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Trading two elite lottery talents for a guy who is going to be a FÃ in 11 months is a HORRIBLE idea. The allure of Westbrook is adding him to a team with other talent already in place. What good does it do to trade all the talent for 1 guy?
Elite lottery talents? Good grief. Westbrook would resign with the lakers. And he would have clark son, Randle, and timofy. That's serious.
Would probably much more attractive to him to go to a team that also had Russell and Ingram. It would be pretty stupid to trade both of them away to get Westbrook. Pretty much guarantees they'd be a 1st or 2nd round exit type of team for a while. The Lakers should stand pat for now and see if they can sign him in FA next year if it's going to cost them their important young guys to trade for him now.
The last two #2 overall picks aren't elite lottery talents? Perhaps people who don't pay attention are sleeping on Russell but isn't Ingram generally considered the #2 overall prospect this year?
You got to swing for the fences. The optimal move is to hope to land Westbrook or an all-star next FA offseason as well as hit with the Brooklyn pic.
I stated that above and gave it as a reason the C's should go after him...but it is not something he needs to do prior to the trade...he has time to do it...
I agree trading the 2017 Brooklyn pick is too much for Westbrook if he doesn't agree to an extension. Then you're just giving up a very valuable asset for one year renting a player in a league where you have a team with 4 all NBA players. All the win now pink hats out there are making the Celts feel like they have to make a big splash regardless of if it's the best chance at winning a title. Pretty sad when this ownership was booed at the draft. I think it has been one of the better run teams in the NBA the last 10 years.
You don't get that in FA. The two are mutually exclusive unless you preemptively facilitate a trade to the team you want as your ultimate destination.
I know that...I am saying he doesn't need to agree to an extension prior to a trade...he can do it later if he decides to stay with the C's (or whoever he is playing for) after giving them a test run...
I agree it is a well run franchise and I think Ainge is a great GM but they just signed 30 year old Al Horford to a massive contract, what is the point of that deal if they are not going to look to cash in the Brooklyn picks for established stars?
It's not an extension it's a resign. It doesn't make sense for him to sign an extension in virtually any circumstance. By making a gentleman's agreement to a resign, he can pick his destination and reap a richer contract.
Clearly you haven't been watching Skal eat people alive in summer league. I'd compare him to a cross between prime Serge Ibaka and Dirk Nowitzki.
It's a renegotiation and it may make sense if he does something like get the max for next year with another year guaranteed and the third year being the player option (that scenario would get him to year 10 as a FA).
That is what I am trying to say although maybe I am using an incorrect word but my point is I don't see anything official prior to a deal...any team that deals for him will not have a guarantee he's there for more than one year...
I disagree that their hand is forced...if getting Horford was a trade and they gave up a lot I would agree but he was a free agent so they didn't touch any of their assets with this move...it obviously puts them in a situation where they are looking at the now more but they are not in a position where their window is closing...also, I think signing Horford (regardless of his age) was very important because it helps make the Celtics relevant with other free agents and star players...the NBA is very different in regard to this and Horford was the first big "legit" free agent (Garnett was a trade...and they already had Pierce and Allen) they have signed so this hopefully breaks the seal...
I'm not so sure I agree with this. There is a whole crop of free agents next year, that are very enticing. I thin the Celtics would be OK with playing this year with the team they have (which on paper is significantly better than the 2015/2016 team that won 48 games) and hope that with improvements from rookies and second year guys, they could make a run deep into the playoffs.
Do you think they can get one of Durant, Curry, LeBron, Paul, or Griffin? If not (which I don't think they will) then you are looking RFAs or Haywood.I'm not so sure I agree with this. There is a whole crop of free agents next year, that are very enticing. I thin the Celtics would be OK with playing this year with the team they have (which on paper is significantly better than the 2015/2016 team that won 48 games) and hope that with improvements from rookies and second year guys, they could make a run deep into the playoffs.
Then come next year, they have space for a max player free agent signing, and a top pick in the draft, and another successful year under their belt
Some are gettable but most likely by trade...which is why they are sniffing around Griffin and Westbrook...their best option maybe to make a deal for an impending FA like Westbrook or Griffin and keep their fingers crossed that the combo of liking the organization and city and having more money to give is the ticket...getting these stars is very difficult and there is probably going to be some risk involved in doing it...
So much of a boner have I.
All men live their life by a code. Karl-Anthony Towns lives by "No Easy Buckets".
If you read the MN link there's a link to an interview with Sam Mitchel. It made me feel a lot better about myself as a coach when he talks about the things he is working with Levine on. Those are the same things I'm working with my middle schoolers on.
Partially they had to get to the salary cap floor. But I don't think it forces them to have to win now. And honestly add Westbrook to the team that exists and they aren't winning a title. It moves them from right now a possible (with a good year) 2 seed in the east and probably a good shot at a 3. To the 2nd best team in the east. Both teams would be bounced by Cleveland assuming LeBron is healthy. And both would be bounced by GS assuming 3 of their stars are healthy.
I'm not sure that I would make the trade, but I agree with you. If they replace Thomas with any respectably decent PG defensively, they are probably far and away the best defensive team in the NBA. With Westbrook they also become a better offensive team, top 6-ish. They might be the 2nd best team in the NBA with Westbrook.
I think GS is a little bit more than a 65 win caliber team. You're taking a 73 win team subtracting a few good pieces and adding an MVP caliber guy. I'm not sure any team can even keep close to them when the year starts. The GS team that is constructed right now has all the talent to be the unquestioned best team of all time. Hell if they had won game 7 this year we'd be arguing whether or not they were already the best team of all time before Durant.
Yeah, I was just using 65 wins as shorthand for "obvious favorites." I think they'll settle in around 65-68 wins because there's no reason to chase more after last season but obviously barring injury they could get more.
That 8th in point differential is a little misleading though. The Celts were 5th in the east by seeding. They finished tied with the 6th best team in the east for record (3rd and 4th also I know). They lost in the first round of the playoffs. I get it they improved (although I think less at this point than most would argue) added Horford and Brown lost Turner and Sullinger. They were young so an extra year is more likely to help than hurt.
I agree with most of this. But OTOH Russell Westbrook is really really good at basketball.
The reason I think you take GS into account with this move is Westbrook is very likely a 1 year rental. Why take a team that has a whole lot of pieces to make a move and remove the 2 of your best assets so you can have 1 year as an underdog contender? And you're still definitely an underdog to Cleveland as things stand. So it's not like you're any kind of likely shot to even play GS. Use those assets to make yourself a long term contender.
How is the point differential misleading if they finished with the 7th best record in the NBA? They were beat by a better team in the first round of the playoffs, and they took that team's either best or second best player this offseason.
I don't think you do it unless he says he's at least willing to consider re-upping with Boston. I'm assuming the Bird rights and playing for a team that probably makes the conference finals and could be the new power in the East if LeBron ever ages is enough to get him to think about it.
I know it was partly because Bradley got hurt and Crowder was playing hurt, but Turner played the 2nd most minutes on that playoff roster behind Thomas. He might have been a bench guy, but he was playing starter minutes all year.
Not sure why it would be very likely a 1 year rental when the Celtics would be able to offer him the most money as a FA but it is certainly a risk. There was an article out yesterday spectulating a deal of Westbrook for Johnson, Smart, Rozier, Young, 2018 Brooklyn pick & 2019 Memphis pick could get things done. That would leave the Celtics with next year's Brooklyn pick, more money to offer Westbrook when he is a FA and a year to convince him that Boston is a strong contender for years to come. You are rolling the dice but I would pull the trigger.
