I'll keep my stance on this short: I don't mind whether or not the Celtics keep their picks and build for the future or cash in their assets or build a team to contend and go for a championship right now, I'll be happy either way. It's just getting increasingly frustrating that Ainge hasn't decided which direction he wants to go given all that happened in 2016, and I don't think keeping the picks WHILE also starting IT/AB/Crow/Amir/Al is going to work. Why? Because there's no doubt they are blocking the development of Smart/Jaylen/future 17/18 picks. Are these youngsters getting game time? Yes, but I feel as though their potential is getting handicapped because of the fact that they're not starting and constantly competing against best lineups for other teams. They're not taking responsibilities and reps that are the most important to help them grow as players. You can practice all you want to improve your skillset, which does work (Embiid), but its the learning experiences you get from these responsibilities that helps you transcend into a star player. Yes, Marcus Smart is essentially playing as our 6th man, but part of me wonders how much more he could've improved had he been a primary ball-handler on a team for the last couple years. This argument is more applicable to Jaylen Brown, who has the skillset to succeed, but isn't getting the reps that guys like Booker, Ingram, Winslow, and other ball-dominant wings are to improve their skills in terms of attacking the basket and competing against first-team lineups. He already at a disadvantage as people grading rookie teams are saying worse players are doing more for their teams than Jaylen is for us, and these players that aren't as good as Jaylen are improving faster.
The main reason I make this argument for our youngsters currently and in the future is that they are going even have to compete against each other for playing time, as our starters have earned their spots as the best players. No matter how you put it, they aren't going develop as well as the youngsters on the 76ers and Timberwolves, who are looking like potential dynasties in 3-5 years.
Now I don't mind taking the route the 76ers/Wolves are taking and developing Rozier/Smart/Brown/Fultz or Ball/'18 pick/others, but we've gotten to the situation where our starters have massively exceeded expectations and want to contend. We can't disrespect IT/AB/Crowder for working so hard to get this team where it is only to prioritize developing youngsters. I'm telling you guys, trying to do both at the same time will not work. We need give our current core what it deserves: build a roster that can contend.
Now there's four targets that would best fit a plan to build a contender: Hayward, Cousins, Butler, and Whiteside. I'm just gonna say this now, we're not getting Cousins. He's perfect for us, but I think he's staying in Sac. There's too much money for him. On the other hand, I think Whiteside is much more attainable. Its increasingly clear that the Heat have no reason to try and win and right now, and they have a 27 year old center who is elite at controlling the boards and rim protection: WHICH EXACTLY FIXES OUT PROBLEM. It's so frustrating watch this team get dominated on the boards by any above-average center game after game, and as good as Horford is offensively, its so obvious that he needs a rim protector next to him: we're not getting past the second round with just Horford as our only big man, his flaws won't allow us to. Whiteside is the best upgrade for this team, BUT I will say that I don't want only him, because that's improve us enough. It's either him + a wing or nothing.
Both Butler and Hayward would be improvements to this team, and Hayward is a free agent, which would make the cost to get him less. However, a) we have competition for him b) Utah can offer him much more c) Utah is still building a solid team with their own core. Also, Hayward would likely replace Crow, and Butler would likely replace AB. Thats one of the reasons Butler is the guy we should go for. In terms of the assets we have to offer, they are perfect for a team like the Bulls, who have no future outside of him and will lose Wade in 1-2 years. They need a core to rebuild with, and they can't get that now because of the fact that Wade will likely want to contend. Without further ado, here are the deals we can realistically pull off.
Celtics Get: Hassan Whiteside
Heat Get: 2018 Bkn 1st round pick, Avery Bradley, Amir (salary dump, 1 year), and Marcus Smart
Celtics Get: Jimmy Butler
Bulls Get: Jaylen Brown, Tyler Zeller (salary dump, 2 years), and 2017 Bkn 1st Round pick
Here's my reasoning for deal: For the Heat, they already have a core with Winslow and a couple other guys. Also, they don't necessarily need our '17 Brooklyn pick. Why? Because they can tank for themselves! They are as of now ranked second for the lottery. They will have an All-First Team Defense guy in AB that they can sign to a big contract in 2018 (something we can't necessarily provide, another reason for Crowder over him) after they dump Bosh and a couple other aging veterans. This trade will give them a core of Smart, Winslow, Bradley, their other youngsters, and 3 studs at the top of the next two drafts. I do that if I'm Pat Riley. (Then again, what do I know, I'm just an airchair analyst here)
However, they are in the opposite situation of the Heat: they need a core. We give them studs in Brown,who essentially takes Butlers role as SF in Chicago, and most likely Fultz/Ball, which gives them a bright future along with Denzel Valentine.
I think the general idea of what assets we would have to give up to get these two players is there, it's a little tricky though to think of who goes where. After contemplating, I decided that Chicago is better suited for the '17 pick and Miami for the '18 pick, but we can't completely rip Miami off as theres a lot more unpredictability in that '18 pick, so we also have to toss Smart in there. I considered adding Rozier to the Bulls deal, we might have to, but that leaves us without a ball handler other than IT from the bench.
Finally, as much as AB has improved and how much we all appreciate him, I think moving him makes this teams future easier to maneuver as we can pay IT and Crowder in seperate summers, also having 2 6'7" wings can make up for the height problems that ESPN announcers are always moaning we have.
Our starting lineup ends as
IT/Butler/Crowder/Horford/Whiteside
with Rozier/Green/Jerebko/Olynk/Mickey as second string.
Pretty studly lineup that I think matches up EXTREMELY well with the Cavs/Warriors/Spurs/Rockets. We have 2 25+ ppg scorers as guards, having another go-to guy in Butler will shut people up (other teams' fans, not ours) about IT getting shut down in the playoffs, ideal 3 and D guy in Crowder who lock down James/Durant to a degree, and big men that perfectly complement each other, both 17+ ppg scorers, where Horford is the finesse veteran and Whiteside is the physical defensive specimen. The defense overall with this starting 5 would be SO GOOD. Also, IT/Butler/Whiteside are all 27, so they can contend/age together.
Feel free to discuss in the comments!
Submitted January 18, 2017 at 06:35PM by sumitode