I've been reading one particular sentiment on CB in the last 3 months or so, specifically regarding trading our cache of assets for a star. The prevailing wisdom in every thread seems to be something like:
"Don't trade for Butler/Cousins/George/[insert your superstar crush here] because we can't beat the Cavs/Warriors anyway."
That sentiment has really started to irk me. How the heck do any of the posters here know if we can beat the Cavs in a 7 game series?
Since I probably am one of those individuals who you are citing here, I will explain the rationale:
Up to this point the reports regarding Butler have been either (a) the Bulls are split on whether to trade him at all, and (b) if they do, it will likely require a haul similar to what was reported during the draft last summer. Regarding point (b), I think the rumor was that the Bulls wanted Crowder AND Smart AND 2 Brooklyn picks.
I am completely against this type of trade for reasons I will state, but I will grant you that nobody on this board knows for sure if acquiring Jimmy Butler would make the Celtics competitive with Golden State and Cleveland. In fact, I will even grant you that a core of IT-Bulter-Horford may be a championship contender. You correctly criticize those of us who are against this type of trade because we could be very wrong.
Having said that, I am confident that I am not wrong in my opposition towards any deal that would net Butler if the Celtics have to give up any 2 out of the Bradley-Crowder-Smart-Brown group. The only combo you could possibly talk me into would be Bradley and Brown, since Butler would be an upgrade over AB and Brown isn't playing a huge role on this team right now. But I struggle mightily to understand how taking 2 top-5 players off the team, and replacing them with Jimmy Butler, makes the team better.
However, if any Brooklyn picks are included on top of 2 players from that group above, including Bradley-Brown, I am even more confident that we as Celtics fans may regret that trade for a very long time. It is one thing to give up Jaylen Brown who is loaded with talent, but might have one or two flaws that never make him an All-NBA player. It is completely another thing to give him up AND another top-3 pick, when both him and whoever the Celtics draft this summer could very well have NBA careers that far exceed anything Jimmy Butler accomplishes.
I will finally note that if this trade is indeed made and the Celtics do not make it to the NBA Finals, it will be a massive failure on every level. So yes while we don't know for sure if adding Butler is the final step back to contention, I do know for sure that if he is NOT that player the Celtics could be screwed.