Getting the Pacers Involved

[PosImpos]

Some have mentioned the possibility of involving the Pacers as the 3rd team required to "sweeten the deal" for New Orleans.

Here's my best attempt to envision such a 3-team deal



Boston out:

- Rajon Rondo
- Avery Bradley
- Jeff Green (sign + trade)
- Glen Davis (sign + trade)
- 2012 Clippers 1st round pick (top 10 protected)
- 2012 Boston 1st round pick (unprotected)

Boston in:

- Chris Paul
- Trevor Ariza
- Aaron Grey


Indiana out:

- Darren Collison
- Paul George
- Roy Hibbert

Indiana in:

- Rajon Rondo
- Emeka Okafor


New Orleans out:

- Chris Paul
- Trevor Ariza
- Emeka Okafor
- Aaron Grey (sign + trade)

New Orleans in:

- Darren Collison
- Paul George
- Roy Hibbert
- Avery Bradley
- Jeff Green
- Glen Davis
- 2012 Clippers 1st round pick (top 10 protected)
- 2012 Boston 1st round pick (unprotected)


Indiana gets an All-Star point guard to run their offense and immediately has a playoff-experienced roster with very good defensive capability to contend for a middle seed.  I think it may be unrealistic that Indiana would consider taking on Okafor, but they might do it considering it, combined with getting Rondo, gives them the opportunity to compete now with Granger as their top option.

Rondo - Hill - Granger - Hansbrough - Okafor


New Orleans gets a group of prospects highlighted by Paul George and Roy Hibbert, as well as potentially two 1st round picks in next summer's loaded draft.  They also get Jeff Green and Glen Davis, two young but experienced players with upside eager for the opportunity to have an expanded offensive role.  The Hornets would be an interesting team following this trade, and they'd have a good deal more financial flexibility.  They could look into signing one of the more enticing free agents on the market in the next couple of weeks, or next summer.


Collison - George - Green - Davis - Hibbert



The Celtics, of course, get CP3, and replace Jeff Green with a comparable player (with less offensive upside) in Trevor Ariza. Ideally they'd also get a serviceable backup big (e.g. Aaron Grey or even David Andersen).




I don't know how realistic this is, but it's my best guess.  I'm not sure what other 3rd teams the Celtics could entice; for the most part when I think of any potential 3rd teams I have to wonder why they'd trade for Rondo instead of cashing in their prospects for CP3 straight up.  Indiana is one that makes some sense, and I think I recall reading that they'd expressed some interest in Rondo.



Note:

None of the players involved in this trade aside from Chris Paul are on the same level as Eric Gordon or Stephen Curry.  however, recent reports suggest that the Warriors and Clippers, in their talks with New Orleans, have been very reluctant to part with their cornerstone guard without the reassurance that Chris Paul will sign with their team long term. 

I have a feeling that all the talk about the Clippers and especially the warriors being involved in talks with the Hornets might just be a tactic to drive up CP3's price.  I'm sure the Clippers and Warriors want to acquire Paul, but I doubt they're willing to take the gamble of giving up their best assets for what could be a one year rental.  The Celtics, however, are perfectly willing to take that gamble for one last shot at a title.

[rondohondo]

I like it , but I have a hard time believing Indiana would take on Okafors contract. He is a pretty limited player and it would take them out of the running to sign Nene .

Is a Rondo, Rush, Granger, Hansborough, Okafor lineup better than a Collison, Graner, George, Nene, Hibbert lineup? ( Indiana wants to use Nene next to Hibbet)

It's pretty clear from all reports that New Orleans is pushing for Curry or Gordon. They want a stud guard who can light it up. The c's would have to find another team with that kind of player , maybe someone like Tyreke Evans .

[PosImpos]

I like it , but I have a hard time believing Indiana would take on Okafors contract. He is a pretty limited player and it would take them out of the running to sign Nene .

Is a Rondo, Rush, Granger, Hansborough, Okafor lineup better than a Collison, Graner, George, Nene, Hibbert lineup? ( Indiana wants to use Nene next to Hibbet)

It's pretty clear from all reports that New Orleans is pushing for Curry or Gordon. They want a stud guard who can light it up. The c's would have to find another team with that kind of player , maybe someone like Tyreke Evans .

i agree that okafor's contract could be the sticking point.  im not sure if it's necessary for indiana to take on the contract for new orleans to pull the trigger on the deal, but i think the pacers might consider it if they thought they could be competitive in the east right away.  nene is likely to sign somewhere for $15 million a year and i doubt the pacers would match that. 

the answer to your question about the lineup is yes, i do think the pacers team as constructed after this trade would be better.  the difference between collison and rondo is enormous, and i don't think it would make sense for the pacers to pay $15 million a year to nene for the next 5 years.


with respect to curry and gordon, check the note i just added at the bottom of my post.  if the hornets have a chance to acquire a player like gordon or curry in a chris paul trade, i don't think the celtics have much of a chance of putting together a comparable offer.  but i have a feeling that gordon and curry might be totally off the table, in which case the celtics have a chance.

[Celtics4ever]

Still one of the more plausible trades ideas you will see here.

[Moranis]

Frankly I'd rather just trade Rondo for Collison, George, and Hibbert and keep our draft picks, Green, and Davis (I'd give them Bradley, Green, or Davis, and might throw in our first top 20 protected if that is what it took).

Gives the Celtics this season as the rotation (assuming Green goes to Indy in the trade)

PG - Collison, West
SG - Allen, West
SF - Pierce, George
PF - Garnett, Davis
C - Hibbert, O'Neal

With Bradley, Johnson, and F.A. as the bench, with guys like Moore, Brown, and F.A. in suits or in the DLeague.

That is still a top 4 team in the East and it begins the rebuilding process now at the same time.  It helps a great deal with the depth of the team and it also gives the Celtics pieces that a team might want in trades or sign and trades next summer, making the Celtics a bigger player next year. 

[heitingas]

Rondo,Bradley,Green S&T,Okafor to Indiana

Collison,Granger,Hibbert,Baby S&T and 1st from Bos to NOH

Chris Paul to Boston

[PosImpos]

Rondo,Bradley,Green S&T,Okafor to Indiana

Collison,Granger,Hibbert,Baby S&T and 1st from Bos to NOH

Chris Paul to Boston

i kind of doubt that the hornets would prefer granger to george, since granger is already 28 and would likely be 30+ by the time the hornets built their team back up to playoff contention.

[Who]

The Pacers make out like bandits and the Hornets get screwed.

[PosImpos]

The Pacers make out like bandits and the Hornets get screwed.

i tend to agree with you, but it seems like NBA GMs have a really high opinion of Paul George, so that's my thinking.

[CelticHooligan3]

Whats the consensus on Collison? I know he had that big rookie year in NO when CP went down but he kinda disappeared on the Pacers.

How high is this kids ceiling? Anybody know?

[PosImpos]

Whats the consensus on Collison? I know he had that big rookie year in NO when CP went down but he kinda disappeared on the Pacers.

How high is this kids ceiling? Anybody know?

statistically, collison's year in indiana wasn't actually that different from his year in NO.

[CelticHooligan3]

Whats the consensus on Collison? I know he had that big rookie year in NO when CP went down but he kinda disappeared on the Pacers.

How high is this kids ceiling? Anybody know?

statistically, collison's year in indiana wasn't actually that different from his year in NO.

Interesting thanks posimpos. Hes been handed the reigns there im just surprised he hasnt done more i guess. I thought he showed great potential.

[heitingas]

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=6uf6ngg

this will definitely get it done

Rondo,Bradley,Ariza,Baby S&T to Indiana

Hibbert,George,Collison,Green S&T to NOH

Chris Paul to Boston


EDIT:

http://basketball.realgm.com/tradechecker/saved_trade/5936987

Sacramento Kings take on Okafors contract and send Thompson to Boston and we give them Moore and that Nets 2nd round pick in 2014 or the Cavs 2nd rounder in 2013.

Then Bird signs Nene, doesn't take on Okafor but Ariza, good for all teams.

[PosImpos]

Whats the consensus on Collison? I know he had that big rookie year in NO when CP went down but he kinda disappeared on the Pacers.

How high is this kids ceiling? Anybody know?

statistically, collison's year in indiana wasn't actually that different from his year in NO.

Interesting thanks posimpos. Hes been handed the reigns there im just surprised he hasnt done more i guess. I thought he showed great potential.

i thought so, too, but i think his production as a starter filling in for chris paul in new orleans was a bit misleading.  they had an offense predicated around the point guard handling the ball for most of the shot clock and either passing to an open man or taking a shot himself. 

when cp3 went out and collison filled in, they didn't change the offense, they just slotted collison right into the same scheme.  he was talented enough to put up some nice looking numbers in that system, but he did so with much less efficiency.  collison isn't good enough (right now) to be a net positive for your team having that much control over the offense.  that's why he wasn't handed the reins in indiana the way he was in new orleans.

[Fafnir]

Whats the consensus on Collison? I know he had that big rookie year in NO when CP went down but he kinda disappeared on the Pacers.

How high is this kids ceiling? Anybody know?

statistically, collison's year in indiana wasn't actually that different from his year in NO.

Which is worrisome, his decision making needs to improve if he's going to become a top flight level PG that his talents indicate he could be.

He did a poor job running the offense for Indiana. You'd like to see improvement in a players second year when he's given minutes like that.