Still think we should try to trade for Larry Sanders...

[Moranis]

Here is a hypothetical. If sanders has all the potential to be a defensive anchor on a contender, and he only costs 10 mil per year, why would the Bucks trade him?

In this coming draft, if i am Milwaukee, i would grab Andrew Wiggins. That team needs a scoring wing in the worst way.

In theory, this is an intriguing line up:

knight
Mayo
Wiggins
Henson
Sanders

Top bench guys: Antetokounmpo, Pachulia, Delfino, Sessions.

Do the celtics have anything to offer to improve that team? If they traded for Sullinger, then they have a big hole at center, the hardest position to fill with a quality player.

It all depends on what the Bucks end up doing in the draft.  If they take Wiggins or Parker, then I think it plays out like you say and they don't move Sanders.  If, however, they end up taking Embiid, they may see that as a way to replace Sanders with a dirt-cheap alternative.

They may then look at Antetokounmpo as their SF solution.  In that mode, they are going to build from youth all around, obviously.  So they could be interested in a player like Sully plus picks to give them a young frontcourt threesome of Henson, Embiid & Sullinger  to build with up front.   They'd also have cash and picks to continue to build with.

Yeah if the Bucks pick Embiid, that would also be the only reason i would think the bucks would trade Sanders to the celtics.

The centerpiece from Boston would probably have to be Sullinger. So maybe a package of Sully, this year's 18th pick, and next year's Clipper pick, and Bass's expiring to round out the numbers would get it done. Both sides would have to consider this.

The Celtics could grab Randle with the 5th pick, maybe make a run at Gordon Hayward and start a team like this:

Rondo
Hayward
Green
Randle
Sanders

Then they could still try to lure a max player in the summer of 2016. Getting Sanders and resigning Rondo kills the 2015 cap space anyway.

In the end i dont think i make that move to get Sanders. I want to give this team either a shot at another lottery pick next year, or enough cap space to make an attempt at Love, Aldridge, M Gasol, Hibbert etc in 2015.

Anyway the first domino to fall is to find out what draft slot the Celtics get when ping pong day rolls around in May.

Sullinger and 2 firsts for Sanders is way way too much to give up for a guy who hasn't played much this year because he punched a window (or whatever) and messed up his hand.

[moiso]

As someone else said, Sanders is available for a reason.  Good defense, horrible offense, bad attitude, health issues and foul issues don't seem to add up to a net positive to me.

[CFAN38]

I'm really torn when it comes to Sanders.

the bad

-off court issues
-doesn't have long resume of production
-limited offense
-fouls to much
-poor ft shooter
-never played for winning team
-signed till end of 2018 season at 11mill per

the good

-still only 25
-elite rim protector due to athleticism and length
-ability to finish at rim
-has a lot of room to grow in a good organization
-potential to grow with Rondo at point
-skill set is a perfect match for Sully and KO


Earlier this season I was all for trading for Sanders and I still think he could potentially flourish as a center. The combo of solid ownership, a strong GM, a good coach and Rondo could really grow Sanders into a special player. However the risk associated with his contract negates that. He is the type of play this team desperately needs but comes with to much risk.

[Endless Paradise]

I think when all is said and done, Sanders' career path will greatly mimic that of Tyson Chandler.  It took Chandler seemingly forever to put things together, but eventually he did and for a stretch, he was one of the most dominant centers in the game.

[scotto1205]

Would Wallace, the Brooklyn pick, and the 76ers pick get it done?

[YoungOne87]

bass+bogans/anthony+first rounder

[nzea]

[
Basically, defensively, he is nowhere near KG's level in 2008.

We might not be able to get quite that picky with our future center. KG was one of the best defenders of all time, and the 2008 team was a statistically historically great defensive team, above many other championship teams.

Noah is probably the only player i would compare to KG's defense.

I get your point though. You want someone who does more than block shots.

Other centers that are at least good on D, and i think capable of anchoring a title team:

Howard
m Gasol
Hibbert
Duncan
Bogut
Asik

Guys that have potential:

Davis
Drummond
Jordan
Cousins
Favors
Chandler - can he turn back the clock and do it one more time?
Sanders

Cousins? He can't play D to save his life.

[Mr October]

[
Basically, defensively, he is nowhere near KG's level in 2008.

We might not be able to get quite that picky with our future center. KG was one of the best defenders of all time, and the 2008 team was a statistically historically great defensive team, above many other championship teams.

Noah is probably the only player i would compare to KG's defense.

I get your point though. You want someone who does more than block shots.

Other centers that are at least good on D, and i think capable of anchoring a title team:

Howard
m Gasol
Hibbert
Duncan
Bogut
Asik

Guys that have potential:

Davis
Drummond
Jordan
Cousins
Favors
Chandler - can he turn back the clock and do it one more time?
Sanders

Cousins? He can't play D to save his life.

I agree. But he has the physical tools to do so. If he can play for a good organization i think he can become acceptable in that phase of the game.

He is definitely a wrong player in a wrong environment in Sacramento. I would love to see things sour enough that he pops loose and becomes a Celtic a few years from now, provided they have good leadership in place.

Drummond is a bad defender too. Same goes for Favors. If they were good their teams would be better. Detroit and Utah are two of the biggest underachievers of the season.

Jordan finally gets it this year. Doc is getting through to him. Good coach.

[Endless Paradise]

Uhh, Utah wasn't supposed to be good at all this season, not sure how they're "underachievers."  You don't let Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap walk and take on $24+ million in a salary dump of bad/mediocre players (along with two first-rounders!) with the intent of being good. Are the Celtics underachieving?

They have the 29th ranked offense and a bunch of young, inexperienced players - that's why they're terrible.  Not because Favors is a bad defender; it's entirely the opposite with him.  He earned that contract purely because of his defense; the question was with his offense, which Utah believes will eventually come (as it is starting to do).

[LooseCannon]

I agree. But he has the physical tools to do so. If he can play for a good organization i think he can become acceptable in that phase of the game.

If he doesn't have the proper mindset, it really doesn't matter if he has the physical tools.  Sticking him in a "good" organization will probably not fix anything.  So, how would you evaluate his mental ability?

[Mr October]

Uhh, Utah wasn't supposed to be good at all this season, not sure how they're "underachievers."  You don't let Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap walk and take on $24+ million in a salary dump of bad/mediocre players (along with two first-rounders!) with the intent of being good. Are the Celtics underachieving?

They have the 29th ranked offense and a bunch of young, inexperienced players - that's why they're terrible.  Not because Favors is a bad defender; it's entirely the opposite with him.  He earned that contract purely because of his defense; the question was with his offense, which Utah believes will eventually come (as it is starting to do).

Fair enough. I overstepped Utah a little. They are probably right on target considering that they are in the West. Their players are young, and they are currently not that good.

Favors is being paid based on his potential. He needs to get stronger before being considered one of the good defensive bigs. There are very few of them. I like his potential though.

The celtics are also right on target. I thought they would win around 28 games before the season started.

[Mr October]

I agree. But he has the physical tools to do so. If he can play for a good organization i think he can become acceptable in that phase of the game.

If he doesn't have the proper mindset, it really doesn't matter if he has the physical tools.  Sticking him in a "good" organization will probably not fix anything.  So, how would you evaluate his mental ability?

I put Cousins mental ability in the range of Rasheed Wallace and Derrick Coleman. I put his physical skills in that range too, maybe more so because he is a legit center. Rasheed really came into his own on the Pistons. Coleman actually became a good role player on the Sixers.

Those 2 players were a distraction when they were on losing teams. And they were a load when they had good teammates, coaches.

*edit. Also a player like this can mature after several years in the NBA. On a much much smaller level, even Paul Pierce needed some maturing. Walker never got it. Rondo might be getting it.

[D.o.s.]

Pierce is essentially the poster child for someone "getting it".

Which is, of course, a completely arbitrary judgement call made by people who don't know the person they're referring to based on select snippets of information that other people who don't know the person they're referring to have offered up for public consumption.

It's bulletproof.

[Mr October]

Pierce is essentially the poster child for someone "getting it".

Which is, of course, a completely arbitrary judgement call made by people who don't know the person they're referring to based on select snippets of information that other people who don't know the person they're referring to have offered up for public consumption.

All i said was that he needed "some" maturing. Almost any young person does. 23 year old male athletes in particular aren't the poster example for maturity.

I don't believe that is an arbitrary call to make.

[Mr October]

Pulling things back on topic, if i could have a free acquisition of the players being discussed: Sanders, Cousins, Favors... I would take Cousins.