OT Celtics Aggressively Shopping 3rd Overall Pick

It won him a title when he swung for the fences and got Garnett and Ray Allen. How many titles has Morey won?

Those three, plus Isaiah Thomas and the rest of the Celtics young would be so much better than OKC, it's not even close. OKC doesn't even have a big 3, they have a bog two and a buch of below avwrage role players.

Durant would give the Celtics the go to scorer they currently lack, but the main reason is defense. When OKC trots out their best defensive line up, they are playing 2-on-5 on offense. Horford and Butler are both great 2-way players. Horford is one of the best bigs in the league at defending the pick and roll, and Butler is a 20 ppg player who has also been 2nd team all defense for three straight years. Their 3-guard rotation of Thomas, Avery Bradley and Butler also adds a guy who was 1st team all defense this year and widely regarded as the best perimeter defender in the league. Imagine the small ball lineup they could field with Bradley, the 6'7" Butler, Jae Crowder (who missed beating out Paul George for second team all defense by just one vote) and Horford.

Anyway, I already discussed that in more detail in a different thread last week, I'll see if I can dig up a link.

BNM

 

There won't be a "rest of the Celtics young" because they'd have to gut the team. We had this discussion a few weeks back. To get Durant/Horford they have to renounce all their restricted and unrestricted guys. That leaves just a handful of players on the roster. Then, to make the trade work for Butler, they'd have to match something like 17 million. They won't have a roster. It will be Thomas/Butler/Durant/Horford and nobody else.

 

Hoopshype sucks.... I shouldn't have used them. Their salary info is not up to date.

basketball-reference is better.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/BOS.html

So Crowder, Thomas, Bradley, Smart, Jerebko, Olynyk, Amir Johnson, and a bunch of scrubs.

They have to make an offer that's worthwhile to Chicago, so maybe Smart/#3/Johnson.

So if they pull it together and add Butler/Durant/Horford, they still have Bradley, Thomas, Olynyk, and Crowder. I guess that's a pretty good 8 man rotation. Definitely one of the best in the east.

 

One correction: The Celtics didn't make the 2nd Round

 

If I'm Chicago I'm asking for #3, #16, Crowder and Smart.

 

If I'm us I'm offering Plumlee, Aminu, Vonleh, and 3 Future 1sts for Butler.

 

BNM

Oops, you're correct. Shows how much attention I paid to the first round of the playoffs in the East this year (yawn...)

BNM

 

Here's the more detailed response I mentioned...

BNM

 

That's pretty steep. I think they could get #3, #16, and Smart.

 

I mean we could form a Lillard/McCollum/Durant/Horford big 4 By Trading, Aminu and Vonleh while renouncing Leonard and Harkless

Lillard / McCollum
McCollum / Crabbe
Durant / Crabbe
Davis / West (RoomEx.)
Horford / Plumlee

That's a better team than OKC or a hypothetical Thomas/Butler/Durant/Horford big 4.

 

I think Aminu/Vonleh/Plumlee + 3 Future 1sts is as good as #3, #16, and Smart in terms of offers.

 

Problem is, the dominoes have to fall in the right order, and we could be left holding the bag if we deal a bunch of dudes and they end up signing elsewhere. That's what happened to Houston with Bosh.

 

They currently have NINE players under guaranteed contracts AND $53 million in cap space if they renounce everyone else. The rumored trade that started the previous discussion was #3, Amir Johnson and Marcus Smart for Butler. That's almost $15.6 million in outgoing salary to match Butler's incoming $16.4 million salary (within about $800K) and would still leave with a ton of money to sign Durant and Horford. And that would still leave them with Thomas, Bradley, Crowder, Olynyk, etc. The only significant pieces they'd need to renounce would be Sullinger, Evan Turner and Tyler Zeller. And, if you can land Durant, Horford and Butler, you don't really miss those guys too much.

BNM

 

Did you not see my post directly below that one?

 

Not at the time I made my post. I was responding to your comment that the Celtics would have to gut their roster to possibly land Butler, Durant and Horford. Obviously, they won't have to, which is why they immediately become contenders if they can add Durant, Butler and Horford to their already solid young core. Of course, it's yet to be seen of Ainge can pry away Butler from Chicago, let alone convince Durant and Horford to sign with BOS. The possibility exists, but making it happen is anything but a given.

BNM

 

We would trade for Butler, we wouldn't have to sign him?

 

You were just talking about getting Durant/Horford. I was commenting on that.

 

You don't renounce or trade guys until they commit. For 1 toy wouldn't have to renounce anyone. For the other you would, but don't until it's certain.. The moratorium is shorter so hopefully you wouldn't end up with Hedo / DJ / Bosh crap

 

Boston trades #3 and Jae Crowder to Los Angeles for #2, #32

Would either team do this?

 

To sign both Durant AND Horford you'd have to clear more space. That's $50 million in cap space that you'd need.