Rumor: Celtics favorites to land Horford

[Cman]

I'll be honest...I saw the title of this and felt like a kid opening a huge present on Christmas day... Then saw it was Sherrod... Now it feels like that gift was coal

Even broken clocks are right twice a day?

[Neurotic Guy]

Well, it's fun to talk about something that is nearly a rumor. 

If C's can get him for any combo of Lee, Amir, C's #1, Dallas #1 -- I am on board.   No Brooklyn picks!

That said, I don't see the benefit to Atlanta unless they know they will lose Horford (which I doubt they know) for nothing.

Interesting that the Hawks are on;y 3.5 games out of the ninth spot, so they could easily slide into the lottery.  With the Dallas pick, they could hope for 2 lottery picks.  But still, they're not getting into the top 10.   Low value for Horford I think.

[colincb]

Steve Kyler weighs in,

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA 43m43 minutes ago

It lines up with the prevailing thought... but have not heard anything on Hawks decision.   

Later Kyler says he has no idea what the Hawks will finally decide to do. Jay King says that it would be no surprise either. Kyler said today that Celtics are among most active in the league even if we don't see it. No surprise to most of us i would think.

I'd rather have Love and his cheaper future contract myself, but Horford's a good player and we actually HAVE to find a way to use up cap. Between IT, AB, JC, and Smart the Cs have only 26M tied up in 2017-18 when the cap will be $108 million and the floor would be 90% of that. Probably want to re-sign KO for some number as an RFA too,

Obviously don't want to throw money away, but there would be worse places to spend than on a 4 time all-star with a versatile game. I think we're all going to have to adjust to these spikes in salary and have to trust that Ainge, Zarren, et al will figure out how to transition better than the rest.

[Eja117]

Well since he said it was according to "a league source" (what does that even mean?) that must mean...

[kozlodoev]

If C's can get him for any combo of Lee, Amir, C's #1, Dallas #1 -- I am on board.   No Brooklyn picks!

I've decided my limit is Lee + a low-impact first-rounder. If ATL doesn't like it, they may keep Horford and let him expire.

[LooseCannon]

Well since he said it was according to "a league source" (what does that even mean?) that must mean...

My guess is that it means someone who works in an official capacity with a team or the league office, as opposed to a player, agent, player entourage/family member, etc.

[TwinTower14]

Since this is Sherrod, look for Horford to sign an extension with the Hawks tonight.

[mahonedog88]

If C's can get him for any combo of Lee, Amir, C's #1, Dallas #1 -- I am on board.   No Brooklyn picks!

I've decided my limit is Lee + a low-impact first-rounder. If ATL doesn't like it, they may keep Horford and let him expire.

If that's as far as you're gonna go, then forget about Horford ever coming here.  If Ainge went to the Hawks with that exact trade proposal, the Hawks would interpret that as "oh...well then you don't really want him anyway"

So something tells me, you don't really want Horford anyway.  Cause that proposal you made is literally the equivalent to a bag of balls.  Atlanta's not stupid.

[Jon]

If C's can get him for any combo of Lee, Amir, C's #1, Dallas #1 -- I am on board.   No Brooklyn picks!

I've decided my limit is Lee + a low-impact first-rounder. If ATL doesn't like it, they may keep Horford and let him expire.

I think with mid first rounder we can be generous since we have so many of them. They are potentially worth more now than they are once we draft him and stash him in Maine all year. I mean, think about it, what would the Boston and Dallas picks (mid to late first rounders) be worth this year compared to what Rozier and Hunter (mid to late first rounders from last year) worth now? People like potential more than the reality.

[kozlodoev]

If C's can get him for any combo of Lee, Amir, C's #1, Dallas #1 -- I am on board.   No Brooklyn picks!

I've decided my limit is Lee + a low-impact first-rounder. If ATL doesn't like it, they may keep Horford and let him expire.

If that's as far as you're gonna go, then forget about Horford ever coming here.  If Ainge went to the Hawks with that exact trade proposal, the Hawks would interpret that as "oh...well then you don't really want him anyway"

So something tells me, you don't really want Horford anyway.  Cause that proposal you made is literally the equivalent to a bag of balls.  Atlanta's not stupid.

They're welcome to keep him then. He's not as good this year as he's been in the past -- and is a rental.

[ABOS (A bit of Sanity)]

Ultimately I really don't think ATL is trying too trade Horford. I think for the right price he could be had but that price is more then I think most of us would be willing to pay. It's more of a sure if you give a way above market offer then you can have him.

[Neurotic Guy]

If C's can get him for any combo of Lee, Amir, C's #1, Dallas #1 -- I am on board.   No Brooklyn picks!

I've decided my limit is Lee + a low-impact first-rounder. If ATL doesn't like it, they may keep Horford and let him expire.

You wouldn't send C's AND Dallas picks along with Lee?   I think I would.   And would add Zeller if it helped.   I think that's basically not that much for Horford and I doubt Hawks would give the green light.

If Horford can be had for the above, then what about Love using Brooklyn '16, Sully and Bradley (3-way with NO)?

[mahonedog88]

If C's can get him for any combo of Lee, Amir, C's #1, Dallas #1 -- I am on board.   No Brooklyn picks!

I've decided my limit is Lee + a low-impact first-rounder. If ATL doesn't like it, they may keep Horford and let him expire.

If that's as far as you're gonna go, then forget about Horford ever coming here.  If Ainge went to the Hawks with that exact trade proposal, the Hawks would interpret that as "oh...well then you don't really want him anyway"

So something tells me, you don't really want Horford anyway.  Cause that proposal you made is literally the equivalent to a bag of balls.  Atlanta's not stupid.

They're welcome to keep him then. He's not as good this year as he's been in the past -- and is a rental.

I mean, he's not a kid anymore, and you gotta worry a little bit about his injury history, but he's still pretty [dang] good and would fit in perfectly here.  You can't just look at what he's averaging, it's a different team, different situation.  Just ask Jae Crowder that going from Dallas to Boston.

Your point about him being a rental is a fair one, but that's a risk you gotta be willing to take.  Good to great players don't come here as free agents...they just don't.  The only chance you have of somebody signing here as a free agent is trading for someone in the last year of their deal, hope that the team plays well enough and he likes it here enough to the point where he can be convinced to sign here long term.

If your mindset on Horford being traded to here is what you say it is, then you're gonna be massively disappointed if/when it actually happens because some solid assets will be in this deal.

[CelticSooner]

This trade makes too much sense therefore it won't happen lol

If you can get him without giving up the moon go do it. He blends in well with the C's.

[kozlodoev]

I mean, he's not a kid anymore, and you gotta worry a little bit about his injury history, but he's still pretty [dang] good and would fit in perfectly here.  You can't just look at what he's averaging, it's a different team, different situation.  Just ask Jae Crowder that going from Dallas to Boston.

I'm not looking at what he's averaging, I'm looking at the nose dive in production, and its correlation with recent history of missed games. There's nothing remotely similar between this and keeping JC buried on the bench for a couple of seasons because you didn't know what you had in him.