Ray Allen Trade ideas

[Chief]

1. Ray, JO, & Bass for P. Gasol, Ebanks, Morris.

Celtics get the best player in the deal. Lakers get some cap flexibility next summer. Especially if they use the amnesty clause on Metta.


2. Ray, Dooling, JO, Wilcox plus #1 pick for Ariza, Jack, & Okafor

Celtics get a young wing, good big man, and backup pg. NO get cap flexibility and a draft pick. With that team trying to find new ownership, cap flexibility is very important.


3. Ray and Bradley for Gordon and Wallace and future #1.

Celtics get the shooter to replace Ray, some rebounding help, and a future #1. Pistons get cap flexibility and young pg.

[Chris]

Lakers don't do number 1.  They could get MUCH more for Gasol.

NOH won't do number 2.  They already have more cap space than they will be able to use next summer, Okafor has really value as a quality center, and Jack is a guy they would not trade unless they were getting a significant upgrade.

Celtics don't do number 3. Detroit looks poised to make a run at the playoffs this year with the way Frank has them playing, and Gordon's contract is too much to take on, given the teams aspirations for something better. 

[Jon]

The only way I trade any of the Big Three is if we get someone who is actually a potential building block for the future. 

Unfortunately, most of the suggestions people make are either

A) Unrealistic trades that other teams would scoff at.

B) Realistic trades that simply net us overpaid role players.

With A, the problem is obvious.  With B, the problem is multifaceted. 

First, if we're trading Ray or KG for role players, one of two things happens:

1) We trade them for role players who also expire this summer.

2) We trade them for role players that go beyond this year. 

In the case of 1, why bother?  We'll be at the same spot this summer.  With 2, it means we'll have to be paying 10 or 23 million dollars per year to role players beyond this summer.  And that's not a recipe for rebuilding success. 

Second, even if we find some "nice" players who are borderline building blocks, we have to ask whether we can afford to take on "good" players before we get great players.  Too often teams sink money into guys who will be the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th best players on the team before they address the 1st and 2nd, putting them into perpetual mediocrity. 

That's not what I want to see happen here. 

For the right deal, let's make it.  However, I'm not sure there's actually a deal out there that actually puts us in a better position than just hanging onto the Big Three. 

[Chief]

As Danny said, we are not trading Ray "superstar" Allen, we are trading his remnants. I think all three of these trades are very realistic and keep this team competing on a high level for a few more years.

**I do agree that the Lakers could get more for Gasol. This trade, however, gives them huge cap flexibilities for this summer. As popular as LA is for free agents, they could probably sign whoever they wanted to.

[Who]

I think you should lower your expectations. I'd be amazed if Danny could get that much for Ray.

[LooseCannon]

If cap flexibility is so valuable that those teams would make those deals with the Celtics, then Ainge would be an idiot to give up cap flexibility by making those trades.

[Chief]

If cap flexibility is so valuable that those teams would make those deals with the Celtics, then Ainge would be an idiot to give up cap flexibility by making those trades.

Cap flexibility is important if you are a hot FA destination(NY, LA), a team going nowhere with some big contracts, or a team for sale. Celtics are not any of these IMO. I guarantee if no trades are made, we spend most of our money on the old vets and kid with a heart problem. I would rather take my chances on trades.

[Chief]

I think you should lower your expectations. I'd be amazed if Danny could get that much for Ray.

It is amazing isn't it. Some people think we only trade if a superstar comes back and some people think Ray has little value to get anyone. Hopefully it is somewhere in the middle. I personally think Ray has some value. It has to be to the right team though.

[anthony83]

I do not understand anything, Ray Allen should not be traded, he is still the best shooter in the league. Ray and KG have to resign next year for less money(I don´t know) and they retire in Boston. Rondo should be traded.

[LarBrd33]

we'd be lucky to get a LATE 1st rounder and expiring contracts from the Bulls.

[Who]

we'd be lucky to get a LATE 1st rounder and expiring contracts from the Bulls.

A late first and expirings is exactly what I expect Ray's market value to be.

[Jon]

we'd be lucky to get a LATE 1st rounder and expiring contracts from the Bulls.

A late first and expirings is exactly what I expect Ray's market value to be.

Exactly.  So what's the point?  Teams are willing to give away late first rounders and since Ray's expiring, there's no value in taking back expiring deals.

I'd love to be wrong, but right now I'm not seeing the point in trading Ray.

[LooseCannon]

If cap flexibility is so valuable that those teams would make those deals with the Celtics, then Ainge would be an idiot to give up cap flexibility by making those trades.

Cap flexibility is important if you are a hot FA destination(NY, LA), a team going nowhere with some big contracts, or a team for sale. Celtics are not any of these IMO. I guarantee if no trades are made, we spend most of our money on the old vets and kid with a heart problem. I would rather take my chances on trades.

Cap flexibility is important for any team looking to improve in ways other than the draft.

The sort of deal I would want to make if I were going to sacrifice cap flexibility is to take on one of the worst contracts out there in exchange for an unprotected first round pick like what Cleveland did with Baron Davis.

The trade idea I have for Ray Allen is to wait until the off-season, convince Ray that he would be happy in Chicago, and work a double sign-and-trade of Ray Allen (three-year contract, third year unguaranteed) for Omer Asik with the Bulls throwing in Jimmy Butler or a first round pick.

For a late season trade, I have Allen and Stiemsma for Mehmet Okur, DeShawn Stevenson, and a second-round pick.  Maybe if you kick in enough cash and/or send a second rounder out that can become a first-round pick.

[LooseCannon]

Exactly.  So what's the point?  Teams are willing to give away late first rounders and since Ray's expiring, there's no value in taking back expiring deals.

There are reasonable deals, in theory, for trading Ray Allen for other expiring deals.  If you take back more salary and save a team a few million dollars, you charge them a draft pick for doing so.  If the Celtics want to save money, they compensate another team with a draft pick.  The Celtics should be doing the former, not the latter.

[Jon]

Exactly.  So what's the point?  Teams are willing to give away late first rounders and since Ray's expiring, there's no value in taking back expiring deals.

There are reasonable deals, in theory, for trading Ray Allen for other expiring deals.  If you take back more salary and save a team a few million dollars, you charge them a draft pick for doing so.  If the Celtics want to save money, they compensate another team with a draft pick.  The Celtics should be doing the former, not the latter.

But the only teams interested in Ray are teams that are already upper echelon teams.  So is it really worth breaking the Big Three up early for a late first round pick? 

Every year there are teams looking to give away late first round picks so they don't have to pay guaranteed contracts to mediocre players.  If Danny really want a late first round pick so badly, I'm sure he can simply get one as the draft approaches.