Next Years Team That Can Win It All

[OHCeltic]

PG-I.Thomas     E.Turner
SG-J.Crowder    M. Smart
SF-K.Durant      L. Thomas (F/A)
PF-S.Ibaka         K.Olynyk
C--R.Lopez        T.Zeller

Trade this years picks in any combination to get Ibaka and Lopez to lure K.Durant to sign in Boston.
If Durant doesn't sign then go after DeRozan or Batum and move Crowder to SF.

[Quetzalcoatl]

Ibaka is regressing fast, Durant can be had as a FA and Robin Lopez is a role player.  I also think Crowder would do better as a 4 in Steven's system than as a 2.  I also think that the Spurs in particular would win 99 times out of a 100 in a playoff series. 

So I definitely wouldn't give up our Nets' pick for Ibaka and I wouldn't give up much of anything for Lopez.

[pearljammer10]

I'd rather sign Horford and make an attempt at Durant as free agents as opposed to using assets on Ibaka and Lopez.

IT/Rozier
Bradley/Smart
Crowder/Turner
Durant/KO
Horford/Mickey

With Brook pick, Dallas pick, Celtics pick, and four seconds to use as bait with our other young assets to fill out the roster. (Bradley, Johnson, Brooklyn, Dallas, and Celtics pick plus multiple seconds for Jimmy Butler.)

[Csfan1984]

I am for an Ibaka and AB swap (throw in JJ for filler) if C's draft Heild and can't make a deal for a star. Wouldn't give up any picks though.

[loco_91]

No thanks. Ibaka in particular has had a horrible season. My pipedream is to trade AB + a boatload of picks (including Bkn '16) for Jimmy Butler, sign Horford + Durant, and you've got:

IT/Smart
Butler/Smart
KD/Crowder
Crowder/Olynyk
Horford/Olynyk.

This team isn't nearly as deep as this year's, with only 7 above-average players. However, it's an outrageously talented starting lineup. I don't think there will be cap space to bring back any of Amir, Sully, Jerebko, Zeller or Turner. We'll be counting on guys like Mickey, Rozier, Hunter, and a couple rookies to step up; I think there's good odds that at least one or two of them will step up and play decently well in 20mpg. Another question mark is whether Horford is willing to play C full-time; I'm guessing he'd be happy to do it for a chance at multiple rings.

[mgent]

I feel like we can win it all if we sign ANY max FA and keep the rest of our team.

We don't need any other pieces, just a little bit more talent.

[PhoSita]

If you're talking about winning it all, you're suggesting that the team could beat the Warriors or Spurs in a seven-gamer.

The Celts are a few major moves and a couple years of playoff experience away from that.

[smiggity]

My favorite possible* 2016/17 Celtics NBA Title contender scenario is that a trade for Jimmy Butler entices Durant and Horford to team up in Boston.

PG: IT/Rozier
SG: Butler/Bradley/Hunter
SF: Durant/Young
PF: Crowder/Mickey
C:  Horford/Olynyk

In this scenario, the Celtics obtain Jimmy Buckets by trading Smart, A. Johnson (for salary), BKN 2016 1st (most likely #5), Dallas 2016 1st (mostly likely #12), and BOS 2017 1st (which really is the BKN 2017 1st because it comes with swap rights). The Celtics still have double max (or close enough) space so Durant and Horford are persuaded to team up in Green. Although not reflected in the sceanrio above, I would also try to trade Bradley for a floor spacing PG, so that IT could come off the bench as the 6th man. The Celtics can fill in the roster with their remaining 2016 picks.

* but highly unlikely

[nickagneta]

I like the idea we trade all the Celtics and Mavs 2016 picks, the Nets 2018 pick and the Nets swap in 2017, Amir, Young and Jerebko to the Clippers for Blake Griffin. Then we sign Kevin Durant and a player like Zaza Pachulia or Joakim Noah on a bargain contract if possible. Draft Ingram or Hield.

Thomas/Smart/Rozier
Bradley/Hield or Ingram/Hunter
Durant/Crowder
Griffin/Mickey
Noah or Pachulia/Olynyk

That would be the top 12. It seems thin up front but the amount of small ball that could be played while mix and matching players would be endless.
IT/Hield or Ingram/Durant/Crowder/Griffin
IT/Bradley/Smart/Durant/Olynyk
IT/Hield or Ingram/Smart/Crowder/Durant or Griffin

The C's could put out one helluva small ball team as well as put out some great conventional lineups.

[Ilikesports17]

I recently saw that we would be in pursuit of Jimmy Butler this offseason(not a surprise) and that the Bulls would be willing to listen to offers (a big surprise).

that being said, I still dont see that deal happening.

I think Id offer the Brooklyn pick + some stuff to Chicago, Sacremento, and Philly.

The offers Id make would probably be (assuming pick is 3-5)
For Butler:
Brooklyn '16 + pick of Smart or AB + any two other picks they want + any one of our 3 rookies
Id also be willing to do Smart + AB if I thought it could get us KD

For Cousins:
Brooklyn '16 + Smart + 1 late first or early second or a rookie

For Okafor:
Brooklyn '16 + a lesser first or a rookie.

Getting any of these 3 would be huge for our future positioning.

[Ilikesports17]

Only way we win a ring next year is if KD signs with us. I dont see any other possible avenue. Even then everything would have to go right.

lets say, we get a top 2 pick and trade it for Cousins, then move AB and Crowder and like 4 firsts for Butler.

Im pretty sure in that situation we still have the cash to sign KD to the full max without giving up the cap hold on one of Sully or Turner.

Then the squad would be:
Thomas Rozier
Butler Smart
Durant
Olynyk Mickey
Cousins

then you would have to decide whether you think Turner or Sully is more valuable to a team.

KD-Cousins-Butler-Thomas is a pretty lethal big 4. Then you still have Smart, KO, Turner/Sully and some decent young guys behind you.

ultimately I think Jiimmy is a pipe dream and I think KD goes back to OKC, but one can hope.

[TheTruth]

Forget winning it all.

I'm just hoping Ainge can daft someone who isn't terrible at shooting.

These last two drafts have been bad.

[TheTruth]

Ilike,

Smart would most likely need to be part of a trade to get Butler.

Smart, 2016 Nets and 2017 Nets. I would only make this trade if the Nets pick was outside the top 3.

So you are giving up Smart, Hield, and another future first. It's a lot but no way the Bulls trade Butler without getting a package like that. I also only make this trade if we get Durant, otherwise I prefer the slow rebuild.

[Moranis]

Sign Durant

Crazy wholly unrealistic 6 way trade
BOS - Love, Lopez, Middleton
CLE - Anthony
NY - Russell, Randle, Kanter
LAL - Westbrook
MIL - Crowder
OKC - Amir, Jerekbo, Bradley, Smart, BKN 2017, BKN 2018

Sign veteran combo guard

New Lineup
PG - Thomas, Hield (or Dunn), Rozier
SG - Middleton, ?, Hunter
SF - Durant, Turner, Young
PF - Love, Sullinger, Mickey
C - Lopez, Olynyk, Zeller

[FreddieJ]

I recently saw that we would be in pursuit of Jimmy Butler this offseason(not a surprise) and that the Bulls would be willing to listen to offers (a big surprise).

that being said, I still dont see that deal happening.

I think Id offer the Brooklyn pick + some stuff to Chicago, Sacremento, and Philly.

The offers Id make would probably be (assuming pick is 3-5)
For Butler:
Brooklyn '16 + pick of Smart or AB + any two other picks they want + any one of our 3 rookies
Id also be willing to do Smart + AB if I thought it could get us KD

For Cousins:
Brooklyn '16 + Smart + 1 late first or early second or a rookie

For Okafor:
Brooklyn '16 + a lesser first or a rookie.

Getting any of these 3 would be huge for our future positioning.

Why would Butler have more value than Cousins?