Who should the Celtics pursue this offseason?

[Smartacus]

Kawai Leonard is everything a wing in our system should be. He can play a top 5 player like Lebron or Durant to a stalemate and make their other pieces beat you. Especially with with the impending salary cap increase Kawai Leonard on a Max should be our number 1 priority.

And hey, he'd be the best free agent signing in Boston Celtics history.

But not the best player to actively choose to play for the Boston Celtics when the possibility of free agency was potentially available.

Agreed, absolutletly see the distinction. This is a time of unprecedented opportunity and flexibility that we haven't really had in years.

Leonard would be the first top 30 player in his prime to choose Boston. Just feel like he's a Stevens guy and with enough high character types you can gamble on someone like a Cousins.

[JHTruth]

Danny will pursue everyone in FA, he always does. I mean he pitched LeBron. He'll go Love first, then Monroe. Leonard seems pretty key to SA, doubt they let him go. I say draft WCS or Myles Turner, then get a PF upgrade, then go all-in for Durant in 2016..

[JHTruth]

It will have to be someone really good on a team that isn't good enough going forward to win the championship or the team is financially tied up.  So the candidates are:

LaMarcus Aldridge
Gordon Haywood
DeAndre Jordan
DeMarcus Cousins
Kawai Leonard
DeMar DeRozan
Greg Monroe

None of them are super realistic, but there is a chance for any of them.  I would give a huge offer to Kawai, although the Spurs will almost certainly match anything we can give.  I would give a huge offer to Monroe, but he will probably go to a bigger market.

I would also like to keep our draft pick if it's top 10, unless we get a really really tantalizing offer.  Everything is on the table, but we'd have to do it for someone really special.  Getting a good player on a rookie deal keeps us really flexible going forward.  I would probably trade it + Sully + Wallace for any of those guys above, though.

If we could get Kawai and Monroe and keep our pick I'd be elated, although come on that's not happening.

I ultimately think that we're going to have to swing a mega-trade for a disgruntled super star again.  I just don't think we're going to get a superstar via FA and drafting them takes forever.

Out of that list, Monroe is the most realistic. I'd love to pair him with WCS or Turner up front. Then you can use Sully and/or KO in a trade to get the franchise wing player we desperately need..

[bmac934]

Without question joel embiid or nerlens Noel

[rickyfan3.0...]

Most important position in the NBA right now is the 3 I think. Go get the best 2-way 3 you possibly can. Kawhi or Jimmy Butler? Then get the best rim protector you can through a sign-and-trade or the draft.

[Celtics4ever]

Without question joel embiid or nerlens Noel

Really, Embiid is possibly hurt again so there are plenty of questions regarding him.  Sore foot after a dunk nine month after the injury, he could be fine or be could be done, hard to tell.

[SHAQATTACK]

See who wins the title ......which team fail and break up......leads to dissatisfied possibilities.

And the DRAFT ....is important .....

Look where Cavs went ...from hopeless ......then winning draft .....gets them Love and LeBron

Cousins has the most talent , I guess he ll play one more year there and demand a trade .  The honey moon between him and Karl will be over by then.  Plus if HD is going to win or wants to win he needs to move on

[RAAAAAAAANDY]

Without question joel embiid or nerlens Noel

Really, Embiid is possibly hurt again so there are plenty of questions regarding him.  Sore foot after a dunk nine month after the injury, he could be fine or be could be done, hard to tell.

He was out there during warm ups dunking tonight, still a definite risk long term but looks like the panic surrounding the boot was a bit overblown.

[spikelovetheCelts]

We could get David Lee with our TPE for Rondo.
I think he would play hard next year to prove himself. He only has next year on his contract maybe they would take wallace too. What do you guys think?

[RAAAAAAAANDY]

We could get David Lee with our TPE for Rondo.
I think he would play hard next year to prove himself. He only has next year on his contract maybe they would take wallace too. What do you guys think?

I think if they're giving up Lee its to re-sign Green, not to take on salary.

[SHAQATTACK]

Aldridge is the best prepared upstairs ,  tuff , and works hard every night.  Never slacks .

[PAOBoston]

I like Leonard but I don't think we'll land him to due his restricted FA. SA will match anything. I'm not that keen on giving big money to playwr's like Monroe or Jordan because I don't think they are worth it. I believe that Ainge will still target K Love very hard in the offseason. Love seems like a perfect match for CBS' system. Then they can trade picks/Sully/etc for either a C or a SF.

[Lucky17]

We could get David Lee with our TPE for Rondo.
I think he would play hard next year to prove himself. He only has next year on his contract maybe they would take wallace too. What do you guys think?

I think if they're giving up Lee its to re-sign Green, not to take on salary.

GSW wouldn't be taking on salary if they traded Lee to Boston for nothing (into the Rondo TPE). Unfortunately, the Rondo TPE isn't large enough; Lee's contract is for $15 mil (more than $3 mil larger than the TPE).

However, in general, it's an interesting idea: using the TPE to take on a young veteran player on a large expiring salary, and presumably some sweetener (draft considerations). Kick the can down the road one year, and go into the summer of 2016 with massive amounts of cap room.

[RAAAAAAAANDY]

We could get David Lee with our TPE for Rondo.
I think he would play hard next year to prove himself. He only has next year on his contract maybe they would take wallace too. What do you guys think?

I think if they're giving up Lee its to re-sign Green, not to take on salary.

GSW wouldn't be taking on salary if they traded Lee to Boston for nothing (into the Rondo TPE). Unfortunately, the Rondo TPE isn't large enough; Lee's contract is for $15 mil (more than $3 mil larger than the TPE).

However, in general, it's an interesting idea: using the TPE to take on a young veteran player on a large expiring salary, and presumably some sweetener (draft considerations). Kick the can down the road one year, and go into the summer of 2016 with massive amounts of cap room.

That was in reference to them taking Wallace.

[JBcat]

With playing Indiana tonight I was thinking about Paul George.  Maybe not within the next year, but I could see in a couple years he might be on the table for a trade with Indiana being an older team without many assets.