A Use for #4 other than for WCS

by **Sam** Tue Jun 23, 2015 1:41 am

So all of a sudden, I'm reading about how the Lakers may be the front-runners in a trade for Cousins—perhaps as part of a three-team deal. And also that Dwayne Wade could be headed to L.A. Leaving aside, for the moment, conjecture as to whether these rumors could lead to formation of the most hated team of all-time, a more optimistic viewpoint from a Celtics fan's point of view is that Cousins is indeed available.

So, if the #4 pick is actually obtainable from the Knicks for multiple picks as New York homes in on Kaminsky, why shouldn't the Celts trade all of this year's picks (and maybe one of New Jersey's for 1016) for the #4 and flip that chip to the Kings along with another Nets' pick and possibly a player or two, in return for Cousins? Throw in a nice free agent shooter (perhaps at SF), and they could be well on their way to filling their most pressing gaps and building on the momentum they started gaining last season. As for any concerns about overpaying, I couldn't care less. The goal is to develop a competitive team that can play well together. If you've got assets, use them.

Sam

by **tjmakz** Tue Jun 23, 2015 3:29 am

sam wrote:So all of a sudden, I'm reading about how the Lakers may be the front-runners in a trade for Cousins—perhaps as part of a three-team deal. And also that Dwayne Wade could be headed to L.A. Leaving aside, for the moment, conjecture as to whether these rumors could lead to formation of the most hated team of all-time, a more optimistic viewpoint from a Celtics fan's point of view is that Cousins is indeed available.

So, if the #4 pick is actually obtainable from the Knicks for multiple picks as New York homes in on Kaminsky, why shouldn't the Celts trade all of this year's picks (and maybe one of New Jersey's for 1016) for the #4 and flip that chip to the Kings along with another Nets' pick and possibly a player or two, in return for Cousins? Throw in a nice free agent shooter (perhaps at SF), and they could be well on their way to filling their most pressing gaps and building on the momentum they started gaining last season. As for any concerns about overpaying, I couldn't care less. The goal is to develop a competitive team that can play well together. If you've got assets, use them.

Sam

Sam,

The issue is, how to get the #4 pick.
New York would not give it up for Boston's 4 draft picks this season.
They would want an established player plus a lower lottery pick.
A trade like Eric Bledsoe and the #13 pick for the #4 pick seems more realistic compared to multiple so so picks that you discussed. Throw in Olynyk and Young and you might have a deal.

by **kdp59** Tue Jun 23, 2015 7:27 am

Sam,

I don't think the Kings are looking for 19 or 20YO's for their team.

I really think IF they move Cousins, it will involve Denver and Lawson coming back to them.

the three way deal I proposed in the Divac= kiss of death thread, gets you Cousins (if you want him).

we lose Zeller, Sully, Bradley, #16 & 45 plus a first a second next year t get it done though.

so Ainge would need to keep 28 &33 this year to help fill out the roster, but we could have something like this to start the season:

Cousins
Christmas- #28
Olynyk
Bass- $7M
Jerebko- $4.5M
Crowder- $4.5M
Wallace
Turner
Smart
Thomas
Young
Pressey
Powell- #33
FA shooter- $5M

players who should be in the $5M price range:
G. Green
D. Green
I, Shumpert
M. Belinelli

by **Sam** Tue Jun 23, 2015 9:26 am

kdp,

I wouldn't care how it gets done, and I'd have absolutely no qualms about losing Zeller, Sully, Bradley (three incomplete impact players) and the two picks. I mentioned the #4 mainly as a reminder of the fact that there are ways to acquire high picks without tanking. My periodic jab at the tankmeisters.

From my point of view, in this summer's activities, timing is of the essence. I'd love to have the Celtics' greatest need filled right off the bat so that Danny could then focus on being opportunistic in grabbing the complementary pieces through the three means of player acquisition and, in the process, creating a ground swell of interest in the building Celtics as a promising destination for players.

The one thing I hope does not happen is that Danny will be so hesitant or conservative in pulling the trigger that he finds himself slipping from a position of strength to a position of weakness.

Sam

by **wide clyde** Tue Jun 23, 2015 10:06 am

There is almost no such thing as "overpaying" with the draft picks that Ainge has as his disposal if a quality center is available, in my opinion.

With about 20 picks in the next four years there is no way that a Celtics team who is going to be in the playoffs each year is ever going to suit up more than maybe 7 of these 20 draft picks in their own uniform. By getting to the playoffs every year, their own picks are going to be in the 20s and 50s each year. There may be some value to the Nets picks, however, if they decide to step back into re-building mode, but even those picks should be used right now to get a center. Also, Ainge will find more ways to replenish his pile of draft picks as he continues to reshape his roster over the next few years.

KDP, I very much like your idea of bringing back both Bass and Zerebko to fill out your projected roster for next year. Both of these guys can still provide quality play. I disagree with Christmas if Upshaw is available and healthy at #28, however.

by **Sam** Tue Jun 23, 2015 10:29 am

TJ,

Hard to know what it might take to shake a guy like Cousins loose. My own bet is that, IF the Celtics were t get him somehow, none of the 7,527 trading scenarios discussed on this forum would probably eventuate. Handicapping trading possibilities can be fun, but its uncertainties are really just an extension of the crap shoot represented by the draft. From my own perspective, I care mainly about what the status of the team will be when all the wheeling and dealing is done, and any intervening conjecture is just for chuckles.

Sam

by **bobheckler** Tue Jun 23, 2015 10:43 am

If Towns goes #1 and Okafur goes #2, then Philly might take a PG like Russell or Mudiay since they have Embiid, Noel and Saric lined up to play (at least, that's their plan) and their starting point guard, as of today, is Ish Smith (MCW and Jrue Holliday got traded, if you remember). So, that's where their need is. Of course, we have to remember that we're talking about Sam Hinkie, who doesn't know squat about building a team, he's just accumulating assets so that maybe, someday, he could possibly fall into one. If we somehow end up with #4 that could land us...wait for it...Kristaps Porzingis!!

Draftexpress now has the Knicks, at #4, taking Porzingis, so I'm not totally crazy here saying he could go fourth.

bob

.

by **Sam** Tue Jun 23, 2015 11:42 am

A little more fuel for the Cousins trade fire?

Sam

By Jack Andrade
Boston.com Correspondent | 06.23.15 | 9:13 AM

DeMarcus Cousins, star big man for the Sacramento Kings and oft-rumored Celtics trade target, tweeted a series of emojis that indicate he’s expecting a trade.

Cousins tweeted grass emoji, snake emoji, grass emoji, an apparent “snake in the grass” reference. With the NBA Draft just days away, perhaps Cousins is waiting for the snake in the grass to strike and ship him to a different team. Yahoo! Sports NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting the Kings are, in fact, open to trading Cousins.

Speculation around the NBA that Cousins is available stems from Sacramento’s hiring of George Karl as head coach. Karl has butted heads with star players like Carmelo Anthony in the past and his arrival in Sacramento was not popular with Cousins and his camp.
ESPN’s Marc Stein reported in May that the Celtics would be targeting Cousins in trade talks this offseason. Boston holds the 16th, 28th, 33rd, and 45th selections in the 2015 NBA Draft.

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