Author Topic: Idea: Help Atlanta Clear Room for Howard + Horford  (Read 1587 times)

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Idea: Help Atlanta Clear Room for Howard + Horford
« on: June 29, 2016, 10:33:33 AM »

Offline jpotter33

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There's rumors that Atlanta, being the only other team besides Boston right now to have a meeting with Dwight, wants to pair Horford and Howard together. Howard is from the Atlanta area and has long wanted to go back and play there, so I would figure that they would have the lead over us in the Dwight sweepstakes.

However, Atlanta doesn't necessarily have the room straight up for Howard AND Horford with Horford and Bazemore's impending free agency and cap holds. Now, they could possibly make room for Howard without moving Milsap, but that would really further decimate their roster and it's still not clear that they'd be able to sign Howard in cap space and keep BOTH Horford and Bazemore. There's an obvious fit issue with the trio of Milsap, Horford, and Howard, too, so if they want to make room for Howard and keep Baze and Horford, moving Milsap for non-guaranteed salaries makes the most sense.

In comes the Celtics. We only have a day or so before we have to make the decisions on Amir and JJ's non-guaranteed contracts, so we'd have to do this quickly. However, a Milsap for AJ, JJ, and the Clippers pick we just got would work well for both sides. Atlanta clears the cap space to pair Howard with Horford while retaining Baze, and we get a very suitable two-way star to try and convince Durant to sign here. (Obviously you'd try and see what Durant thinks about this move via backchannels first)

We'd then just need to try and trade for a cheap defensive big, like Noel, and we'd have a very good two-way roster that is on par with Cleveland as a title-contender in the East. You'd then end up with this roster (assuming you pretty much just traded Brown straight up for Noel - which makes sense for both sides since they'd probably not get Barnes in this scenario and Brown plays a position of need in the wing):

PG: IT, Rozier
SG: Bradley, Smart
SF: Durant, Crowder
PF: Milsap, Mickey
C: Noel, KO

The only concern would be Milsap's contract status, because he'll almost assuredly opt-out next summer with his player option. However, that might also be a good thing for us since next year's free agent crop is absolutely loaded with talent.

So who says no?

Re: Idea: Help Atlanta Clear Room for Howard + Horford
« Reply #1 on: June 29, 2016, 10:53:21 AM »

Offline Moranis

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It would take a lot more than the LA pick for Milsap and there is no way they trade Milsap until they have to and at which time they can just trade him to a team with cap space (of which there are and will be plenty).
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Re: Idea: Help Atlanta Clear Room for Howard + Horford
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2016, 10:59:55 AM »

Offline vgulab

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I think it is very stupid to pair Horford with Howard. They are both 5's. They will take the same space and not be effective. Howard+Milsap or Horford+ Milsap makes most sense.

But if they want to get rid of Milsap i bet there would be a lot of teams interested. He would be perfect in green.

Re: Idea: Help Atlanta Clear Room for Howard + Horford
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2016, 11:28:18 AM »

Offline kozlodoev

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Help a conference rival that beat you get even stronger? Heh.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

Re: Idea: Help Atlanta Clear Room for Howard + Horford
« Reply #4 on: June 29, 2016, 11:39:14 AM »

Offline jpotter33

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Help a conference rival that beat you get even stronger? Heh.

If it'd make us even stronger than them, yeah, I don't see the problem. And it's really questionable if they would be stronger with Howard than with Milsap. Their issue was offense not defense, and replacing Milsap with Howard really only exacerbates that problem.

Re: Idea: Help Atlanta Clear Room for Howard + Horford
« Reply #5 on: June 29, 2016, 12:19:52 PM »

Offline Robb

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Help a conference rival that beat you get even stronger? Heh.

I can't imagine a scenario where they replace Millsap with Howard and their team gets *better*.
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