Let's say we get Hayward - what PF do we target then?

[jpotter33]

So Gordon Hayward clearly seems to be the most likely big-time free agent that we could land this summer. However, even if we landed him, we're still going to be a starting PF short of a complete, championship-level squad (unless you think we'd go super small with IT, AB, Jae, Hayward, and Al, which I don't think is smart or realistic).

So let's assume that we end up using AB as trade bait to try and find that starting 4, slotting Hayward in AB's spot at the 2. That leaves us with the following lineup:

PG: IT, Rozier
SG: Hayward, Smart
SF: Crowder, Brown
PF: ?, Yab?
C: Al, Zizic

This assumes that we have AB and all of our picks, including this year's Brooklyn pick, on the table for a trade for a PF. Let's also assume that any guys off the bench and Crowder are capable of being included in a trade, too.

So what kind of trade scenarios do you see that we can use to find our other starting big in this scenario? Looking around the league, I see very few possibilities here outside of going super small, which isn't ideal. I think this is one of the problems with a Hayward pursuit - even with him, we still have other pieces to fill around him that are hard to find.

[tankcity!]

Try to convince Milsap and Hayward to take slight paycut. Trade Bradley as well for another good player, that is cheap.

Option 2, see what your roster gets you in the trade market. KP is one to go after.

[jambr380]

If Ainge wants to keep KO, then Bradley will need to be moved. Trading him straight up for a player on a very cheap rookie contract could solve the problem. There aren't a lot of options here, but maybe somebody like Montrezl Harrell or Skal Labissiere could work.

If KO is gone, then other options open up - including keeping Bradley and dealing Smart. Though, Smart's salary isn't so much more than the room exception, which would likely only bring you somebody of the quality of Amir or Jerebko, frankly.

[jpotter33]

One interesting idea that I've seen floated around is to just go small with Hayward at the 4, but try and make up for that disparity with height and athleticism around the perimeter by starting Brown.

Would an IT, Brown, Jae, Hayward, and Al starting lineup with a bench of Rozier, Smart, Fultz/Jackson, Yabu, Zizic, and other vets work long-term?

That's a ton of shooting and athletic defenders to surround IT with, but can we survive on the boards and against bigger teams like that?

[Chief]

One interesting idea that I've seen floated around is to just go small with Hayward at the 4, but try and make up for that disparity with height and athleticism around the perimeter by starting Brown.

Would an IT, Brown, Jae, Hayward, and Al starting lineup with a bench of Rozier, Smart, Fultz/Jackson, Yabu, Zizic, and other vets work long-term?

That's a ton of shooting and athletic defenders to surround IT with, but can we survive on the boards and against bigger teams like that?

Wouldn't be able to stop Lebron with that team.

[saltlover]

One interesting idea that I've seen floated around is to just go small with Hayward at the 4, but try and make up for that disparity with height and athleticism around the perimeter by starting Brown.

Would an IT, Brown, Jae, Hayward, and Al starting lineup with a bench of Rozier, Smart, Fultz/Jackson, Yabu, Zizic, and other vets work long-term?

That's a ton of shooting and athletic defenders to surround IT with, but can we survive on the boards and against bigger teams like that?

I've been floating that idea for sometime (if I didn't originate it), but I want to clarify that it's Hayward at the 3 and Jae at the 4.  Doesn't matter too much since they're switchable, but Jae should be on the bigger guy, since he's thicker.

With about $7 million in cap room (what you could be left with after trading AB and letting Olynyk walk) I'd go after James Johnson on a short deal, after my doctors told me that Chris Bosh can't play.

[jpotter33]

One interesting idea that I've seen floated around is to just go small with Hayward at the 4, but try and make up for that disparity with height and athleticism around the perimeter by starting Brown.

Would an IT, Brown, Jae, Hayward, and Al starting lineup with a bench of Rozier, Smart, Fultz/Jackson, Yabu, Zizic, and other vets work long-term?

That's a ton of shooting and athletic defenders to surround IT with, but can we survive on the boards and against bigger teams like that?

I've been floating that idea for sometime (if I didn't originate it), but I want to clarify that it's Hayward at the 3 and Jae at the 4.  Doesn't matter too much since they're switchable, but Jae should be on the bigger guy, since he's thicker.

With about $7 million in cap room (what you could be left with after trading AB and letting Olynyk walk) I'd go after James Johnson on a short deal, after my doctors told me that Chris Bosh can't play.

Is that your number one option for the offseason, or would you still take a chance with Griffin should he seriously consider us, which I think he will?

[mr. dee]

I think Ibaka will be available as Raptors won't be able to contend anymore.

[saltlover]

One interesting idea that I've seen floated around is to just go small with Hayward at the 4, but try and make up for that disparity with height and athleticism around the perimeter by starting Brown.

Would an IT, Brown, Jae, Hayward, and Al starting lineup with a bench of Rozier, Smart, Fultz/Jackson, Yabu, Zizic, and other vets work long-term?

That's a ton of shooting and athletic defenders to surround IT with, but can we survive on the boards and against bigger teams like that?

I've been floating that idea for sometime (if I didn't originate it), but I want to clarify that it's Hayward at the 3 and Jae at the 4.  Doesn't matter too much since they're switchable, but Jae should be on the bigger guy, since he's thicker.

With about $7 million in cap room (what you could be left with after trading AB and letting Olynyk walk) I'd go after James Johnson on a short deal, after my doctors told me that Chris Bosh can't play.

Is that your number one option for the offseason, or would you still take a chance with Griffin should he seriously consider us, which I think he will?

Griffin is way too much of an injury risk.  Each of the last three seasons he's had an injury keep him out at least a month, and been injured for two postseasons.  A lot of them seem like fluke injuries on an individual level, but he's just had way too many for me.  He's not even my plan B at this point.

[CelticSooner]

One interesting idea that I've seen floated around is to just go small with Hayward at the 4, but try and make up for that disparity with height and athleticism around the perimeter by starting Brown.

Would an IT, Brown, Jae, Hayward, and Al starting lineup with a bench of Rozier, Smart, Fultz/Jackson, Yabu, Zizic, and other vets work long-term?

That's a ton of shooting and athletic defenders to surround IT with, but can we survive on the boards and against bigger teams like that?

I've been floating that idea for sometime (if I didn't originate it), but I want to clarify that it's Hayward at the 3 and Jae at the 4.  Doesn't matter too much since they're switchable, but Jae should be on the bigger guy, since he's thicker.

With about $7 million in cap room (what you could be left with after trading AB and letting Olynyk walk) I'd go after James Johnson on a short deal, after my doctors told me that Chris Bosh can't play.

Is that your number one option for the offseason, or would you still take a chance with Griffin should he seriously consider us, which I think he will?

Getting Blake would be nice except we would be going all through next year basically hoping he doesn't get injured. No exactly a good feeling lol

[Smokeeye123]

Kristaps or someone else with a trade of the brooklyn pick

[obnoxiousmime]

If Hayward is signed they wouldn't really have the cap space to sign anybody significant, and that's where the lack of an in-house guy (Zizic and Yabusele are too young to be expected to contribute that soon, Olynyk much better off bench) really hurts them. Free agents like Ibaka, Monroe, Griffin, and Millsap are going to be too expensive. They could try to trade for a player like Thaddeus Young or Trevor Booker even if they're not great players, just to have a competent vet in there. Even though teams are going small these days, you still need somebody for your traditional "big" lineup to take the pounding over a long season. It's not sustainable for someone like Crowder or Hayward to play PF the entire year.

If the Celtics just want a vet big man and shift Horford to the 4, there are some options out there that wouldn't cost an arm and a leg to acquire making 10-12 million. Guys like Chandler, Pekovic, and Vucevic.

Then there's the FAs that won't demand a huge salary that the Celts might be able to squeeze in under the cap, like say Bogut, Randolph, or Gibson.

Ainge didn't invest draft capital in the position in 2014 and 2015 (Smart, Young, Rozier, Hunter) and he's been saving his cap space each year hoping for max deal FA signings. That's why we don't have anybody, and it's why we just keep going year-to-year (essentially, with all the options) with Zeller and Johnson.

I think that they're a little too deep at the guard position (especially if they draft a Ball or Fultz) and Smart is the obvious odd man out considering his contract will be up in 2018 and Rozier is cheaper.

It will be interesting to see how the Celtics view Smart's long-term potential. If they view him as a Bradley-type who will improve gradually, they might want to keep him around and hope Smart eventually outperforms his deal. However, I also don't see Smart averaging 14.9 PPG next year the way Bradley did his contract year 3 years ago.

[Csfan1984]

How about AB and Zeller on draft night for Kanter. Thunder get Westbrook help in a defend first guard who plays off the ball. Let's oli come off the bench as a sparkplug scorer which the bench clearly needs. C's need rebounding and a aggressive scoring big.

IT/Rozier
Hayward/Smart/Nader
Crowder/Brown
Horford/Mickey/Yab
Kanter/Zizic

Now add in the draft picks to fill rest of roster.

[liam]

One interesting idea that I've seen floated around is to just go small with Hayward at the 4, but try and make up for that disparity with height and athleticism around the perimeter by starting Brown.

Would an IT, Brown, Jae, Hayward, and Al starting lineup with a bench of Rozier, Smart, Fultz/Jackson, Yabu, Zizic, and other vets work long-term?

That's a ton of shooting and athletic defenders to surround IT with, but can we survive on the boards and against bigger teams like that?

Wouldn't be able to stop Lebron with that team.

Won't LeBron be going to the Bucks soon to extend his window?

[KG Living Legend]

 Trade for Dario Saric
 Make room for Zach Randolph
 Wait till next year. Bamba, Ayton, Porter Jr.

 I think we are fine for a year with Hayward Crowder, Brown, Tatum, Horford, Zizic, Yabu

 That's seven Swings and Bigs that can really play and defend. Add that to our guards and that's a hard team to beat. #1 seed again.