Ridiculous Post On Trade for Love

[Moranis]

Smith hasn't even signed with Cleveland yet, so there's that.


In any case, I don't think Smith can take the biggest-perimeter-player-on-the-floor assignment.  I'm also uncomfortable with the idea of betting on him to fill a major role on a team without a LeBron-type leader and focal point.


I can see where you're coming from on this, I just disagree.  I'd rather keep Crowder and Smart -- maintaining the one major strength this team has, which is multiple aggressive ball-hawk guys on the perimeter -- and then use cap space next summer to go after a wing. 

Maybe next summer the Celts can land Gordon Hayward.  Or perhaps it would be a less costly, less exciting name like Gallinari, Gay, or Casspi, with cap room left over to bolster depth elsewhere.

Bottom line for me is that the Celts need size with shooting at the 3/4.  But where we differ is that I think they need somebody who brings those attributes along with the ability to guard multiple positions in a playoff series -- with an emphasis on switching onto smaller players -- something Love has shown he can't be counted on to do.

In any case, I'd rather move forward with a core of Thomas, Crowder, and Horford with cap space to add more perimeter talent, as opposed to locking into Thomas / Love / Horford.  That trio would place an enormous burden on the SG / SF spots to feature above average size, athleticism, and perimeter defense.  The Celts wouldn't have much money to add talent at those spots outside of the draft.

Smith would have been a sign and trade, which I think would make sense for both teams in this trade, since the Cavs wouldn't need Smith with the acquisition of Crowder, Smart, and Jerekbo and Boston could use a quality starting SF as a placeholder for Brown.

Why would you go after a wing when you have Crowder, Brown, Smart, Bradley.  It makes absolutely no sense, especially when the team still has a glaring weakness of the big man next Horford.  And with Brown on the team going after a long term SF doesn't make sense at all, Brown is the future of that position. 

And here's the thing, none of those guys are as good as Kevin Love, not even Hayward, and it is far from a given that any of them would come to Boston.  And even if Love was available next summer, you can't just trade Crowder and Smart for him because the salary doesn't match (you need Johnson or Jerekbo + filler to make it work).  I also think that if a guy like Hayward wanted to come here, Boston could make it work with Utah by giving up some assets and the requisite salary (Smith, Zeller, Hunter, and some 1sts would work in that scenario as an example). 

[celticsclay]

Ugh definitely don't want to watch Love slowly degrade into spencer hawes 1.2 the next 3 to 4 years.

[PhoSita]

Why would you go after a wing when you have Crowder, Brown, Smart, Bradley. 

It makes absolutely no sense, especially when the team still has a glaring weakness of the big man next Horford. 

Because

(a) You can really never have enough capable wings in today's league

(b) It's unclear yet if Brown can really play, or if Smart will ever be a reliable offensive player

(c) Bradley is probably going to be a cap casualty when his deal is up.

(d) Nobody you mentioned other than Brown is over 6'5'' or so, and as far as he goes, see (b)


I don't agree with you that the big spot next to Horford is a "glaring weakness."  Horford is the two way, multi-skilled big man the Celts needed.  They need to add another productive, proven starting caliber player next to him in the frontcourt, but that doesn't necessarily have to be a traditional big man.

In fact, given that the team continues to notably lack shooting, shot creation, free throw generation, and wings with size, putting a player that checks some or all of those boxes at the 4 next to Horford would make a lot of sense.


As for how the names I mentioned compare to Love ... I'd take Hayward every day of the week over Love. 

Even if you think Love is the better player -- once he was, probably, but I doubt he is anymore -- the league just isn't very accommodating for players of Love's sort anymore.  Whereas every team in the league needs a Hayward type player.

[Moranis]

Why would you go after a wing when you have Crowder, Brown, Smart, Bradley. 

It makes absolutely no sense, especially when the team still has a glaring weakness of the big man next Horford. 

Because

(a) You can really never have enough capable wings in today's league

(b) It's unclear yet if Brown can really play, or if Smart will ever be a reliable offensive player

(c) Bradley is probably going to be a cap casualty when his deal is up.

(d) Nobody you mentioned other than Brown is over 6'5'' or so, and as far as he goes, see (b)


I don't agree with you that the big spot next to Horford is a "glaring weakness."  Horford is the two way, multi-skilled big man the Celts needed.  They need to add another productive, proven starting caliber player next to him in the frontcourt, but that doesn't necessarily have to be a traditional big man.

In fact, given that the team continues to notably lack shooting, shot creation, free throw generation, and wings with size, putting a player that checks some or all of those boxes at the 4 next to Horford would make a lot of sense.


As for how the names I mentioned compare to Love ... I'd take Hayward every day of the week over Love. 

Even if you think Love is the better player -- once he was, probably, but I doubt he is anymore -- the league just isn't very accommodating for players of Love's sort anymore.  Whereas every team in the league needs a Hayward type player.

All of the things you mentioned (except being a wing) describe Kevin Love and he also brings rebounding which is perhaps Boston's most glaring weakness.  Love is basically what everyone hoped Sullinger might be someday i.e. excellent rebounder, excellent passer, excellent outside shooter, and a guy that can create his own shot in the interior and often draws fouls doing so.  Just because Cleveland doesn't always entirely maximize his abilities, doesn't mean he can't still be that guy (because we have seen it in Cleveland).

And I'm certainly not convinced that the league has somehow gone away from traditional big men.  I mean take a look at the rebounding leaders from the prior season http://www.espn.com/nba/statistics/player/_/stat/rebounds/sort/avgRebounds/year/2016/seasontype/2
What you will notice from that list is there are very few "shooters" on it.  In fact, of the top 15, the only guys with more than basically an attempt a game from three are Cousins, Love, and Green.  The next 8 only adds Milsap to that shooters list.  You then get Sullinger and Durant (a SF) and no one else in the top 29 (and of the 3 players tied for 30 only the PG Westbrook makes the shooters list).