Celtics Trade Value Power Rankings: The Untradables?

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/08/31/celtics-trade-value-power-rankings-the-untradables/



Celtics Trade Value Power Rankings: The Untradables?
By Brian Robb, CBS Boston
August 31, 2015 11:27 AM






Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)
Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)




BOSTON (CBS) — With 16 players on the roster signed to guaranteed contracts, the Celtics will need to make a move before the start of the regular season to trim the team down to 15 players. To do this, Danny Ainge has a wide variety of options. He could simply cut a player outright, or he could free up a roster spot via a minor trade. There is also the possibility of doing something big, as Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald mentioned that Ainge might be considering last week.

If Ainge is going to make a big move, it’s important to consider some pivotal questions: Which players are most attractive to other teams? What guys might the Celtics have difficulty trading if they elect to do so? And who is most likely to go?

To sort through it all, let’s take a closer look at the team’s setup in our first edition of the Celtics trade value power rankings. We’ll count down the list in the next few weeks, starting with the players with the least value (No. 16) and working up to most value (No. 1).

Criteria: This isn’t simply ranking the best-to-worst players on the roster. There is significantly more that goes into a player’s trade value around the league than just talent (although that’s important). A player’s age, contract situation and injury history are all vital factors considered in these rankings.

It’s an imperfect list, simply because there is so much overlapping talent levels for various parts of the Celtics’ roster. Valid cases can and will be made that certain names should be higher and/or lower. Debate is welcomed here.

With that said, let’s get to the list:


16. Perry Jones




Perry Jones III goes up for a shot against the San Antonio Spurs against the 2014-15 NBA season. (Photos by D. Clarke Evans/NBAE via Getty Images)


Age: 23
Experience: 3 years
Contract situation: $2.038 million for one year, restricted free agent in 2016
2014-15 stats: 4.3ppg, 1.8rpg, 0.4apg, 14.7mpg

The newest member of the Celtics takes the honor here as the guy with the least trade value on the Boston roster, taking that title from the recently departed Gerald Wallace. Danny Ainge acquired a second-round pick and enough money to cover Jones’ salary from the Thunder in July, as GM Sam Presti attempted to reduce his team’s luxury tax number for next season.

The Thunder’s cost-cutting makes Jones’ value look worse than it is, but in terms of trade value, the former Baylor star really doesn’t have much, despite his age and athleticism. Flashes of potential have popped up during his first three NBA seasons, but Jones isn’t even a sure thing to make the Celtics roster. That fact alone keeps his value down.



15. David Lee





David Lee holds the Larry O'Brien Trophy after winning the NBA Finals with the Warriors. (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)



Age: 32
Experience: 10 years
Contract situation: $15.5 million for one year, unrestricted free agent in 2016
2014-15 stats: 7.9 ppg, 5.2rpg, 1.7apg, 18.3mpg

Five years ago, Lee signed a max deal. This summer, he was traded for arguably the worst contract in the league (Gerald Wallace). That’s life in the NBA for an aging veteran on a hefty salary. This low ranking is merely a reflection of Lee’s salary, not his abilities. The 6-9 powerforward, who lost much of his playing time to Draymond Green last year, could very well be a top-5 player on the Celtics roster next season if he regains his double-double form from just a couple of years ago.

Until that happens though, Lee’s an overpaid veteran big man with a history of injuries over the last two years. That isn’t going to fetch the Celtics much in a trade, and his only true value on that front would be as salary filler in a potential blockbuster deal for Ainge. In the meantime, Lee is much more value to Boston as a consistent scorer and rebounder than as a potential trade chip.



14. Evan Turner




Celtics forward/guard Evan Turner. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)


Age: 26
Experience: 6 years
Contract situation: $3.2 million for one year, UFA in 2016
2014-15 stats: 9.5ppg, 5.1rpg, 5.5apg, 27.6 mpg

The Celtics signed Turner for a portion of the mid-level exemption in the summer of 2014 in hopes of building up his trade value. Despite a solid campaign last season, Turner’s flaws and contract situation limit his appeal around the league.

He’s not making much compared to most NBA players, but his lack of outside shooting ability is troublesome for a player who shoots as much as he does. Additionally, his defensive warts limit his appeal and his age shows there may not be much untapped potential there.


The next installment of the rankings will be released later this week.



bob



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http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/09/21/celtics-trade-value-power-rankings-part-2/




Celtics Trade Value Power Rankings: Part 2
By Brian Robb, CBS Boston
September 21, 2015 4:36 PM







Terry Rozier (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)
Related Tags: Boston Celtics, Brian Robb, James Young, Jonas Jerebko, Terry Rozier



BOSTON (CBS) — With 16 players on the roster signed to guaranteed contracts, the Celtics will need to make a move before the start of the regular season to trim the team down to the NBA limit of 15. In order to better gauge what Danny Ainge’s options are with this group as the start of the season approaches, we are breaking down the value of the C’s roster by putting together a comprehensive list of Celtics roster trade power rankings.

Criteria: This isn’t simply ranking the best-to-worst players on the roster. There is significantly more that goes into a player’s trade value around the league than just talent (although that’s still usually a dominant factor). A player’s age, contract situation and injury history are all vital components considered in these rankings.

It’s an imperfect list, simply because there is so much overlapping and inexperienced talent on certain parts of the Celtics’ roster. Valid cases can and will be made that certain names should be higher and/or lower. Debate is welcomed here. With that said, let’s get to the second installment on the list (players 13-11). You can find the first part of the rankings by clicking here.


13. Jonas Jerebko

Age: 28
Experience: 5 years
Contract situation: $10 million for two years, (second year non-guaranteed)
2014-15 stats:  6.0 ppg, 3.8rpg, 0.9 apg, 16.4 mpg

Isaiah Thomas got much of the acclaim last year among the trade deadline additions, but the sharpshooting of Jerebko was a key element of Boston’s second-half turnaround. The 6-foot-10 stretch four is just a 34 percent career three-point shooter, but he hit over 40 percent of his attempts from downtown in his 29 games in green.

That impressive output earned Jerebko a nice payday for a role player with an up-and-down track record ($5 million per year). However, Danny Ainge included the team friendly provision of a non-guaranteed second year of the deal. At age 28, Jerebko doesn’t have the upside that the remainder of the C’s young roster has at this point, but as long as he’s hitting the three-ball, he’ll have a role in the league. He’d be more than a “throw-in” or salary dump in most trades, but wouldn’t fetch much beyond that.


12. Terry Rozier

Age: 21
Experience: Rookie
Contract situation: Under team control for four years in rookie deal worth just under $9 million

This slot may seem low for Boston’s top draft pick in 2015, but that’s more reflective of the reception around the league that Rozier received after being selected at No. 16. Howard Beck of Bleacher Report voiced the opinion via multiple executives that Rozier was the biggest reach of the draft, so the former Louisville star has something to prove entering his rookie year to improve his value around the league.

The hybrid guard had a respectable summer league in both Las Vegas and Utah on that front, showing gritty defense and the capability of making big shots in crunch time. In a loaded Celtics backcourt, he’s going to struggle to find minutes out of the gate, but stands to benefit if the team elects to ship out another more valuable guard to improve another portion of the roster.


11. James Young

Age: 20
Experience: Rookie
Contract situation: Under team control for three years in rookie deal worth just under $7 million
2014-15 stats: 3.4 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 0.4 APG, 10.4 MPG

The Celtics took a chance on Young in the 2014 Draft after the stock of the former Kentucky star plummeted thanks to a concussion suffered weeks before draft night. Brad Stevens called Young one of the best 11 players on his draft board despite the fact Boston was able to nab him at No. 17.
Despite successful stints in the D-League where he shot over 40 percent from beyond the arc, Young struggled to fulfill that kind of promise in his rookie year with the big club. He connected on just 25 percent of his attempts from deep in 31 games, and struggled regularly on the defensive end, which limited Stevens’ ability to keep him on the floor for long stretches.

The swingman tried to learn from the tough debut by bulking up this offseason, but he still was limited in summer league due to a knee injury and poor shooting overall. At this point, his stock remains the same as it was on draft night, a player with untapped scoring potential but plenty to work on.



bob


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