Looks like we snagged Wright just at the right time. Didn't even need to showcase him in order for him to turn into an asset that could be upgraded into a lottery pick. A 4th overall pick, at that, nice! Granted, that was two years ago, and Waiters is a volume chucker, but he still possesses some high-lotto pedigree, and he's under contract for another year, and on this Celtics squad the rest of the season he could average 20 points like he did late last season, perhaps not be too inefficient if his 3PT% can approach 40 again, all the while not helping the Celtics actually win too much and slip down in the lottery, and then over the summer he can be bundled with other players/picks for an even better asset. It's a perfect buy-low opportunity. Let Ainge do his paperclip thing. Forget about how Waiters will fit long-term plans, or whether Bradley is a better overall player when defense is considered, or whether Waiters would encroach on Smart's minutes. It's all showcase, all the time, for the foreseeable future. You want a 4th overall pick, here is a recent one, not a bust yet, still hyped, with lots of 20+ point games in the last calendar year. Forget chemistry, forget character. Acquire assets, develop assets, upgrade assets. Wash, rinse, repeat.
I'd love to get Waiters. He's a talented scorer who probably just needs to find a system and coach that works for him. Whether or not he ever does is not our problem. We just need to make him look good for half a season.
He could probably average 15-20 PPG on our team even if he wasn't starting. I'm hoping Stevens' offense would enhance his efficiency and inflate his offensive averages. Offenses that crank out close to 100 possessions a game and stress ball movement usually do. It's exactly why Evan Turner looked great on the Sixers, terrible on the Pacers and now pretty good again on the Cs. It's also why MCW's stats probably make him look better than he really is. Smart move by Brett Brown and Hinkie for the tanking years.
Boost Waiters' value and package him with our pick to move up in the Draft. If Detroit or NYK are ahead of us, I can totally see them biting.
Ditto. We definitely need a go to guy, and Waiters has an excellent handle and can create his own shot, which is more than you can say for anyone else on our current roster. In addition to needing a 'rim protector'
, lol
, Cleveland also needs a better backup point guard. Hmm, now who could possibly help there, lol (sarcasm)? Honestly, I wish that we could trade Bradley for Waiters, because AB would be great for them, imo, but he can't be moved until later, so humbug!
Ideally, I'd give them Wright, Nelson, and Bradley, for Waiters and the trade exception or whatever else is needed to make the salaries work, but the first two guys can't be traded with another player, and Bradley can't be moved until later (I just can't remember when, exactly, lol.). That could be an interesting core, moving forward, of Smart, Waiters, and Young, but whatever. As far as Cleveland's severe lack of interior defense, what's Greg Oden doing these days (sarcasm)?
Oh, and I don't want to get Poindexter (sarcasm)
back in any kind of deal. It's nothing against him, personally, but that contract is just, ugh, haha, and we don't need any other deals like that of Gerald Wallace on the books, lol.