Pelicans Trade Draft Pick - Rumor

[ThePoeticWolf]

I found this article an interesting idea for the Celtics with plenty of draft picks we have. 

http://www.thebirdwrites.com/2016/2/23/11081096/2016-nba-draft-new-orleans-pelicans-trade-back-options-ben-simmons-buddy-hield-denzel-valentine

The Celtics part in this draft day trade.
Boston Celtics (Potentially Three First Round Picks)

Danny Ainge has the Brooklyn Nets pick (likely to be top five) along with the Dallas Mavericks pick (currently 17th) and the Celtics own (currently 23rd). There are also potential trade chips in the unguaranteed contracts of Amir Johnson and Jonas Jerebko. Both contracts guarantee on July 3rd but the Pelicans could "spend" some of their cap space by trying to include either (Johnson is a solid player that Boston might not have room for after fireworks this summer) in a potential trade. Boston has an absurd eight picks in the draft, including five of the first 35. There will be trades on draft night.

The trade: Pelicans send their pick to Boston for the Mavericks and Celtics picks. 17th and 23rd could be great depending on who is available. Maybe Dell Demps (or whoever the GM is) can try to get Johnson included as well. Asset consolidation for the Celtics is a matter of inevitability, there aren't enough roster spots.



This trade I like to do no matter what the price is whether it's Dallas's 1st and Boston's 1st and Johnson and Jerebko for the Pelican's 1st.  I do have an idea that I'd be more interested in doing.  In the article they bring up, "In 2012 the Dallas Mavericks traded Tyler Zeller (17th) to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Jared Cunningham (24th), Bernard James (33rd), and Jae Crowder (34th)."  I'm wondering if the Celtics could pull off a similar trade to this with the rest of the picks we have.  The trade I'd be trying to do is this break down if they'd be willing to go for this trade instead.  I'm using this site as the bases of where picks fall. 

http://www.nbadraft.net/2016mock_draft 


Pelicans Trades
2016 1st Pick (7th Pick)

Boston Trades
Dallas's 2016 1st Pick (17th Pick)
Philadelphia 2016 2nd RD (31st Pick) Not sure if team is right
Minnesota 2016 2nd RD (35th Pick) Not sure if team is right
Memphis 2016 2nd RD (47th Pick) Not sure if team is right
Amir Johnson
Jonas Jerebko

Why we do this trade is simple, we trade two picks and contracts to move up 10 spots roughly.  Mind you I'm still doing the trade if we have to trade both first but I rather give up only one 1st and three 2nd's.  We have plenty of players under contract but moving up to the 7th spot this way give us a player who I think would fit our system and scores, Buddy Hield.  Yes, we drafted RJ Hunter, James Young, Terry Rozier the past couple years but none of this players are the player Buddy Hield is showing he is. 

Celtics 1st Round (Could Turn Out Like This)
Brooklyn's 2016 Pick - 1-4 - Ben Simmons, Brandon Ingram, Dragan Bender or Jaylen Brown even though they say Kris Dunn which I don't think we'd draft another point guard.
New Orleans's 2016 Pick - 7 - Buddy Hield
Bostons's 2016 Pick - 22 - Damian Jones is who I'd take here they project him at 23 though. 

[slamtheking]

I wouldn't mind that deal in the least but I think for them to give up the 7th pick they'll want something of substance to add to their line-up.  probably Sully/Zeller/AB to go with that Dallas pick.  Probably have to include the C's pick as well instead of those second rounders.

[Ilikesports17]

I'd qualify this more as an idea then a rumor.

[Moranis]

I wouldn't mind that deal in the least but I think for them to give up the 7th pick they'll want something of substance to add to their line-up.  probably Sully/Zeller/AB to go with that Dallas pick.  Probably have to include the C's pick as well instead of those second rounders.

Sullinger and Zeller can't be traded on draft night.

[Quetzalcoatl]

I like that trade for both teams.  Amir is good, but he's totally replaceable.  I also would do it just because I feel bad for AD and his whole team stinks.  A bunch of late 1st rounders will probably outplay the guy they have now. Jerebko would be like their 5th or 6th best guy. 

In return, we get to draft Hield, Poeltl, Bender, Diamond Stone, Ellenson or Murray along with whoever we get with our Nets pick.  We also don't have to have a hundred rookies on our bench. 

The intangible of this trade though is that I love watching Antony Davis play and it's so painful to see anybody else with the ball right now.  Evans is garbage.  Asik is garbage.  I will not say anything about Perk because I love him with all my heart.  Ajinka is garbage.  Luke Babbit is garbage. 

[Ilikesports17]

Also didn't we learn last year that you can't package a couple mid firsts and early seconds to get into the top 10?

[max215]

Also didn't we learn last year that you can't package a couple mid firsts and early seconds to get into the top 10?

I think it depends greatly on the situation.

[Quetzalcoatl]

Also didn't we learn last year that you can't package a couple mid firsts and early seconds to get into the top 10?

We learned that MJ is a better player than GM.  Note that I used "is" and not "was" very intentionally

[BitterJim]

I wouldn't mind that deal in the least but I think for them to give up the 7th pick they'll want something of substance to add to their line-up.  probably Sully/Zeller/AB to go with that Dallas pick.  Probably have to include the C's pick as well instead of those second rounders.

Sully and Zeller wouldn't be available as trade chips, and I can't see Danny giving up AB, but the Dallas and Boston picks for the NO pick is a no brainer.  Throw in a couple seconds if needed

[Ilikesports17]

Also didn't we learn last year that you can't package a couple mid firsts and early seconds to get into the top 10?

We learned that MJ is a better player than GM.  Note that I used "is" and not "was" very intentionally

I agree and I'm not saying that 17 and 23 would be useless assets. However the biggest jump in the draft in the last few years has been the McDermott for 16 and 19.

If we want to get to pick #7, it will have to be a deal the like the hornets one where we send more like 4 or 5 picks rather than 2.

[Csfan1984]

I think the trade is totally off in terms of value. The picks and players don't equal that kind of jump. They would need a higher caliber player like Crowder and all those picks to deal a top ten pick away.

[CFAN38]

I really think the logic of this article is off. Trading out of the lottery when your roster is void of young talent seems counter intuitive. Now if the article instead targeted teams who can include young vets who can help Davis win now and a pick or two then I would agree. If the pick is 6-9 I don't think this draft will yield to many trade up offers from teams.


One non celtics idea I have would be a #7 pick and Asik for Brook Lopez swap.

The Nets would have to take in a bad contract in Asik but on a team void of young talent the pick could at least be the beginning of a young foundation. If Dunn is available they could have their long term PG solution. While they are at it Thad Young could net them addition picks and really start a young rebuild. If I was the nets GM I would try to gather youth and then over pay FA on 1-2 year deals to fill out the roster.

[PhoSita]

This is an interesting idea.  New Orleans is a team that's in exactly the opposite situation to the Celts -- they have one really awesome player, and very little in the way of a supporting cast for him.

Basically, New Orleans is precisely the type of team that would possibly say yes to the kind of trade package Danny offered Charlotte last year, to no avail.

Amir seems like he'd work well next to AD, and they could really use a handful of late 1sts / early 2nds to add some cheap rotation pieces.

Meanwhile, if Danny could secure two top 10 picks in this draft, that could provide some really nice ammo for further trades this summer to try and secure some established players.

[Vermont Green]

It is an idea (not sure it qualifies as rumor) that I am sure Danny Ainge will explore.  The number 7 pick in my opinion would command at a minimum the Dallas #1 and Celtics #1 and that would of course depend largely on where these end up.  Those two picks alone may not be enough but we have some other future seconds that may have enough value to get us there if these two picks end up high enough on the draft board.

I would be all for consolidating in this way if we could, assuming we get a player that Danny really likes at the higher pick.

[LarBrd33]

I don't get this idea.   

Why would a team give up a top 7 pick for a pick in the #17-23 range and some 2nd rounders?  Why would they want the unguaranteed contracts of Amir/Jerbeko?  So they can waive them instead of us? 

Maybe I missed something in in this idea.   Did you suggest us taking on bad contracts?  What's the incentive for New Orleans to fall back 10+ picks?  The lesson from the Boston/Charlotte trade was that picks in the 15-35 range have nowhere near the value of picks in the top 10.  We tried giving up four 1st rounders including the 2016 Brooklyn 1st just to move up from #16 to #9 and we were turned down.  Few teams would give up a top 7 pick for a couple in the late teens.

Here's an idea that makes more logical sense:

Boston's 2016 1st
Dallas' 2016 1st
Philly 2016 2nd
Amir's unguaranteed contract

For

NO's 2016 1st
Asik's awful contract

Why for Boston:  They trade a few weak draft picks for a valuable one
Why for New Orleans:  They fall back 10+ spots, but get rid of the dumpster-fire Asik contract.