Boston Celtics Mailbag: Josh Richardson trade options, luxury tax concerns, Robert Williams a future All-Star?

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2022/02/boston-celtics-mailbag-josh-richardson-trade-options-luxury-tax-concerns-robert-williams-a-future-all-star.html


Boston Celtics Mailbag: Josh Richardson trade options, luxury tax concerns, Robert Williams a future All-Star?


Updated: Feb. 04, 2022, 10:25 a.m. | Published: Feb. 04, 2022, 10:25 a.m.



Boston Celtics guard Josh Richardson ( celebrates after hitting a 3-point shot during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)AP



By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com


Do you think the Celtics are still going to trade Richardson? He’s been great lately and is a huge part of the locker room culture from what I can tell. He’s finding his shot, can penetrate, on a great deal, and defensive-minded. I’m not sure there’s better options out there, and don’t want to make a trade just to make one. Hoping Schroder gets moved for a pick so we can open up time for Pritchard though. Thanks. — Joseph P


I’d put the odds of them trading him at around 25 percent. He’s had a terrific bounce back year from an offensive standpoint after a pair of underwhelming campaigns in Dallas and Philadelphia. The Celtics signing him to an extension before the season protected them against the possibility of him walking this summer in the event of a year like this so the rush to get something for him goes down considerably from that standpoint.

Teams all across the league are looking for defensive upgrades as well in the backcourt and he’s probably one of the best ones potentially available in the backcourt. Brad Stevens will surely be fielding offers for him (as is the case for the rest of this supporting cast) but on a team devoid of reliable shooting options off the bench, it’s a challenging dance. If the Celtics are serious about trying to make upgrades this season, Richardson unlikely goes anywhere.

However, if the team can sell high on him now, gaining some assets that help land a better fit around Tatum/Brown, that should hold appeal. Richardson’s contract is a solid value but would ideally be filled by someone making about half that money in a reserve role. If there are a lack of sellers out there, Stevens should try to maximize Richardson’s value as a proven veteran that could fill a need on almost any contender. However, I think the odds are probably against the type of offer emerging. He’s played well enough in the first few months now to where C’s shouldn’t be moving him just to open up minutes for Aaron Nesmith or Romeo Langford.


What does Rob Williams need to be an All Star next year? — John S

This is a tough one to answer when it’s likely the Celtics have a couple of proven All-Stars ahead of him in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The first thing he needs is for Boston to be way better off in the standings than this year. A top 3-4 team in the NBA are usually the only squads that get consideration to having three All-Stars. Beyond that? He needs some incremental jumps from an offensive standpoint. Jarrett Allen did not get the nod this season and he was averaging 16 points and 11 rebounds per game while shooting 67 percent form the field and anchoring a strong defense. Williams certainly has the potential to put up those numbers with some more aggressiveness on the offensive end (he’s already shooting 73 percent from the field) but they are no sure bet to get him named to All-Star team. In fact, none of the East’s reserves selected by coaches this year were true centers. I wouldn’t bet against Williams becoming an All-Star in his career but it’s tough to see it happening as soon as next season unless this group transforms into a contender.


What do you think we gonna do by the trade deadline? — LD


I think we see the Celtics get under the luxury tax and make some moves on the margins that probably helps them more for the future than the present. Clearing out some end of bench players that aren’t a part of the team’s future is probably a priority while also adding some shooting help that has some team control beyond this year is probably in play as well. More than anything else, setting the team up to have maximum flexibility for moves this summer is probably the biggest objective. How much Brad Stevens is willing to take away from the present after a strong January by this group remains the intriguing question.

Brad’s radio interview this week didn’t do much to shed light on the directive from ownership. It seems like the goal is to get under the tax again. This is becoming increasingly frustrating as a fan, especially after being promised fireworks nearly a decade ago. What is your sense on how the deadline goes down from a tax perspective? — Tim


I think getting under the tax is one of several priorities the Celtics have at this point at the deadline. There is added incentive for teams hovering around the tax to get under since the payout for non-tax teams will be bigger than ever (around $10 million per team) due to franchises like the Nets and Warriors being tens of millions into the tax. For a mediocre team like the Celtics, it’s tough to convince ownership that it’s worth giving up tens of millions of dollars in order to keep Juancho Hernangomez or an injured Bol Bol around.

With that said, the Celtics have some valuable ways to add to the roster (including a $17 million TPE) that can’t really help much this season if Boston is unwilling to go into the tax. The key thing to watch for here is next season in my mind if you don’t think the Celtics can contend this year (all signs point to no on that front). If the Celtics are able to reinvest those tax savings this year to spend more next year in hopes of establishing a contender, that should be a welcome development. If that doesn’t happen, fans have a right to be miffed.


Would you trade Smart for John Collins? — Dave S

Absolutely. Smart has been great since his return but Collins is a dream complement to Tatum and Brown at power forward from an offensive standpoint. He’s a shooter and lob threat that you can’t help off of.


Bob


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The recent positive direction that this team seems to be on has put a damper on any significant moves.

I still think that the directive to be below the tax line is the overwhelming factor at play.  The off season presents more opportunity to add more talent around the core group of players.  The team will have draft assets, TPE's, other exceptions and tradable players to achieve their goal to finish building around the Jays. We are not starting from scratch.

Celtics fans will not be too pleased if we find ourselves in the playoffs but lack enough quality depth to advance.  The big picture captures a slightly longer timeframe to put everything together,

Schroeder is likely gone and maybe the Celtics sign a PG at minimum salary to finish out the season.

If this team can at least display the ability and will to play the right way at both ends of the court throughout the remainder of the season, it bodes well for the future.  No trip to the finals again and nobody really believed we had that chance going into this season.

The need for the Celtics to add a floor general type of PG was apparent right up until the point where it was not apparent.  Marcus Smart is quite determined not to let that be a need for this team.  I do believe that he has a more disciplined approach to his role and I think the entire team has confidence in what he is able to do to help them win.

Trading Richardson is a huge mistake. Not only has he worked his way into being on the floor at valuable times, he is so darn important to this team. We watch other teams and say "why can't we get a player like that'. He plays defense so well, and his shooting has really come along. I think it is time to look at this and say NO WAY.

I have said before, I could care less about schroeder, he has regressed as the season has gone on. I think when he started the season and was in the starting line up He had a different attitude and it looked like he was going to fit in just fine. These past few weeks he has had one or two good games, the rest, he is a turnover machine and of no value on the floor. Let him go Brad, many thought it was a good move too, looks like the Lakers saw something in him that made it easy to let him go, who knows.

I am firmly in the Richardson camp. These are the kind of guy the players like to play with

dboss,

You'll agree we are at a very critical juncture for this team at this time.  Since we've willy-nillied our way to this point of the season and accounting for the recent very positive trend aided by depleted teams and below .500 opponents, you will also have to agree that now EVERY game is important.  There are no more off games, or bad shooting nights by the Big 2, injuries, dial-ins, COVID, etc., etc., etc.

These next two games, looking like our old favorite trap games, can be nothing of the sort.  Nothing less than 2 blowouts but at a BAM, 2 victories.  I hate to say this but either of these two games this weekend result in a loss and we're headed for the play-in/play-out game.  And if we are fortunate enough to make it to the playoffs, we won't get out of the first round the way things are currently constructed.  

We've wasted over half of the season trying to find our respective a$$e$ with both hands.  Now, that said, things have been looking up.  But this is that 10-game stretch you (and all of us for that matter) have been asking for.  This is it.  Not starting tomorrow.  Today. We've left ourselves no more room for error.
This is it.  And given where we are in the season, I'm willing to extend this expectation all the way to the end of the season. We have to win 8 out of 10 games from here to the finish line.  BAM.  There are about 30 games left.  That's 24-6.  I'd really prefer 27-3, but that's unrealistic.  Possible but not probable.  

This should put us in the 3-4 place in the East (maybe better) and give us a better chance to get to the 2nd round.  But thank goodness, the East is a tight mess and can be anyone's for the taking.  Ime's got the team on the uphill roll at the right time.  The AS break is coming up and that will give us some much needed time to rest up for the final push.  I'm liking what I'm seeing for the last 6 games no matter how we won them or against who no matter the state of the opponent.

db

We're in a new age.  It used to be that the best starting 5, some of whom need to be elite, plus another 3-4 quality bench players were all you needed to compete for a Championship.  With COVID the bench, it's strength and depth, becomes more important.  We look really good when we're healthy and able to play with an 8-9 man squad.  When we're not healthy, when we're missing one or two of those 8-9 and the next man/men up is from the 10-15 group, we look bad.

I'm good with Brad not trading 7 of the top 8, only Schroder should be gone for reasons beaten to death by many, and getting some quality bench players in return.  I'd also be good with trading Schroder and taking a draft pick back and giving the minutes to the three young'uns:  Pritchard, Nesmith and Romeo.

Tatum, Brown, Smart, Horford and Robert Williams.  I'm willing to go to war with those 5.  I'd love to move Horford, but I don't see that as likely, not until next year when he can be waived (or traded and waived) for $14.5M, so this is our starting 5.

After them?  Richardson and Grant.  They are, apparently, the only players Ime seems to have any confidence in.  The whole "Pritchard and Nesmith are playing well but the players in front of them are playing better" is hogwash in my opinion.  Schroder's playing better than Payton Pritchard when he's getting minutes?  No.  Richardson creates a logjam for the other two but they are basically getting shut out.  No, there's more than meets the eye here, once again in my opinion.

Trade deadline this coming Thursday and it couldn't come fast enough for my liking.


Bob


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db

It will be hard if not impossible to go on an extended run like the one you described.

Here is why. You need to be able rely on 9-10 guys and right now Ime has leaned on just an 8 man rotation. Great chemistry is developing but the kids are not part of that. An injury to any of our top 8 and we are in trouble plus I expect DS to be gone next week.