Spice Up 2013 With Trade For Pau

[Moranis]

1. With Melo in the trade, the Celtics reduce their salary level by 2.3 million that should bring them below the 71.5 million tax line.
2. It reduces the overload of extra bodies at the center/pf position, while leaving the remaining players with well-defined roles.
3. It gives the Celtics 4 players who can create their own shot - Rondo, Green, Gasol, Olynyx, with Brooks a possibility as well.
4. It creates two versatile front lines that can spread the floor, while working the ball inside-out because it has multiple post-up threats.
5. It doesn't cost any players part of the Celtics' long-term plans, while adding a needed 4th scorer, a proven veteran presence, and a proven post-up scorer.

And yet the trade doesn't get Boston to any where near a contender, which does nothing except make the draft position next year worse.  If Pau was younger, then sure it would make sense, but bringing him in for a year (which is all he would be here) is just silly.  It is not a rebuilding trade and it doesn't make Boston a contender.  Those trades should not be made, even if Boston gets rid of Wallace. 

And as I said, LA will not take on crappy salary past this year under any circumstance so it will never happen.

While you are correct that LA will not take on bad long-term salary, I disagree on the utility of acquiring Pau.

Pau is 33 - if KG and Duncan are representative of the rest of his career arc, he could have 4+ good seasons in him.

You add Pau to Rondo, Green, Bradley and you are closer to being a contender with a decent sized window to add another big piece.

I don't see that team is being close to a title especially with Pau's age and injury history.   Pau has never been durable.  He has played 12 seasons, 4 of the 12 he has been under 80% of the games and another he was just above it.  And he is coming off his least healthy season in his entire career.  We aren't talking about a guy like Shaq, Duncan, KG that when he plays can be a difference maker.  Pau was a very good player but was never elite and he has gotten progressively worse the last few seasons before missing nearly half the season last year.

Pau's health has been pretty solid - certainly better than KG's at the same age.  His health issues are relatively minor.

And I think you're underselling his impact.  He's one of the game's best low-post scorers, a great passer and facilitator, a good rebounder and a decent enough defender (when playing at the 5).  He was a cornerstone piece to a team that made the Finals 3 straight years, going toe-to-toe with Duncan, Dirk, Howard and KG and winning his fair share of those match-ups.

His decline has been greatly exaggerated because he's been playing out of position for the last three years to accommodate paint behemoths Bynum and Howard.  Check out his positional production at 82games.com.  Night and day between the 4 and the 5, especially defensively.

A Rondo/Bradley/Green/Sully/Pau quintet compares pretty neatly to the Grizzlies squad that made the WCF, only with more salary flexibility and less luxury tax aversion to add the next couple pieces to take it into true contender territory.

That team isn't anywhere near the Grizzlies.  Not even close.  Randolph and the younger Gasol are just so much better on both ends of the floor then anything Boston would have you can't compare the teams. 

And KG in his first 12 seasons never played less than 76 games (except for the 47 in 50 game season of 99).  The last few years he has been a lot less durable, which tends to make sense since he is older.  Pau is always hurt and always misses a ton of games.  That isn't going to improve with age.  And Pau may be slightly better at center but you can't use his splits because when he plays center he does so against second stringers.  2 years ago he was primarily a PF and had pretty similar numbers to 3 years ago when he played a lot more at C.  He is declining because he is old and injured.  He may be less injured but he isn't going to be less old.

Pau doesn't make sense for this team at all.  He doesn't get Boston anywhere near a title contending team next year and he is too old to be a component/asset/whatever going forward.  I just don't see wrecking the draft position this year for a guy like Pau even if you do get out from under Wallace (who the Lakers would never take anyway so the it isn't worth discussing).

[Vermont Green]

Pau doesn't make sense for this team at all.  He doesn't get Boston anywhere near a title contending team next year and he is too old to be a component/asset/whatever going forward.  I just don't see wrecking the draft position this year for a guy like Pau even if you do get out from under Wallace (who the Lakers would never take anyway so the it isn't worth discussing).

This trade would never be about Pau making us a title contender.  It is about swapping parts so that both rosters make a little more sense.  I actually don't think the Celtics are going to tank but think about playing well in a different perspective. 

If they can start the season with Wallace (I have a different Pau trade where we send Hump., Bass and Melo) and Pau starting and actually play well (as individuals and as a team).  What would happen is that you increase their trade value, in essense increase the equity we have in our "assest".

Then you trade Wallace for some value (and maybe Pau too but he would be harder) and then start to tank.  You might end up getting the best of both worlds.  You get some value for Wallace and you get a high draft pick.

I actually like the Pau trade and have suggested it in other threads.

[Moranis]

Pau doesn't make sense for this team at all.  He doesn't get Boston anywhere near a title contending team next year and he is too old to be a component/asset/whatever going forward.  I just don't see wrecking the draft position this year for a guy like Pau even if you do get out from under Wallace (who the Lakers would never take anyway so the it isn't worth discussing).

This trade would never be about Pau making us a title contender.  It is about swapping parts so that both rosters make a little more sense.  I actually don't think the Celtics are going to tank but think about playing well in a different perspective. 

If they can start the season with Wallace (I have a different Pau trade where we send Hump., Bass and Melo) and Pau starting and actually play well (as individuals and as a team).  What would happen is that you increase their trade value, in essense increase the equity we have in our "assest".

Then you trade Wallace for some value (and maybe Pau too but he would be harder) and then start to tank.  You might end up getting the best of both worlds.  You get some value for Wallace and you get a high draft pick.

I actually like the Pau trade and have suggested it in other threads.

I think if we did something like Humphries, Crawford, and Melo the Lakers might have an interest as it would save them money this year and they would get 2 young players to take a look at.  Boston can't do that trade without unloading another contract elsewhere though as that would put them above the apron.

And again I'm not saying I would do it if I was Boston, but I would at least consider it.

[gpap]

1. With Melo in the trade, the Celtics reduce their salary level by 2.3 million that should bring them below the 71.5 million tax line.
2. It reduces the overload of extra bodies at the center/pf position, while leaving the remaining players with well-defined roles.
3. It gives the Celtics 4 players who can create their own shot - Rondo, Green, Gasol, Olynyx, with Brooks a possibility as well.
4. It creates two versatile front lines that can spread the floor, while working the ball inside-out because it has multiple post-up threats.
5. It doesn't cost any players part of the Celtics' long-term plans, while adding a needed 4th scorer, a proven veteran presence, and a proven post-up scorer.

And yet the trade doesn't get Boston to any where near a contender, which does nothing except make the draft position next year worse.  If Pau was younger, then sure it would make sense, but bringing him in for a year (which is all he would be here) is just silly.  It is not a rebuilding trade and it doesn't make Boston a contender.  Those trades should not be made, even if Boston gets rid of Wallace. 

And as I said, LA will not take on crappy salary past this year under any circumstance so it will never happen.

I definitely agree the Lakers wouldn't do this deal for the reason you mentioned.

However, for the Celtics, I disagree about this not making them a contender.

I've always been a big Gasol fan as he's a very productive post-up player.

I think a Rondo/Bradley/Green/Sully/Gasol team could and would be very competitive and
even better than what the Celtics were, last year.

[snively]

1. With Melo in the trade, the Celtics reduce their salary level by 2.3 million that should bring them below the 71.5 million tax line.
2. It reduces the overload of extra bodies at the center/pf position, while leaving the remaining players with well-defined roles.
3. It gives the Celtics 4 players who can create their own shot - Rondo, Green, Gasol, Olynyx, with Brooks a possibility as well.
4. It creates two versatile front lines that can spread the floor, while working the ball inside-out because it has multiple post-up threats.
5. It doesn't cost any players part of the Celtics' long-term plans, while adding a needed 4th scorer, a proven veteran presence, and a proven post-up scorer.

And yet the trade doesn't get Boston to any where near a contender, which does nothing except make the draft position next year worse.  If Pau was younger, then sure it would make sense, but bringing him in for a year (which is all he would be here) is just silly.  It is not a rebuilding trade and it doesn't make Boston a contender.  Those trades should not be made, even if Boston gets rid of Wallace. 

And as I said, LA will not take on crappy salary past this year under any circumstance so it will never happen.

While you are correct that LA will not take on bad long-term salary, I disagree on the utility of acquiring Pau.

Pau is 33 - if KG and Duncan are representative of the rest of his career arc, he could have 4+ good seasons in him.

You add Pau to Rondo, Green, Bradley and you are closer to being a contender with a decent sized window to add another big piece.

I don't see that team is being close to a title especially with Pau's age and injury history.   Pau has never been durable.  He has played 12 seasons, 4 of the 12 he has been under 80% of the games and another he was just above it.  And he is coming off his least healthy season in his entire career.  We aren't talking about a guy like Shaq, Duncan, KG that when he plays can be a difference maker.  Pau was a very good player but was never elite and he has gotten progressively worse the last few seasons before missing nearly half the season last year.

Pau's health has been pretty solid - certainly better than KG's at the same age.  His health issues are relatively minor.

And I think you're underselling his impact.  He's one of the game's best low-post scorers, a great passer and facilitator, a good rebounder and a decent enough defender (when playing at the 5).  He was a cornerstone piece to a team that made the Finals 3 straight years, going toe-to-toe with Duncan, Dirk, Howard and KG and winning his fair share of those match-ups.

His decline has been greatly exaggerated because he's been playing out of position for the last three years to accommodate paint behemoths Bynum and Howard.  Check out his positional production at 82games.com.  Night and day between the 4 and the 5, especially defensively.

A Rondo/Bradley/Green/Sully/Pau quintet compares pretty neatly to the Grizzlies squad that made the WCF, only with more salary flexibility and less luxury tax aversion to add the next couple pieces to take it into true contender territory.

That team isn't anywhere near the Grizzlies.  Not even close.  Randolph and the younger Gasol are just so much better on both ends of the floor then anything Boston would have you can't compare the teams. 

And KG in his first 12 seasons never played less than 76 games (except for the 47 in 50 game season of 99).  The last few years he has been a lot less durable, which tends to make sense since he is older.  Pau is always hurt and always misses a ton of games.  That isn't going to improve with age.  And Pau may be slightly better at center but you can't use his splits because when he plays center he does so against second stringers.  2 years ago he was primarily a PF and had pretty similar numbers to 3 years ago when he played a lot more at C.  He is declining because he is old and injured.  He may be less injured but he isn't going to be less old.

Pau doesn't make sense for this team at all.  He doesn't get Boston anywhere near a title contending team next year and he is too old to be a component/asset/whatever going forward.  I just don't see wrecking the draft position this year for a guy like Pau even if you do get out from under Wallace (who the Lakers would never take anyway so the it isn't worth discussing).

I think Pau is still better than his younger brother - trendy opinions notwithstanding.  Z-Bo's better than Sully, but Rondo's better than Conley and Green is better than Prince (or at least the version of Prince that showed up for the Grizzly playoff run).  And the model is the same - a very quick perimeter defense working in tandem with a slow but smart and sizable frontline; offensively, a diversified attack depending on guard penetration and high-low action between the bigs who can play inside and out.

And your definition of always injured is awfully broad.  Pau played near complete seasons back-to-back before last year's tendinitis issues.  Nor was he showing signs of major decline. Once he got healthy, he put up 15/10/5 to finish off the season, including a remarkable 17/12/6 in 8 April games to bring the Lakers roaring back into the playoffs.

[Celtics4ever]

Pau's better years are behind him.  I would rather tank and lose every game than have a goat faced Laker on this team.

[Bankshot]

Pau's better years are behind him.  I would rather tank and lose every game than have a goat faced Laker on this team.

He's a llama, not a goat.