possess beyond the mid-level exception.


Interestingly enough, the Houdini had these two free-agent center targets in mind last year as well. Given the team’s similar roster needs, here’s why we still believe they should be on the C’s radar:




Robin Lopez

My co-editor Mark Nilon wrote about Robin Lopez being a target for the Boston Celtics last July. Here’s his rationale from then:

With the very likely outcome of both Kyrie Irving and Al Horford seeking new homes this summer, the Celtics should have enough cap room to offered the services of the 29-year-old guard. However, if Walker does end up signing with Boston, the team would have a limited amount of cash left to fill out other roster necessities.

Because of this, the franchise will need to look for players willing to take on minimum/ close-to minimum contracts. If the team does, in fact, find themselves in this position, one free agent in particular should be at the top of their offseason “wish list”:


Robin Lopez.

Though a Walker signing would certainly take care of any problems linked to the one spot, a void would still remain at the five. That is, unless they can bring in “Ro Lo”.

Make no mistake about it, Robin Lopez is by no means as good of a player as Horford. But with all the mouths to feed in Boston, he could turn out to be an even better fit for the team moving forward.

Kyrie Irving and Al Horford did end up leaving, and Kemba Walker did make his way to town. Lopez did not join him last year, though, instead joining his brother Brook Lopez in Milwaukee with the Bucks. That team is likely to see large-scale changes, and Lopez could find his way back on the market if Milwaukee uses his $5 million salary in a deal to a team that doesn’t plan on using him for purposes other than salary filler.

It makes sense now just as it did then to pursue Lopez.




DeMarcus Cousins

Another name that was thrown around last summer was DeMarcus Cousins. While Danny Ainge didn’t want to add such a big personality to a team that was in a growth phase, the team has had a sufficient amount of growth to facilitate adding a win-now gamble like “Boogie”.


Things were different around this time last year regarding Cousins’ free agency. He has since had a torn ACL completely wipe out his 2019-20 season. The team that signed him–the Los Angeles Lakers–won a championship after replacing him with Dwight Howard. Howard turned out to play the “Tyson Chandler role” Kobe Bryant wanted him to serve in back in 2013, but this time it was alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis instead of Bryant and Paul Gasol.

This was my take in May 2019:

Cousins is still 28 years old and can conceivably have a few elite years left if he can recover from injury. He should still be considered a splash, and his level of play would help give the Celtics an identity alongside the rugged play of Marcus Smart.

He is 29 years old now, and he didn’t quite recover from the Achilles injury he suffered in 2018. Two straight years of debilitating injuries mean Cousins might not have the most robust market this offseason…making a potential path to Beantown plausible.

Perhaps a prove-it deal like Howard signed in lieu of his own injury last summer could be what brings Cousins aboard. The Boston Celtics need to focus on combatting the elite big men of the Eastern Conference, and Cousins would be quite the weapon to deploy situationally against the Bam Adebayo type obstacles the Cs may face in the playoffs.


Bob
MY NOTE:  I've suggested Boogie myself.  Now that Hardwood Houdini is recommending him I may need to rethink my position.     Robin Lopez might make a lot of sense.  He's 7', 280#.  Despite 12 years of experience he's still only 32 going on 33 years old and has no history of major injuries or surgeries.  He's ok with coming off the bench.  He's a defensive-oriented player and could really teach The Time Lord a lot about reacting to fakes and pnr rotations (which RWill could use).  Not an offensive threat, but he did shoot 33.3% from 3 last year and is a career 75% frito shooter.  He has a $5M player option, they even say so themselves, so I don't know why they are saying he can be had for the veteran's minimum.  Did I mention he's 7'', 280#?

I realize these aren't "Trade" ideas, but considering how limited our ability is to sign free agents because of the salary cap I think we should just aggregate trades, sign-and-trades and free agency into this one thread.  

.

bobheckler wrote:https://www.radio.com/weei/sports/celtics/who-says-no-to-this-celtics-trade-with-the-hawks



Who says no to this Celtics trade with the Hawks?



By Tyler Devitte

4 hours ago


After all was said and done, most would look back at Danny Ainge's 2019 Draft and say it was ... OK.

Romeo Langford (picked one spot in back of Tyler Herro) showed flashes, while guards Carsen Edwards and Tremont Waters offered some optimism with their play in Maine. And Grant Williams certainly proved to be a useful piece of the puzzle during key moments in the postseason.

But it might be wise for the Celtics' chief decision-maker to use these assets to help his team take its next step. So, how about this ...


Langford, Williams and Edwards along with the No. 14 and No. 26 picks in this year's Draft to the Hawks for John Collins and Kevin Huerter.

Who says no?

Collins is obviously the key piece in the deal, coming off a season in which he 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. But he also is due to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2021-22 season. He will be a restricted free agent after this coming season.


In other words, let the Celtics worry about all that max contract talk.

As for Huerter, he represents the kind of cheap, young shooter that would go along way for this Celtics team.


Bob
MY NOTE:  This trade is successful on the ESPN Trade Machine, both using Grant Williams, or Robert Williams, or both.

The $ for Collins might be an issue, fair enough, but if he's resigned I'd do this trade in a NY second.  Either Williams.  Or both.  Collins would fix our center issue.  Huerter would fix our shooter issue.

Would Atlanta do this trade?  Paging Dboss...


.

This reminds me of an old 'Little Rascals' episode.......(Don't drink the milk. Why? It's poison.)

John Collins is a 20/10 guy and he would be great fit in Boston. He is going to get a max deal. He shot 58% from the field and 40% from deep and 80% from the line.

Huerter is their best wing scorer. He is a top shooter from deep.

Atlanta is not a place to dump our garbage. They are overloaded with young under-developed prospects just like us. What they need most of all is a defensive minded PG. They have the 6th pick in the draft. They do not need more picks and/or 1 year prospects. They will have the full MLE to add a veteran and they could make a minor trade to add something else. If they are looking to move someone it is probably Capala or Demond. Demond is 31 with a $1 mill guaranteed next year but Capela is on the books until 2023. They may bite at a deal including picks to move Capela. But salary wise that would be tricky.

The reality is smacking us in the face. Boston cannot afford Walker, Hayward, Tatum and Brown. The J's are young and still getting better. That means you have to move either Hayward or Walker. If that does not work here is another trade to consider.

Celtics trade Smart, Poirier #14, 26 and 30 to the Hawks for Capela and the #6 pick. The Celtics draft obi wan kenobi with the 6th pick and use their MLE to sign the shooter, Bjelica. They use the vet minimum to add a veteran PG or make a minor trade for one.

new starting lineup

Capela, Toppin, Tatum, Brown and Walker

bench

Theis, Bjelica, Hayward, Wanamaker, Langford, Williams (x2)
Edwards, vet Min, 2nd rounder Grant Riller.

MY NOTE:  Just to tamp down on the "Can we trade for Oladipo" BS...


https://sports.yahoo.com/rumor-victor-oladipo-seeks-max-120016803.html


Rumor: Victor Oladipo seeks max contract with next deal


Kurt Helin
NBC Sports

Oct 19, 2020, 5:00 AM



In 2017-18, Victor Oladipo — just traded to Indiana as part of the Paul George deal — had a breakout season, playing at an All-NBA level. He looked like a max player, a franchise cornerstone, worth every penny of a four-year, $84 million contract he had just signed.

This season, coming back from a ruptured quadriceps tendon, he played in just 19 games and, while there were strong stretches, he has a long way to go to get back to his peak form again.

Oladipo is entering the final year of that massive contract. According to a front office source who spoke to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, Oladipo is “looking for a max deal” with his next contract.

Two quick thoughts here.

First, of course Oladipo wants a max contract. Every player wants one. But unless next season Oladipo bounces back to his pre-injury form, no team will offer that much, and even then he might not get it. Oladipo is playing for his next contract next season.

Second, his contract expectations could impact his trade value — Indiana is listening to offers for Oladipo, according to multiple reports. The Lakers and Knicks are often mentioned, and Pincus makes a case for a trade to Boston (for Gordon Hayward, a swap of guys not living up to their contracts due to injuries). Whatever team trades for him will want to re-sign him, not just use him as a one-year rental, and if he’s going to ask for the moon in 2021 it could give teams pause.

It’s going to be a critical year for Oladipo, especially if he’s thinking of another big contract.


Bob
MY NOTE:  No, Danny, no.  

1.  He's coming off a bad injury and hasn't proven himself healed.
2.  He thinks he's a living God.  An almost a guaranteed locker room Prima Donna.  Been there, done that, got a flat earth to prove it.
3.  However much you think he's worth he'll be convinced you robbed him.
4.  Even if we traded Hayward for him, and made the $ match, how tf can we justify his contract without going full super-max on Tatum?  We might do that anyway but, once again, see point #3.
5.  Hayward will be $34M next year and Oladipo, in his final year, only makes $21M.  So Indy would have to throw in more players.  Think they'd do that?


.

bobheckler wrote:MY NOTE:  Just to tamp down on the "Can we trade for Oladipo" BS...


https://sports.yahoo.com/rumor-victor-oladipo-seeks-max-120016803.html


Rumor: Victor Oladipo seeks max contract with next deal


Kurt Helin
NBC Sports

Oct 19, 2020, 5:00 AM



In 2017-18, Victor Oladipo — just traded to Indiana as part of the Paul George deal — had a breakout season, playing at an All-NBA level. He looked like a max player, a franchise cornerstone, worth every penny of a four-year, $84 million contract he had just signed.

This season, coming back from a ruptured quadriceps tendon, he played in just 19 games and, while there were strong stretches, he has a long way to go to get back to his peak form again.

Oladipo is entering the final year of that massive contract. According to a front office source who spoke to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, Oladipo is “looking for a max deal” with his next contract.

Two quick thoughts here.

First, of course Oladipo wants a max contract. Every player wants one. But unless next season Oladipo bounces back to his pre-injury form, no team will offer that much, and even then he might not get it. Oladipo is playing for his next contract next season.

Second, his contract expectations could impact his trade value — Indiana is listening to offers for Oladipo, according to multiple reports. The Lakers and Knicks are often mentioned, and Pincus makes a case for a trade to Boston (for Gordon Hayward, a swap of guys not living up to their contracts due to injuries). Whatever team trades for him will want to re-sign him, not just use him as a one-year rental, and if he’s going to ask for the moon in 2021 it could give teams pause.

It’s going to be a critical year for Oladipo, especially if he’s thinking of another big contract.


Bob
MY NOTE:  No, Danny, no.  

1.  He's coming off a bad injury and hasn't proven himself healed.
2.  He thinks he's a living God.  An almost a guaranteed locker room Prima Donna.  Been there, done that, got a flat earth to prove it.
3.  However much you think he's worth he'll be convinced you robbed him.
4.  Even if we traded Hayward for him, and made the $ match, how tf can we justify his contract without going full super-max on Tatum?  We might do that anyway but, once again, see point #3.
5.  Hayward will be $34M next year and Oladipo, in his final year, only makes $21M.  So Indy would have to throw in more players.  Think they'd do that?


.

If the Celtics made that deal it would be for Turner. They could then move Olidipo at the trade deadline. But there is no way to know if that last part would work. Worse case scenario is you are stuck with Olidipo until the end of the season which means you traded Hayward for Turner. Unless Boston is looking to extend Hayward the trade makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately I would not do the trade because I am not as high on Turner as some people are. The Celtics do need to figure out the Hayward conundrum.

https://hardwoodhoudini.com/2020/10/21/boston-celtics-ben-simmons-myles-turner/


3-team mega-deal to land Ben Simmons and Myles Turner


by Mark Nilon

2 minutes ago Follow @MarkNilon



Though it may seem like a “dream scenario”, the idea of the Boston Celtics landing both Ben Simmons and Myles Turner is VERY much a real possibility.

Despite the fact that the Boston Celtics made it to their third Eastern Conference Finals appearance in four seasons it’s apparent that they must find a way to get even better than they currently are if they wish to get over the hump and advance to their first NBA Finals since the 2009-10 season.

An odd statement to make, as we’ve seen the C’s core from 2019-20 ranked highly amongst the best in the league, but with their latest postseason performance, it’s evident that changes must be made for them to have a legitimate chance of attaining banner No. 18 before the likes of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Already rostering two All-Stars in Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum, a budding star in Jaylen Brown, the former All-Star in Gordon Hayward, and the Swiss-Army man in Marcus Smart a reasonable question one may ask is “how on earth can we get any better?”

Well folks, being that it’s the offseason we here at the Houdini have devoted ample time into thinking up ways to answer such a question. Recently, we came up with a blockbuster deal involving the shamrocks upgrading at both point guard and center.

The idea: trade for both Ben Simmons and Myles Turner.

Executing such a plan is, obviously, one that will take a lot of maneuvering and moving pieces, but we’ve concocted a perfect plan to accomplish said goal that, in the end, leaves all 3 teams involved satisfied.

Read on to see our plan and reasoning as to why each franchise could say “yes”:


The trade: Cs land Simmons & Turner, Philadelphia gets a Big-3, Indiana rebuilds

CELTICS GET
BEN SIMMONS
MYLES TURNER
DOUG MCDERMOTT
JEREMY LAMB

76ERS GET
VICTOR OLADIPO
KEMBA WALKER
DANIEL THEIS
PACERS' 2020 SECOND-ROUND PICK

PACERS GET
GORDON HAYWARD, SHAKE MILTON
MATISSE THYBULLE, ROMEO LANGFORD, AL HORFORD
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES' 2020 NO. 14 PICK
BOSTON CELTICS' 2021 FIRST-ROUND PICK

I must be honest here, I don’t think there has ever been a hypothetical deal that I’ve been more excited about involving the Boston Celtics than this one. I know we’ve concocted ideas on how the Cs could land stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and even one of the pieces from this proposal above in Victor Oladipo, but none have been as fair overall as this 3-team blockbuster.

For the Boston Celtics, the meat of the deal revolves around Simmons and Turner coming to Beantown. While the idea of bringing on the Indiana big man is nothing new, having the Philly All-Star guard coming along with him certainly is. Along with the duo comes Doug McDermott and Jeremy Lamb from the Pacers.

For the 76ers, we see them losing an All-Star and gaining two in Walker and Victor Oladipo to pair alongside centerpiece Joel Embiid. Philadelphia will also be receiving Daniel Theis from Boston and Indiana’s 2020 second-round pick.

Last, but certainly not least, we see the Pacers offloading a lot in Oladipo and Turner, but receive a heft return-package in Gordon Hayward, Romeo Langford, & two first-round picks from the Cs and Shake Milton, Matisse Thybulle, and Al Horford to help fill out the roster around current star Domantas Sabonis for both the present and the future.

Now that we’ve gotten the brunt of the deal out of the way, let’s go into depth about why each team should consider such a blockbuster, starting with the Pacers:


Why the Indiana Pacers do it

While they still have Victor Oladipo under contract through the 2020-21 season, it has been the worst kept secret that since the star shooting guard and the Indiana Pacers couldn’t come to terms on a contract extension, the two have grown farther and farther apart as the days go on which, in turn, has forced General Manager Chad Buchanan into strongly considering dealing the veteran baller.

While the idea of being at an impasse with a star player typically leads to a complete downfall for a franchise, with the fact that they also have 2020 All-Star big Domantas Sabonis under contract through the 2023-24 season, it makes the prospect of swapping an estranged talent for pieces to help better build around their 24-year-old forward that much more enticing and, in some instances, favorable.

Not only have we seen the trade-rumor mil circulating around Oladipo, however, but also Pacers center Myles Turner who, as stated in the last slide, has been linked to the Boston Celtics already on several occasions.

Should both aforementioned talents truly be seen as expendable already by the franchise, a return package consisting of Gordon Hayward, Shake Milton, Matisse Thybulle, Romeo Langford, Al Horford, 2020’s No. 14 pick (via MEM), and the C’s 2021 first-round selection would be a solid haul, both helping the team in both the present and well as for the future.

Slotting the skillset of the Indiana native in Hayward — who averaged 17.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists on 50 percent shooting from the floor and 38 percent shooting from deep in 2019-20 — into the starting lineup would instantly give Sabonis a great second option on offense to help better the team’s distribution and floor spacing.

Milton works for both the present and the future, as the 23-year-old proved to be a solid option at both the one and two guard in 2019-20 — posted 16.9 points, 4.7 assists, 3.9 rebounds per 36 minutes on 48 percent shooting from the floor and 38 percent shooting from deep — and could be a great backcourt addition alongside current starting guard Malcolm Brogdon.

Horford, while on an albatross contract, is still a decent starter and could serve as a replacement for turner at the pivot while also serving as a veteran leader, similar to as he did during his time with the shamrocks.

The additions of Thybulle and Langford allows the franchise to bring aboard young former first-round talents who have shown promise during their first seasons in the league but likely just need time to develop, while the No. 14 pick gives Indiana an in into this year’s first-round and an added pick in 2021. In other words, this portion of the deal could seriously help in benefiting their future.


Why the Philadelphia 76ers do it

To say the 2019-20 season was a disappointment for the Philadelphia 76ers would be a complete understatement.

After going all the way to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the eventual champions Toronto Raptors in 2018-19, the Sixers came into this past season with an unbelievable amount of hype and promise, being seen by many publications as the biggest threat to the Milwaukee Bucks to take the Eastern Conference crown.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

Dealing with numerous injuries, chemistry issues, and oddly constructed lineups Philadelphia slid into the sixth seed out east, where they were eventually ousted by the Boston Celtics via sweep in the first round.

Now, with reported rifts between the team’s two stars in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, the rumors have obviously started to circulate about how long this dynamic-duo has together before the team ultimately implodes.

Our proposed deal manages to separate the two centerpieces prior to any fireworks, while also arguably making the 76ers even better in the process.

Here, we see Philadelphia essentially exchanging an All-Star and a few role players in order to get two All-Stars in Kemba Walker of the Boston Celtics and Victor Oladipo of the Indiana Pacers as well as Walker’s teammate, and current starting center of the Cs in Daniel Theis.

Though Simmons is obviously seen as the superior talent to both Walker and Oladipo, it is arguable that the swap of the point guards is more beneficial for this Philadelphia roster. One of the biggest slights of the 24-year-old’s game is the fact that he is an unquestioned offensive liability when 10 feet or more away from the basket.

Because of this, and their lack of shooters in their arsenal, Simmons’ drive-first scoring mentality has created somewhat of a log-jam down low, which severely hurt the team’s scoring versatility — ranked 22nd in 3-pointers attempted and 19th in 3-pointers made.

Walker, on the other hand, just posted some of the best scoring numbers of his career, averaging 20.4 points while shooting 38 percent shooting from deep on 8.4 attempts.

Though he may be a few slots below Simmons in the position’s pecking order, replacing an All-NBA point guard with an All-NBA point guard is perhaps one of the best swaps you can possibly do.

Add in the fact that they’d also be bringing on the All-Star two-guard in Oladipo — who has averaged 17.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.7 steals per game on 45 percent shooting from the floor and 35 percent shooting from deep for his career — and the underrated floor-spacing/ defensive-minded center in Theis — ranked second only to Rudy Gobert in Defensive Real Plus-Minus in 2019-20 — and you’ve got yourself a great return package.

A starting lineup of Kemba Walker, Victor Oladipo, Josh Richardson, Tobias Harris, and Joel Embiid would rival any other the league would have to offer and gives the Sixers one of the best Big-3s in the NBA.


Why the Boston Celtics do it

The reasoning behind why the Boston Celtics do this deal is quite simple, actually: they upgrade at point guard and upgrade significantly at center.

Don’t get me wrong, the impact that Kemba Walker has had on this shamrocks squad in just one year of donning the green and white is something that cannot be understated.

Replacing the likes of Kyrie Irving, Walker, despite having a very similar skillset, opted to go about being the leader of the Cs with a much different mindset by essentially taking somewhat of a backseat in an effort to help guys like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown progress.

Having said that, due to the uncertainty of his knee moving forward, and his inability to rise to the occasion on a consistent basis during this past playoff run, if they have the opportunity to swap him for the likes of Ben Simmons, Danny Ainge should certainly jump at the opportunity.

Simmons would add the distribution skills (averages eight assists per game for his career) that would be of great service to this core consisting of Tatum and Brown. Not only this but his rebounding skills (8.3 per game for his career), defensive prowess (2019-20 All-Defensive First-Team), and physical stature (6-10, 240-pounds) would all be of great value within this rotation.

Now, like we stated in one of the past slides, despite his averages of 16.4 points per game, his lack of floor spacing ability would be a minus in regard to replacing Walker (has made just two 3-pointers on 24 attempts throughout his career).

That said, we also see the likes of stretch-big Myles Turner coming to town from Indiana, allowing the C’s starting-5 to run more of a four in, one out scheme except, the benefit of this is that the one in would be Simmons who can either dominate at the rim against his smaller defender down low or drive and kick it out to any one of their number of floor spacers.

In a nutshell, one of the main reasons as to why the Boston Celtics should do a deal like this is because, at the end of the day, they’re upgrading at the most important position in basketball.

The second reason why they should do a deal like this is because they are also improving upon their weakest area within the rotation at center.

We have been huge advocates for bringing on Turner in the past, and our reasoning for why is still the same:

Myles Turner may not be the biggest name at his position, but he certainly is one that fits Boston’s scheme quite nicely — perhaps even better than Theis.

On the season, the 23-year-old big posted solid averages of 12.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and a whopping 2.1 blocks per game on 46 percent shooting from the floor and 34 percent shooting from deep.

Last, but certainly not least, the team also sees the additions of Doug McDermott and Jeremy Lamb, both of whom would be fantastic scoring punches off of Boston’s offensively-inept pine that ranked 29th in points per game (28.5), 28th in 3-point percentage (31., and 20th in offensive rating (53.6). With 2019-20 scoring averages of 10.3 points on 43 percent shooting from deep for McDermott and 12.5 points for Lamb, their contributions would be absolute blessings for Beantown in 2020-21.

This blockbuster deal is the one to accept if you’re the Boston Celtics.

Let’s make it happen, Danny!


Bob
MY NOTE:  I'd make this trade in a heartbeat.  Swap out Ben Simmons for Joel Embiid and I'd sprain my finger hitting the 'YES' button.  


.

The Sixers are not breaking up the Simmons/Embid duo. They want to move Al Horford. End of story and the end of a ridiculous trade that fabricates a rift between Simmons and Embid. Doc Rivers is taking over and things will be different. All the Sixers need to do is trade Horford and also get a PG. Simmons is a great passer, rebounder and defender. He is not going anywhere. As far as Turner is concerned, we need a double double center. Turner is not that guy

https://www.nbaanalysis.net/2020/10/21/nba-trade-rumors-boston-celtics-andre-drummonds-contract-talks-cleveland-cavaliers/



Celtics monitoring Andre Drummond’s contract talks with Cavaliers



October 21, 2020

Grant Afseth



Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports


The NBA offseason will feature contract talks between many players and teams— including Andre Drummond and the Cleveland Cavaliers. For some teams, disconnect in those talks can create an opportunity and in this case, that could benefit the Boston Celtics.

According to Evan Dammarell of Forbes.com, the contract talks between Drummond and the Cavaliers have ‘become even more uncomfortable this offseason’ and that’s troubling when considering it ‘already has been uncomfortable at times.’

“With all this in mind, the Drummond situation in Cleveland is only going to become even more uncomfortable this offseason. It already has been uncomfortable at times, according to league sources,” he wrote.

There already are a few teams to watch for a trade involving Drummond, as Dammarell noted. He mentioned the Celtics as ‘monitoring the situation’ between Drummond and the Cavaliers while including the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers as logical trade destinations, too.

“But, if things don’t get better it becomes even easier to flip Drummond and his mammoth expiring contract to another team to recoup assets to assist in their rebuild,” Dammarell wrote. “Teams like the Boston Celtics, the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Clippers all make sense as trade destinations for Drummond and according to sources, the Celtics are monitoring the situation.”

It makes plenty of sense for the Celtics to consider making a trade for Drummond. He would supercharge the team’s ability to make an impact on the boards and would bring a needed size in the middle.

The main concern from the Celtics’ perspective with the idea of pulling off a Drummond trade likely would be floor spacing. He has been a frequent post-up threat throughout his career and Boston doesn’t need him doing a lot of that. He also isn’t much of a jump-shooting threat either.

For the Cavaliers, paying big money to Andre Drummond shouldn’t be on the priority list. Cleveland gave up minimal trade compensation to acquire him from the Detroit Pistons and shouldn’t feel obligated to make a significant financial commitment in a contract extension.


Bob
MY NOTE:  DBoss said a trade for a center would have to be for a "double-double machine".  Well.  Here ya go, DBoss.  Not my idea of a good trade. He's one of, if not THE, worst frito shooters in the history of the league.  He's not a rim runner.  NO range on his fgas.  What does "NO range" mean?  He has a career 37% fg% from 3-10'.  If he's not at the rim he can't be relied upon to hit a shot from outside the 4' restricted area for Pete's Sake!  He also makes $28M/year and is in his last contract year.  He'll be a UFA next year.


.

As a buyout candidate, he’d be interesting

Hayward would have to be part of the deal, due to Drummonds' $28M expiring salary.

it may work straight up even cap wise and Cleveland is well under the tax line next season, so they can take back a bigger salary.

makes sense to balance both rosters, if you feel Drummond can be a fit here with what Stevens does.

IF it were to happen I figure other deals would be in the works as well.

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2020/10/indiana-pacers-have-interest-in-trading-for-boston-celtics-gordon-hayward-report.html



Indiana Pacers ‘have interest’ in trading for Boston Celtics Gordon Hayward (report)



Updated 3:45 PM; Today 3:45 PM



By John Karalis | JKaralis@masslive.com



Almost all of the speculation in Boston has centered around Celtics wing Gordon Hayward so far this offseason. With the league still in the midst of it’s official accounting and teams unable to do any business, many have been left to guess what Hayward might do about his $34.2 million option.

If he opts in, there is a suggesting that trading him and his expiring contract would benefit the Celtics more than playing out the final year of his deal. While the Boston Celtics have not hinted at all publicly or through any sourced reporting what their preference would be, there appears to be interest in Hayward should Boston go down that road.

According to SNY’s Ian Begley, “some within the Pacers organization continue to have interest in trading for Celtics' Gordon Hayward, per SNY sources.”

The Pacers seem to be a natural fit for a potential Hayward trade. The Pacers have Victor Oladipo, who may be at the end of his time in Indiana, and a few other players of value that allow the trade to work financially while Hayward would be going home to Indiana. Hayward recently bought a $3 million mansion about 25 minutes away from Bankers Life Fieldhouse (the Pacers practice facility is across the street), and both his and his wife’s family are still in that area.

However, Hayward has never given any indication that he’s unhappy in Boston nor have the Celtics shown any hint of dissatisfaction with him. Brad Stevens, who coached Hayward at Butler University, constantly lauds Hayward’s ability to make “the right play” and putting his own individual goals aside to do so.

Even if Hayward opts in, the Celtics may simply hold onto him and make moves around the edges to help improve the team’s depth. Hayward could also opt out and sign a longer-term deal with the Celtics to guarantee himself a good payday while giving Boston some luxury tax relief.

One advantage teams will have in trading for Hayward is they’d receive his “Bird Rights," in the deal as well, which mean that team could then sign him to a long-term deal if they want when his contract is up. If a capped-out team is looking for help and values Hayward highly enough, they could see the ability to sign Hayward to a deal without the restriction of using a salary cap exception as added value.

Of course, trading Hayward could be advantageous to Boston as well. If they value Oladipo highly enough, then getting him and another useful player could be a big score as the team centers its offense around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. If Oladipo and his injury history don’t entice Boston, there are other teams with players who could make sense in Boston. Even if Danny Ainge wants to keep Hayward, he will probably do his due diligence and get a sense for what Hayward’s trade value is before making that commitment.


Bob


.

Hell no to the dreadful Drummond Idea. Hell yes to the Ben Simmons, Myles Turner 3 team swap. Let’s do it to it!!

Hell no to oladipo for Hayward

On the issue of BIGS, if we cannot get Baynes (perhaps my first choice) or Boogie (my 2nd, if not my first choice) how about Christian Wood from Detroit?  UFA.  He'll be cheap and punch above his salary.  I doubt he will even use the entire midlevel exemption.


Bob


.

https://www.blazersedge.com/2020/10/26/21535363/lowe-collins-key-in-any-hayward-or-gordon-trade



Collins key in any Hayward or Gordon trade


Zach Lowe believes Zach Collins’ leaguewide value could decide whether Portland can trade for Gordon Hayward or Aaron Gordon this offseason.


By Adrian Bernecich Oct 26, 2020, 6:56pm PDT




David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports



ESPN’s Zach Lowe and Bobby Marks have laid out a path for Portland Trail Blazers President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey to make a win-now move for the 2020-21 season.

The quality and value of Portland’s assets were raised on today’s Lowe Post podcast, as the pair speculated on the future of Boston Celtics wing Gordon Hayward who holds a $34 million player option next season.

Lowe initially highlighted potential Hayward packages involving the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Cleveland Cavaliers but said he “really liked” a possible pairing with Portland — as long as there was enough interest in Zach Collins outside of Oregon.

He added that the Blazers were no certainty to make the playoffs next season and needed to make a move to stay in touch with the west’s elite.

“I just think Portland has a move to make that makes their team click a little bit for next season and I think they need to click a little bit with given how good the west is going to be next season.”

Both Lowe and Marks agreed that a deal involving Collins at $5.4 million, Trevor Ariza at $12.8 million and Rodney Hood at $6 million and a protected first round pick was the most likley package for Hayward.

However, Marks added that the deal would only work if Hayward opted out of his player option and agreed to a sign and trade at roughly $25 million a year.

He said it would allow Portland to retain some cap flexibility and provided options with sign and trade contracts required to be at least three years long with ontly the first year guaranteed.

“Ariza is going to be gone from me next year, Hood might be gone from me next year. I’m really just trading for Collins and I have to be really bullish on Collins as probably my future five to make that deal,” Lowe said.

“I need to do some canvassing on what the league at large thinks of Zach Collins because I was really excited to see him play this year.”

“I thought he was really essential for them in the playoffs in 2019 whenever the hell that was. If he can get that three to a point where – he’s never going to be an elite three-point shooter – but if he can be Brook Lopez then he becomes a really interesting player.”

Marks agreed, suggesting Collins was the team’s best asset outside Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum or Jusuf Nurkic.

Lowe said the possibilities and potential for Portland adding Hayward — without relinquishing its big three — were promising.

“Gary Trent Jr. really emerged for them in the playoffs, I think Gary Trent’s really good. Is he big enough to be my starting 3?

“In a west that is going to be an absolute bloodbath next year. Portland’s not even guaranteed to make the playoffs next year, let alone get deep into the playoffs.”

“If I can get Hayward, I can play Hayward some at the 4 with Trent at the 3. I can start Hayward and somehow find another power forward and Nurkic.”

Lowe also touched on well known — and not necessarily factual — rumors surrounding a McCollum for Aaron Gordon trade.

He added that depending on Collins’ value, the team could possibly trade for the Orlando Magic forward without giving up Lillard, McCollum or Nurkic.

“The CJ McCollum for Aaron Gordon fake trade has been an NBA Twitter favorite. I don’t think that was ever even remotely real, I don’t think there was a phone call in which that was discussed in any real way.”

“I wonder if Gordon’s value has dipped, I do think it has dipped despite a nice run after the All Star break.”

“Again, you got to be a big believer in Zach Collins or Anfernee Simons or somebody like that.

Marks suggested the Blazers could probably bring in Gordon for a package involving Collins, Ariza and a pick.


Bob
MY NOTE: Rodney Hood. Now there's a veteran (27) bench scorer for us. Only going to make $6M next year, but it's his last contract year. Still...

.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/rumor-nba-free-agents-already-201339140.html



Rumor: NBA free agents already agreeing to deals



Dan Feldman

Mon, October 26, 2020, 1:13 PM PDT


The NBA ostensibly cracked down tampering.

How is that going?

Brian Windhorst of ESPN:
I have already heard of a deal that’s been agreed to. Who knows whether it’s true or not?


Bobby Marks of ESPN:
I had one agent – because I was talking about his free agent and salary projections, right? And he said, “Hey, you’re really low. I’ve already got two offers from two different teams.”


Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports:

Keith Smith
@KeithSmithNBA
Multiple teams are asking the NBA for clarity on offseason dates. Because of how tight windows are, teams would like some direction on dates beyond just the November 18 NBA Draft. There are rumors circulating that some free agents have already reached agreements for next season.
10:46 AM · Oct 26, 2020


Agents try to present their clients as being in high demand. Just because an agent is claiming big offers doesn’t mean teams actually made those offers.

But teams also have long history of negotiating deals in advance of free agency officially opening. There’s minimal faith in the new tampering rules getting followed.

This year presents unique complications, some of which encourage getting a head start (the offseason will be rushed) and discourage getting a head start (it’s unclear where the salary cap will land).

I don’t know why the NBA doesn’t just permit teams and players to start negotiating now. The season is over. No team’s chemistry is getting undermined while games are going. Everyone will be scrambling to get deals and report to training camp. All sides should have the understanding that contracts can’t yet be finalized, especially because the salary-cap determination could change the landscape. But why not allow amore time for talks?

At least everyone, whether or not they want to follow rarely enforced rules, would be in the same boat.

Agents try to present their clients as being in high demand. Just because an agent is claiming big offers doesn’t mean teams actually made those offers.

But teams also have long history of negotiating deals in advance of free agency officially opening. There’s minimal faith in the new tampering rules getting followed.

This year presents unique complications, some of which encourage getting a head start (the offseason will be rushed) and discourage getting a head start (it’s unclear where the salary cap will land).

I don’t know why the NBA doesn’t just permit teams and players to start negotiating now. The season is over. No team’s chemistry is getting undermined while games are going. Everyone will be scrambling to get deals and report to training camp. All sides should have the understanding that contracts can’t yet be finalized, especially because the salary-cap determination could change the landscape. But why not allow amore time for talks?

At least everyone, whether or not they want to follow rarely enforced rules, would be in the same boat.


But teams also have long history of negotiating deals in advance of free agency officially opening. There’s minimal faith in the new tampering rules getting followed.

This year presents unique complications, some of which encourage getting a head start (the offseason will be rushed) and discourage getting a head start (it’s unclear where the salary cap will land).

I don’t know why the NBA doesn’t just permit teams and players to start negotiating now. The season is over. No team’s chemistry is getting undermined while games are going. Everyone will be scrambling to get deals and report to training camp. All sides should have the understanding that contracts can’t yet be finalized, especially because the salary-cap determination could change the landscape. But why not allow amore time for talks?

At least everyone, whether or not they want to follow rarely enforced rules, would be in the same boat.


Bob
MY NOTE:  I can almost guarantee you that Danny's deal with Kemba was already agreed to before the free agent moratorium was lifted.  It's not unusual for the most in-demand free agents to agree to a deal within minutes of the clock striking midnight.  So, this isn't that strange an idea.  The question I would have is how can they frame an offer when they are so unclear on what the salary cap will be?

.

bobheckler wrote:https://hardwoodhoudini.com/2020/10/09/boston-celtics-2-kemba-walker-deals/




Deal #1

CELTICS GET
DAMIAN LILLARD
JUSUF NURKIC
TREVOR ARIZA
RODNEY HOOD


TRAIL BLAZERS GET
KEMBA WALKER
GORDON HAYWARD
2020 MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES FIRST-ROUND PICK
2021 BOSTON CELTICS FIRST-ROUND PICK



.

I'd do that one, no doubt, then move Ariza or Hood in a second deal for a future first.

kdp59 wrote:

bobheckler wrote:https://hardwoodhoudini.com/2020/10/09/boston-celtics-2-kemba-walker-deals/




Deal #1

CELTICS GET
DAMIAN LILLARD
JUSUF NURKIC
TREVOR ARIZA
RODNEY HOOD


TRAIL BLAZERS GET
KEMBA WALKER
GORDON HAYWARD
2020 MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES FIRST-ROUND PICK
2021 BOSTON CELTICS FIRST-ROUND PICK



.

I'd do that one, no doubt, then move Ariza or Hood in a second deal for a future first.

I'd do this one too, but I doubt you could get much more than a 2nd rounder for either Ariza or Hood.  Ariza's 35 years old and Hood would be on his 4th NBA team in 8 years. I'd probably keep Hood, he satisfies our "bench scoring" need. Ariza? We've got depth at wing even without Gordon.


Bob


.

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2020/10/little-discussed-boston-celtics-free-agent-possibilities-within-their-expected-price-range.html



Little-discussed Boston Celtics free agent possibilities within their expected price range



Updated 11:44 AM; Today 11:44 AM




LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 19: Garrett Temple #17 of the Brooklyn Nets celebrates a basket against the Toronto Raptors during the third quarter in Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at The Field House at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 19, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)Getty Images


By John Karalis | JKaralis@masslive.com



The NBA free agency period is still in flux as the league and the players association hammer out the details of the collective bargaining agreement and when next season will actually begin. Whenever that is, the business of basketball will resume at some point in the next month or so.

There are a lot of possibilities for the Boston Celtics this offseason. Gordon Hayward’s decision is front-and-center, and there are a number of options for the Celtics in the draft, and all of those could impact how they handle free agency. If they hammer out a deal with Hayward and move some other pieces to clear a little salary, the Celtics might be able to use their full $9 million Non-taxpayer Mid-level exception (MLE). If Hayward opts-in and isn’t traded, the Celtics will probably just have a $5.7 Taxpayer MLE to use on free agents.

This free agency class isn’t going to be as star-studded as next year’s, but Boston doesn’t need big names. They need help off the bench to augment the star players already in place. Nekias Duncan of BasketballNews.com put out a nice list of little-discussed free agents that fall into the Celtics price range this week. He joined me on the most recent Locked On Celtics podcast to discuss some of those options.


Guard: Jordan Clarkson

Duncan: “I think more than anything, it gives them a creation boost off the bench... I think Jordan Clarkson is a guy that can do that. He has enough on-ball creation, has enough pull up shooting to take some pressure off of Kemba Walker, guys like that, when they go to the bench. Him kind of swapping out some of those long twos that he fell in love with in LA in Cleveland, swapping those out for 3′s have made him a more dangerous player. You saw it during the postseason, with Utah taking on Denver, he saved them in a couple of games just the way that he was knocking down shots beyond the arc... And if you’re playing him and (Marcus) Smart together, that takes some of that on-ball creation role off of Marcus Smart, who can still get a little erratic when he has to create more than he should.”

Karalis: "It’s an interesting point about Marcus Smart, because I think we saw that. We definitely saw that in the Miami series. I think he’s like a catch 22 where you need him to be intense, and you need him to have some of the ego and confidence that he has, because that’s what fuels so much of what he does well, but then when he looks around and sees guys struggling, he has no qualms about taking some of the shots that he can take because he thinks he can make everything... If they start in December, they’re gonna rely on Marcus Smart a lot more. Bringing somebody in that can take some of that pressure off of him or give him an option; the more options he has to pass to have guys that can make shots, the more likely he is to pass those guys because he is a great passer... It’s an interesting kind of look at from the guard perspective why a guy would fit.


Wing: Garrett Temple

Karalis: “As soon as you said Garrett Temple, I was like, ‘Oh, yes!’ For some reason, Garrett Temple just sticks out as (a player) that makes total sense to me.”

Duncan: "He’s just he’s a guy that does a little bit of everything... He’s not a young guy, but he showed some more on-ball flashes than I anticipated during this playoff run where like, basically everyone got hurt, so he does have a little bit of secondary creation available there. But the big thing for him is that he’s gonna knock down open shots... If Brooklyn declines that team option for around $5 million, if they declined that to kind of free up some room to bring back Joe Harris. I think Garrett Temple is a guy that now slipped through the cracks there and he says a guy that can fill minutes at the two or three.

Karalis: “Do you think there’s gonna be a lot of demand for somebody like Garrett Temple?”

Duncan: “I think so. Everyone’s looking for wings. So I think what’s that top batch of guys gets gone like it Wes Matthews declines his player option he’s gonna be a guy that’s gonna get snatched up pretty quickly... After that initial batch of wings, I do think a guy like Garrett Temple is going to be in demand. He’s the kind of guy that he actually fits everywhere because the skill set, but also he fits a contending team because of that skill set. He can also fit a rebuilding team just because of the presence that he brings in the locker room. Just a solid vet to have around.”


Bigs: Paul Millsap, Harry Giles

Karalis: “Do you think Millsap has enough left in the tank?”

Duncan: "I do. Like he definitely lost a half a step, or a full step, last year in Denver defensively, but he was still a plus on that end... It’s a product of what Denver asked him to do. They play Nikola Jokic extremely high on pick-and-rolls because they want to utilize his quick hands there since he isn’t much of a rim protector. So that puts a lot of strain on Paul Millsap to kind of be that backline defender, rotate over and stop drives at the rim. And that’s just a lot to ask of someone his age and has played as long as he as. So I think if you put him in Boston, especially if you’re looking at it from a closing lineup perspective, you’re going to have Jayson Tatum out there, you’re going to have Jaylen Brown out there, you’re probably gonna have Marcus Smart out there, and then it’s going to be one of Kemba, Gordon Hayward, if he’s still there, and you have Millsap out there. You’re going to have some really good, three really good, two elite, perimeter defenders out there, so he wouldn’t have to clean up so many messes. And if they’re going to get small anyway, there’s probably going to be some switching involved, which is going to put a little less strain on him, I feel.

Karalis: “One interesting name here, I’ve been asked a bunch about it, it’s come up a ton, is Harry Giles. I don’t know what his value is. I know he’s had injuries. I know he’s been in Sacramento and spending any time in Sacramento just saps the value out of a player anyway. So what’s what can we expect from somebody like Harry Giles? Is he available for a mid-level? Is he gonna is he going to command more than a taxpayer mid level because of the promise of him?”

Duncan: “I don’t see him having that kind of market. The general blah-ness of Sacramento and their front court combined with the injuries that Giles had, I think muddies the waters on his value. And I think just for Giles himself, he probably wants to go to a good situation to where he can, you know, guarantee himself a role, show what he can do, and then kind of test the waters again next year in 2021.”

Karalis: “Where I’m hesitant with him, the promise us there, but does Boston have the time to give to him? Do they have the situation?”

Duncan: “One of the things that I mentioned earlier in the piece is that Boston needs to improve at guard more than they need to improve in the frontcourt. So I don’t think adding another center is a necessity for them... this is more of thing you look at if they want to improve and around the margins there, right? Like if Kanter does leave, if Robert Williams doesn’t come around, like if the game is still a little bit too fast for him.”


Bob
MY NOTE:  Jordan Clarkson would certainly fix our bench scoring problems, but he made > $13M last year.  Why would he sign here for the MLE?  He's a proven NBA player who fits a very needed role.  For an article that explicitly attempts to address "what we can afford" I don't see Clarkson being affordable without a trade being involved.

Garrett Temple is 34 years old, but I'm ok with that as a rental.  The Nets have a $5M team option on him for this year, so if they don't pick that up he's available and would probably consider working for a fraction of that money just to squeeze another year out of his career.  Having said that, I don't see what he brings to the table we'd need.  He has never been a great, prolific scorer.  He isn't a great 3p shooter neither.  I've been screaming for veterans to replace our kindergarten but the veteran has to have something we need, and I don't see it here.  Maybe Cowens has more to say about Temple since he was a Nyet and Cowens watches them more than I do (anything more than zero is more).

I say 'no' to Millsap. 35 years old, he'll be 36 in February, and is already considered to be losing it? No thanks.

Harry Giles is intriguing.  According to Jayson Tatum, Harry Giles is the only player he ever looked at and thought "he could be better than me".  That's a big damn statement coming from one fearless kid who grabbed the NBA by the horns as a rookie.  He'll be cheap, too.  Aside from wanting to find another home, after not having his option picked up by Sacto, his 4th year option was for only $4M.  So he might come here for < $4M, which leaves some of the MLE for another player, I believe.  Will he be a monster?  I doubt it, but he'll provide depth at big and he has a lively body.  There's also the potential bonus that, if Danny signs his college friend and teammate, Jayson Tatum will be more inclined to sign an extension sooner rather than later.


.

bobheckler wrote:

kdp59 wrote:

bobheckler wrote:https://hardwoodhoudini.com/2020/10/09/boston-celtics-2-kemba-walker-deals/




Deal #1

CELTICS GET
DAMIAN LILLARD
JUSUF NURKIC
TREVOR ARIZA
RODNEY HOOD


TRAIL BLAZERS GET
KEMBA WALKER
GORDON HAYWARD
2020 MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES FIRST-ROUND PICK
2021 BOSTON CELTICS FIRST-ROUND PICK



.

I'd do that one, no doubt, then move Ariza or Hood in a second deal for a future first.

I'd do this one too, but I doubt you could get much more than a 2nd rounder for either Ariza or Hood.  Ariza's 35 years old and Hood would be on his 4th NBA team in 8 years.  I'd probably keep Hood, he satisfies our "bench scoring" need.  Ariza?  We've got depth at wing even without Gordon.


Bob


.

OK we agree................now leave a message for Ainge and tell him to get it done!!

off-season done now, except for the late first round pick.