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

[CELTICSofBOSTON]

I know this thread is not meant to debate whether or not we should get Hayward, but I'd rather pass if I was the GM.

Hayward is a good player but not great. In other words, he is not going to get us over Cleveland let alone Golden State.

Imagine having 3 max players on your team and they are a 30+ year old Al Horford, Isaiah Thomas, and Gordon Hayward. That's an awful place to be in imo.

Especially when IT and Al start to decline. If we give GH the max, I think there's a high chance we regret it.

Again, I do think Hayward is a very  good player and should be a borderline all star for the next 5 to 6 years at least. However, not worth it given our current situation.

Then maybe have that debate in one of the many threads already debating this?

Dang. You really do love salt.

[CELTICSofBOSTON]

Hayward is a good player but not great.

Again, I do think Hayward is a very  good player and should be a borderline all star for the next 5 to 6 years at least.

The statements are contradictory. A player who is an all-star (only 24 players have that distinction per year) for the life of the contract seems pretty great to me.

Yeah I think everyone has a slightly different definition of words like great, superstar, etc.

My definition a great player  is someone who can realistically be the best player on a championship team.

He is obviously very good at basketball and that is why he made the all-star team and will probably make a few more before he's done.

[Ilikesports17]

Hayward is a good player but not great.

Again, I do think Hayward is a very  good player and should be a borderline all star for the next 5 to 6 years at least.

The statements are contradictory. A player who is an all-star (only 24 players have that distinction per year) for the life of the contract seems pretty great to me.

Yeah I think everyone has a slightly different definition of words like great, superstar, etc.

My definition a great player  is someone who can realistically be the best player on a championship team.

He is obviously very good at basketball and that is why he made the all-star team and will probably make a few more before he's done.

if your expectation is that in the next 3 years we will find a player substantially better than Hayward to sign with us, i think you will be dissapointed.

[jpotter33]

What about a combination of Taj Gibson and someone like Butler/George?

If Fultz goes before our pick, offer something like the Brooklyn pick and Crowder for Butler or George, which is about the value they'll have at the draft.

Trade Bradley for bench pieces or future picks and sign Taj in free agency. That leaves you with:

PG: IT, Rozier
SG: Brown, Smart
SF: Butler/George, ?
PF: Gibson, Yabu
C: Horford, Zizic


I'd probably go that route, but I'm also not really enamored with anyone other than Fultz in this draft.

[jpotter33]

Honestly, and I hate saying this right now, but I think someone like Markief Morris would be a really good fit for us at the 4 right now. He doesn't really fit the secondary scorer need that would be most ideal, but he checks a lot of the other boxes off.

[tankcity!]

What about a combination of Taj Gibson and someone like Butler/George?

If Fultz goes before our pick, offer something like the Brooklyn pick and Crowder for Butler or George, which is about the value they'll have at the draft.

Trade Bradley for bench pieces or future picks and sign Taj in free agency. That leaves you with:

PG: IT, Rozier
SG: Brown, Smart
SF: Butler/George, ?
PF: Gibson, Yabu
C: Horford, Zizic


I'd probably go that route, but I'm also not really enamored with anyone other than Fultz in this draft.

That team can't beat Cleveland or GS. It's not worth trading the Brooklyn pick for something short term, and doesn't make us contenders.

That's why I like signing Hayward or Griffin. You're not giving anything up

[Big333223]

Maybe we should just go without a traditional PF/C in the lineup.

Sign Hayward and start IT, Bradley, Hayward, Crowder, Horford. Bring in Zizic and sign a Taj Gibson type, if possible, for emergency big man banging but otherwise just concede defensive rebounding in favor of scoring a lot on open drives with the lanes open.

[Roy H.]

What about a combination of Taj Gibson and someone like Butler/George?

If Fultz goes before our pick, offer something like the Brooklyn pick and Crowder for Butler or George, which is about the value they'll have at the draft.

Trade Bradley for bench pieces or future picks and sign Taj in free agency. That leaves you with:

PG: IT, Rozier
SG: Brown, Smart
SF: Butler/George, ?
PF: Gibson, Yabu
C: Horford, Zizic


I'd probably go that route, but I'm also not really enamored with anyone other than Fultz in this draft.

So, assuming we move Bradley either way, it's:

A) Hayward, Crowder, Josh Jackson (plus resigning KO); or

B) Butler, Gibson?

I'm taking "A", without hesitating.

[NHCelticsFan]

Larry Nance Jr.

Small sample size (7 games) but as a starter he averaged about 10 and 10.  He is definitely a quality big and would provide both rebounding and athleticism into the lineup.

I like Nance a lot so he is my somewhat realistically available player that I hope we can get.

[jay]

If Hayward is signed and AB is traded -  We've talked about trying to trade AB and a future pick for a young power forward like Marquisse Chriss, Dario Saric, Skal Labissiere. Saric probably and maybe Chriss would cost more. I think Rozier would be able to go in that trade if a point guard is drafted.

But NHCelticsFan has a point. Maybe those first round guys with big upside and low cost are not attainable. Maybe Larry Nance Jr. or Richaun Holmes (as somebody previously mentioned) would be easier to get.

Philly has Gerald Henderson, who has a non-guaranteed contract like Zeller's. AB/Rozier for Henderson/Holmes and a 2nd rounder? It wouldn't even cost a pick from us.  Holmes shot 35% from 3 and pulled down 5.5 rpg in just 21 mins.


Then get another PF in free agency. Jerebko could always be the fallback option. Taj Gibson was mentioned. JaMychal Green shot 38% from 3 and he had 7.1 rpg in 27 mins. If Danny goes over the cap after signing a first round pick and signing Hayward - could we not use the MLE on someone like Taj or JaMychal?   Would Olynyk be able to be extended or does he have to be renounced first?

IT  Fultz
Hayward  Smart
Crowder   Brown
Green   Holmes
Horford  Zizic

[BitterJim]

If Hayward is signed and AB is traded -  We've talked about trying to trade AB and a future pick for a young power forward like Marquisse Chriss, Dario Saric, Skal Labissiere. Saric probably and maybe Chriss would cost more. I think Rozier would be able to go in that trade if a point guard is drafted.

But NHCelticsFan has a point. Maybe those first round guys with big upside and low cost are not attainable. Maybe Larry Nance Jr. or Richaun Holmes (as somebody previously mentioned) would be easier to get.

Philly has Gerald Henderson, who has a non-guaranteed contract like Zeller's. AB/Rozier for Henderson/Holmes and a 2nd rounder? It wouldn't even cost a pick from us.  Holmes shot 35% from 3 and pulled down 5.5 rpg in just 21 mins.


Then get another PF in free agency. Jerebko could always be the fallback option. Taj Gibson was mentioned. JaMychal Green shot 38% from 3 and he had 7.1 rpg in 27 mins. If Danny goes over the cap after signing a first round pick and signing Hayward - could we not use the MLE on someone like Taj or JaMychal?   Would Olynyk be able to be extended or does he have to be renounced first?

IT  Fultz
Hayward  Smart
Crowder   Brown
Green   Holmes
Horford  Zizic

If we use any cap space (like we would need to to sign Hayward), we would lose the MLE and just have the Room Exception (worth ~$4.3 million), which is not nearly enough for a guy like Green.  Gibson might take that pay cut for us, but I doubt it.

Best bet for a PF if we sign Hayward is a trade

[BitterJim]

Sign Hayward, resign KO, and move Avery for picks. Use the room exception to sign a FA for $4.3 million.

And dump Yab and Jackson.  Otherwise there still isn't enough room if we get the a top 2 pick, which is baked into the premise.

Yes, convince Yab to spend another year abroad, and trade Jackson (paying a late #2 if necessary).

Does Yab's cap hold disappear for the season as soon as he signs overseas? Or is it only off the books in the regular s ason? That obviously makes a difference.

It goes off the books on the first day of the season if he's playing overseas, but it can come off the books at any time if he submits a letter to the league saying that he will not sign with us until the (2017-18) season is over

[blackbird]

What do you think the price is for Marc Gasol or Hassan Whiteside? The price is high, but I doubt they're untouchable.

I see them as being good fits beside Horford, Thomas, and (in this scenario) Hayward.

[Moranis]

I'd try for Parker or Saric. 

[Phantom255x]

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

Ibaka will still command A LOT in free agency.

Highly doubt they can add Hayward AND Ibaka.