Offseason Options - Butler, Aldridge, Gasol

[celtics3487]

I'll try to make this brief -
We've begun to focus on the wrong thing here, I think. I seriously doubt that many players here are developing into serious role players in the NBA. Let's call a spade a spade. Except for Zeller, I'm seeing a bunch of highly flawed, upside and downside bench players. Avery is volume shooting defensive whiz. Green is a streaky sixth man. Bass is, at best, a 3rd option off the bench. Sullinger is an out of shape and malcontented power forward who can't quite jump like a pf. Sully at his best could be zack Randolph but he reeks of a guy with commitment issues. Olynyk seems like a smart player and could be a scorer, but definitely lacks athleticism.

Anyway - MOST good to great players in the nba are pretty obviously good from the moment they step on the floor. Look at Jabari Parker for example.

So, taking this all into account,  putting it together with how Ainge has been setting up his hand, and taking into consideration his past tendency to make big moves, I think Danny intends on big trades or big free agent signings.

It annoys me when people say basketball players don't want to come to Boston. Why not? Since when? According to whom? Baseball players come here. Football players come here. Hockey players come here. And this offseason we will have more money than nearly any other team to spend on high end elite talent.

Jimmy Butler is a restricted free agent. He is number 3 on Hollinger ratings of SGs. That would slot Bradley into his more appropriate bench role. Lemarcus Aldridge is, I believe, number 5 for PF on hollinger stats and an UFA. Marc Gasol I'd, I think, number 2 for centers on the Hollinger list and is also an UFA. We likely have salary to offer two max deals AND the new TV money will be coming in, allowing payrolls to go up. Fill in the team year by year with Fresh talent using the multitude of picks and trade away extra players on expiring contracts for picks year by year. ONLY THEN will Stevens and Ainge be able to implement a Popovichtype system  in Boston.

Also note that there are other high end talents coming through. After next season, Anthony Davis will be RFA and if the Pelicans aren't contending he may want out.

Quite honestly, a sport like baseball is more useful to have realism in for your teams acquisitions, due to the fact the team is much larger and therefore each players role much smaller - a team can be built on chchemistry and shrewd incremental decisions.

Basketball on the other hand should have its fanbases pushing for high end talent year in and year out. If we pessimistically say "well, no free agent is coming here." And "in 5 years one of these kids will be a nba starter!" Or "if Brooklyn keeps going downhill, our picks in 3 years will be solid" then you've got a losers mentality.
Hey maybe that's why free agents don't come here. Maybe this stuff trickles to them. I mean, there was a time when no one wanted to go to Oklahoma. Now players are excited for a chance to win.

Snag a big fish and use that fish to lure others. Let's be positive and start asking for some big and impressive changes!

[jr_3421]

I have a feeling, and I know people are going to hate this, that our best option is to get a "top tier" free agent is DeAndre Jordan. I think the teams able to pay for a big will be going after Gasol and Aldridge giving the C's an opportunity snag DA behind everyone's back. Even though he has his flaws, he would bring credibility to the C's and make it easier for someone like Jimmy Butler to sign with us.

[obnoxiousmime]

Remember, the new TV deal will raise the salary cap for all teams, so Boston won't have an advantage there. In fact, the advantage is with the established teams to keep their stars since they won't need to worry about the luxury tax in another year. Not to mention the incumbent teams have Bird rights. The rules and the fact that the cap is due for a massive rise helps the good teams stay good.

One just has to look at history to know that the Celtics don't do well in free agency. However, the main issue is not that the city of Boston is so undesirable but that the team is bad. You started off your post talking about how our current talent is overrated. Well, what do you think potential free agents are seeing? They want to play with stars, not be stuck on a rebuilding team. I guarantee you that the top FAs will all be getting the maximum allowable offer from their original teams. If the Celtics can't compete on price, they have no other selling point.

Let's just forget about these names:

Marc Gasol
DeAndre Jordan
Jimmy Butler
Draymond Green
LaMarcus Aldridge

They're not going anywhere and even if they do it won't be to Boston. You can't outbid for someone who's already going to get a max offer. Unless some of these players are secretly from the Boston area we have no shot at signing any of them.

[jonaslopes]

They could come to Boston, but not after we trade Rondo. Almost everybody here wanted the guy to go, now don't complain. Our rebuild is another one, a fully one. Think about 2018, 2019, 2020. That's our new reality.

[2short]

They could come to Boston, but not after we trade Rondo. Almost everybody here wanted the guy to go, now don't complain. Our rebuild is another one, a fully one. Think about 2018, 2019, 2020. That's our new reality.

agree, long rebuild or:
what ainge has to do is make a draft pick/asset package and overpay for someone to start momentum of getting quality players to come to boston
lemarcus aldridge would really want to come to boston in the current state of the celtics team?  i don't care if we pay him ONE MILLION dollars a year!    he won't come

[CFAN38]

Remember, the new TV deal will raise the salary cap for all teams, so Boston won't have an advantage there. In fact, the advantage is with the established teams to keep their stars since they won't need to worry about the luxury tax in another year. Not to mention the incumbent teams have Bird rights. The rules and the fact that the cap is due for a massive rise helps the good teams stay good.

One just has to look at history to know that the Celtics don't do well in free agency. However, the main issue is not that the city of Boston is so undesirable but that the team is bad. You started off your post talking about how our current talent is overrated. Well, what do you think potential free agents are seeing? They want to play with stars, not be stuck on a rebuilding team. I guarantee you that the top FAs will all be getting the maximum allowable offer from their original teams. If the Celtics can't compete on price, they have no other selling point.

Let's just forget about these names:

Marc Gasol
DeAndre Jordan
Jimmy Butler
Draymond Green
LaMarcus Aldridge

They're not going anywhere and even if they do it won't be to Boston. You can't outbid for someone who's already going to get a max offer. Unless some of these players are secretly from the Boston area we have no shot at signing any of them.

x2

Only one on that list who has any potential to be moved in Jordan. That will only happen if Doc thinks his core needs a shake up.

[TheTruthFot18]

Let's just forget about these names:

Marc Gasol
DeAndre Jordan
Jimmy Butler
Draymond Green
LaMarcus Aldridge

They're not going anywhere and even if they do it won't be to Boston. You can't outbid for someone who's already going to get a max offer. Unless some of these players are secretly from the Boston area we have no shot at signing any of them.

Aside from Green and Butler, I don't think any of those players teams are going to win it all, nevermind make it to the finals. Portland is like the Hawks of the past few years (but better because of the west) and are always there but never all the way. Clippers have a similar issue but I never bought the hype with that team. And Memphis has the defense (maybe better) than the 08 Celtics but don't have anyone close to a Pierce or Ray who can take over an entire game on offense.

That being said, next year is IMO the 3rd year of the rebuild, not the start of a new dynasty. Our young guys are still too young and raw and while we stay low in the standings our draft picks are more valuable here and to other teams.

[obnoxiousmime]

Let's just forget about these names:

Marc Gasol
DeAndre Jordan
Jimmy Butler
Draymond Green
LaMarcus Aldridge

They're not going anywhere and even if they do it won't be to Boston. You can't outbid for someone who's already going to get a max offer. Unless some of these players are secretly from the Boston area we have no shot at signing any of them.

Aside from Green and Butler, I don't think any of those players teams are going to win it all, nevermind make it to the finals. Portland is like the Hawks of the past few years (but better because of the west) and are always there but never all the way. Clippers have a similar issue but I never bought the hype with that team. And Memphis has the defense (maybe better) than the 08 Celtics but don't have anyone close to a Pierce or Ray who can take over an entire game on offense.

That being said, next year is IMO the 3rd year of the rebuild, not the start of a new dynasty. Our young guys are still too young and raw and while we stay low in the standings our draft picks are more valuable here and to other teams.

By all accounts Gasol loves Memphis and why would he leave when the team is doing so well? I don't think players think the same way in terms of "well my team is doing well but are they REALLY a contender?" The fact is they are doing well enough so that leaving for a supposed better situation is no guarantee of appreciably better odds at a title.

In terms of Jordan, the Clippers don't really have any other option to improve their team, so they have to either deal him now or sign/trade in the offseason. If the Celtics have any shot at getting him, it will be in a sign and trade only we don't have any "win now" players the Clippers would want. A third team would then have to be involved. As flawed as Jordan is as a player, they have no other option to fill in that center position. Trading him and not getting a center back would just be creating another hole.

Forget about Aldridge, this Blazers team is really tight. Portland will keep Aldridge by giving him the max but I could see an overpay offer to Lopez or Matthews giving them pause. Even though Lopez and Matthews really like Portland they also both have never had a humongous deal. Their next deal is going to be the biggest of their careers so it may be possible to entice them. That being said, I don't think either is really worth a crazy overpay.

[TwinTower14]

I wonder if the GSW want to resign Green if they will be able to keep Barnes??  I wonder if Danny could make a move there and slot him as the SF of the future?

[obnoxiousmime]

I wonder if the GSW want to resign Green if they will be able to keep Barnes??  I wonder if Danny could make a move there and slot him as the SF of the future?

It's possible that Barnes would become available even if they manage to deal Lee and re-sign Green. Is he really that good though? Also, I thought everybody was high on James Young who is clearly a 3.

[jonaslopes]

I wonder if the GSW want to resign Green if they will be able to keep Barnes??  I wonder if Danny could make a move there and slot him as the SF of the future?

It's possible that Barnes would become available even if they manage to deal Lee and re-sign Green. Is he really that good though? Also, I thought everybody was high on James Young who is clearly a 3.

"Clearly a 3"? Not for me.

[obnoxiousmime]

I wonder if the GSW want to resign Green if they will be able to keep Barnes??  I wonder if Danny could make a move there and slot him as the SF of the future?

It's possible that Barnes would become available even if they manage to deal Lee and re-sign Green. Is he really that good though? Also, I thought everybody was high on James Young who is clearly a 3.

"Clearly a 3"? Not for me.

Maybe not clearly, for some reason I thought he was taller than 6'6''. They do seem intent on developing him there. Perhaps they think his defense isn't good enough to guard 2s? Honestly, I haven't seen enough of him to have an opinion.

[Celtics4ever]

I want to see what we draft or trade for with the picks before we come up with a free agent plan.

I would not get hopes up on a free agent coming to the cold.   We will see it is hotly debated here in the past.   We will finally find out if cash wins or the weather.

[GzUP617]

  TP for telling it like it is,   But I'd rather go the Minnesota wolves route and let the young guys play and learn and draft out future stars.

[KCattheStripe]

Why would any of those three guys leave the team they're on?