Catharsis: Brainstorming Summer Blow-up Trades

[PhoSita]

Indulge me for a few minutes.  I'm p---ed, you're p---ed, we're all sick about what the Celts are doing in this post-season.

This thread will be a general overreaction and silly idea zone.





Let's talk about trades.

I don't like this team right now.  This Celts group has hurt my feelings.  I believed in them; they've let me down.


What is the premise of this team moving forward?


Isaiah Thomas is our guy. That's not going to change.  We won't get anything like equal value for him in a trade in any case.  Whether we re-sign him a year or so from now is another matter.


Marcus Smart is a winner. Yeah, it's a bit of an empty, nebulous designation.  But he always gives effort and tries to make winning plays.  Usually, he makes at least one big play to give the team a chance.  Because he is not really an NBA caliber offensive player, he shouldn't be hard to retain.  He's a keeper as long as he's cheap, in my book.

Al Horford is a star talent who wants to play like a role player.  He's passive.  He wants to facilitate and take jumpshots.  He can't defend the interior anymore, and doesn't appear to have much willingness to try.  He's paid a max deal for three more years.  We're not trading him.  Just gotta make the best of it.

Jaylen Brown has a future in this league.  What that future is, I don't know.  But he's got size, athleticism, and talent, which is what the Celts lack.  He can stick around.



The rest can go!   

My priorities for this off-season are for the team to get bigger, younger, and generally improve two key areas: rebounding and shot-creation when the ball isn't in Isaiah Thomas's hands.

Let's hear your trade ideas.  That's right.  We're down 0-2 as the one seed versus a detestable eight seed.  It's time to contemplate "blowing it up." 

[PhoSita]

OK, here we go. 

How's this feel?  It feels good.


Trade: Jae Crowder & Jordan Mickey to DET for Stanley Johnson, Henry Ellenson, & 2017 #12

Trade: Avery Bradley to MIN for Gorgui Dieng

Let go in FA: Olynyk, Amir, Zeller, Green, Young, Jerebko


Draft:

- We get #1!  Fultz is the Future!
- #12 --> Justin Jackson (UNC)
- #36 --> Josh Hart (Villanova)


FA / Off-season:

- Sign Zizic, Yabu, Nader



Voila!  A new look for the team without jettisoning the current "faces" of the franchise:


PG:  Thomas, Smart, Jackson

SG: Fultz, Rozier, Hart

SF: Brown, Jackson, Nader

PF: Horford, Johnson, Yabu

C: Dieng, Zizic, Ellenson



I can't tell you that I honestly believe anything like this will happen.  But this morning, it makes me happy to think about it.  Yeah, I'm in a weird place.

[Moranis]

There is no point in selling off players if you are going to keep Thomas and Horford.

And there is no way you are getting 12 for Crowder let alone adding Ellenson and Johnson. Crowder is a bench player.  Those guys just don't have much value.

[GetLucky]

OK, here we go. 

How's this feel?  It feels good.


Trade: Jae Crowder & Jordan Mickey to DET for Stanley Johnson, Henry Ellenson, & 2017 #12

Trade: Avery Bradley to MIN for Gorgui Dieng

Let go in FA: Olynyk, Amir, Zeller, Green, Young, Jerebko


Draft:

- We get #1!  Fultz is the Future!
- #12 --> Justin Jackson (UNC)
- #36 --> Josh Hart (Villanova)


FA / Off-season:

- Sign Zizic, Yabu, Nader



Voila!  A new look for the team without jettisoning the current "faces" of the franchise:


PG:  Thomas, Smart, Jackson

SG: Fultz, Rozier, Hart

SF: Brown, Jackson, Nader

PF: Horford, Johnson, Yabu

C: Dieng, Zizic, Ellenson



I can't tell you that I honestly believe anything like this will happen.  But this morning, it makes me happy to think about it.  Yeah, I'm in a weird place.

Dieng is actually one year older than Avery Bradley.

[PhoSita]

There is no point in selling off players if you are going to keep Thomas and Horford.

And there is no way you are getting 12 for Crowder let alone adding Ellenson and Johnson. Crowder is a bench player.  Those guys just don't have much value.

I don't think this is true, but I'm willing to admit Crowder might not fetch quite that much value.

Crowder is an average starter at a position that is fairly weak league-wide.  He's also locked into something like 30-40% of his open-market value for another 3 years after this season.

He's definitely got more value than a bench player.


As for Thomas / Horford, ideally if you're going youth movement you would trade away those guys for major assets, but realistically nobody is giving you the haul you want for Thomas, and nobody is trading you major pieces for Horford.


Moranis -- would you trade Horford, Jackson, and Mickey for Kanter, Singler, and McDermott?


I feel like OKC might consider that.  Horford and Adams could be a solid frontcourt.

[PhoSita]

OK, here we go. 

How's this feel?  It feels good.


Trade: Jae Crowder & Jordan Mickey to DET for Stanley Johnson, Henry Ellenson, & 2017 #12

Trade: Avery Bradley to MIN for Gorgui Dieng

Let go in FA: Olynyk, Amir, Zeller, Green, Young, Jerebko


Draft:

- We get #1!  Fultz is the Future!
- #12 --> Justin Jackson (UNC)
- #36 --> Josh Hart (Villanova)


FA / Off-season:

- Sign Zizic, Yabu, Nader



Voila!  A new look for the team without jettisoning the current "faces" of the franchise:


PG:  Thomas, Smart, Jackson

SG: Fultz, Rozier, Hart

SF: Brown, Jackson, Nader

PF: Horford, Johnson, Yabu

C: Dieng, Zizic, Ellenson



I can't tell you that I honestly believe anything like this will happen.  But this morning, it makes me happy to think about it.  Yeah, I'm in a weird place.

Dieng is actually one year older than Avery Bradley.

That's true, but your options with Bradley are limited since he's on an expiring deal.  Dieng is solid and he doesn't have many miles on his legs.  Could be a useful piece for a few years.

I think Minnesota (and Thibs) might be willing to give up a solid role player locked up to a long term deal to add Bradley, since he could play pretty well alongside Rubio, Wiggins, and Towns.

[Big333223]

For the sake of the thread, I'm going back to my old favorite:

Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford for Kristaps Porzingis and the corpse of Joakim Noah.

Convince New York that Porzingis wants out and that they can compete for a few years with Melo, IT, Horford, and whoever else they can bring on board with the money they save on dumping Noah.

Next year, roll out Fultz, Bradley, Brown, Crowder, and Porzingis with Smart, Nader, Olynyk, and Zizic in the main rotation. That team takes a step back due to their youth but probably still makes the playoffs and they have 3 building blocks with real superstar potential.

But this is all just me lashing out because I feel embarrassed for the effort the C's put forth the last two games. I'll feel better when they beat the Bulls in 6.

[slamtheking]

OK, here we go. 

How's this feel?  It feels good.


Trade: Jae Crowder & Jordan Mickey to DET for Stanley Johnson, Henry Ellenson, & 2017 #12

Trade: Avery Bradley to MIN for Gorgui Dieng

Let go in FA: Olynyk, Amir, Zeller, Green, Young, Jerebko


Draft:

- We get #1!  Fultz is the Future!
- #12 --> Justin Jackson (UNC)
- #36 --> Josh Hart (Villanova)


FA / Off-season:

- Sign Zizic, Yabu, Nader



Voila!  A new look for the team without jettisoning the current "faces" of the franchise:


PG:  Thomas, Smart, Jackson

SG: Fultz, Rozier, Hart

SF: Brown, Jackson, Nader

PF: Horford, Johnson, Yabu

C: Dieng, Zizic, Ellenson

I can't tell you that I honestly believe anything like this will happen.  But this morning, it makes me happy to think about it.  Yeah, I'm in a weird place.

why would you be happy about a new, less talented roster that will go nowhere for years? 

Fultz should be a terrific prospect.  Brown looks promising.  Smart's pretty much a known factor at this point.  Dieng would be a welcome addition but whether he's starting material is debatable.  I wanted him over KO in that draft and while I think he's the better player, I'm not sure he really moves the needle much for us.  Zizic and Yabu are still going to be rookies -- how much can they really contribute?  Nader - pie in the sky hopes is that he can be an end-of-bench player.  Jackson and Hart are nothing to get excited about.

The team would be IT, Horford and not a lot else.  looking at having our own 2018 pick in the lottery to go with the Nets pick.

[Dino Pitino]

Keep Smart and Brown.
Keep both Brooklyn picks.

Everyone and everything else can go.

Who would want Isaiah, Bradley, Crowder, Horford?

[Ilikesports17]

if we lose in 4 or 5 games, Isaiah thomas and Al Horford simply must be on the trading block.

[PhoSita]

why would you be happy about a new, less talented roster that will go nowhere for years? 

Honestly ... I don't like this team very much right now.

They've disappointed me and made me feel foolish for believing in them.


Realistically, the team probably won't change too much this summer.  I really hope Ainge explores trades for Bradley and Crowder, because I think Thomas and Horford are here to stay and we need some bigger players with more ability to create offensively playing beside them.


If you take away my belief in the current core group of players on this team, I start to feel like having a young, unproven group that I can *hope* will one day be legitimately good is a better situation.

[RJ87]

if we lose in 4 or 5 games, Isaiah thomas and Al Horford simply must be on the trading block.

Lol.

Al might be untradeable.

1.) After building a rep of not being a max free agent destination for so many years, how will it look if we trade the guy who actually signed with us after 1 year?

2.) What team is taking on that financial responsibility right now? Yes, we signed him for what the market dictated last summer, but his production just hasn't lived up to max expectations. At age 30, that may not trend upward. I just don't know if his leadership, intangibles, and locker room presence is worth a max slot to other teams around the league.

[PhoSita]

if we lose in 4 or 5 games, Isaiah thomas and Al Horford simply must be on the trading block.

The question is -- what could we possibly get for Isaiah?

Surely he has some value.  He's an elite offensive player.

But on an expiring deal, who is going to give us a major haul for him?


Horford presents the opposite problem.  He's a savvy vet, a great character guy, and a solid all-around presence in any starting lineup.  But he's locked up for three more years at the max.  It's just not going to be easy to find a taker for that kind of contract, unless you're interested in trading for somebody even more flawed on a long deal, like Evan Turner or Enes Kanter.


Perhaps you could interest Utah in making a trade involving Derrick Favors.  Seems like Horford would be a much better fit next to Gobert.

[jpotter33]

if we lose in 4 or 5 games, Isaiah thomas and Al Horford simply must be on the trading block.

Lol.

Al might be untradeable.

1.) After building a rep of not being a max free agent destination for so many years, how will it look if we trade the guy who actually signed with us after 1 year?

2.) What team is taking on that financial responsibility right now? Yes, we signed him for what the market dictated last summer, but his production just hasn't lived up to max expectations. At age 30, that may not trend upward. I just don't know if his leadership, intangibles, and locker room presence is worth a max slot to other teams around the league.

I'm pretty sure both Washington and Houston would still love to have Al this summer.

[PhoSita]

if we lose in 4 or 5 games, Isaiah thomas and Al Horford simply must be on the trading block.

Lol.

Al might be untradeable.

1.) After building a rep of not being a max free agent destination for so many years, how will it look if we trade the guy who actually signed with us after 1 year?

2.) What team is taking on that financial responsibility right now? Yes, we signed him for what the market dictated last summer, but his production just hasn't lived up to max expectations. At age 30, that may not trend upward. I just don't know if his leadership, intangibles, and locker room presence is worth a max slot to other teams around the league.

I'm pretty sure both Washington and Houston would still love to have Al this summer.

Perhaps.

After watching the Celts this year, do you think Al could play next to Ryan Anderson?  Markieff Morris?

Doubtful.

So who are they trading us?  I don't see what those teams would be willing to trade that the Celts would want.  Not clear how they'd match salary, in any case.