It's completely reasonable and expected that IT trade ideas be discussed. Doesn't mean he's not a loved/adored player that we'd like to keep, but the reality is that paying anyone 25 million a year should be seriously considered, planned out and speculation about trade value is completely reasonable and warranted.
I understand this argument. I'm even somewhat sympathetic to it. But if you're going to bring up trading IT, I think you've got to address the replacement issue. Unless your position is that it's not important to replace him, in which case I think you've got to address that also.
If you wanted to sell high on IT, you don't think he's good enough for the contract he's gonna get, that's fine. I don't really agree, but I can see the perspective. The time to do that, though, was before the team sold a thirty year old max free agent on coming to Boston to play next to IT and attract a third star to play with them.
At this point it doesn't seem to me like the team is in a position to "take a step back" for the sake of the cap sheet or the pipeline of future assets. Not when they can compete without sacrificing a shot at a top draft pick and still have max cap space next summer.