Trading the TPE for a “star”

[Roy H.]

In threads about John Collins, Victor Oladipo and Harrison Barnes, a common refrain is “I don’t want to use the TPE on them; we need to use it on a star”.

I’m curious, what type of star are people dreaming of?  And remember, that star has to be making $28.6 million or less, and can’t be acquired via sign-and-trade.

What options are out there?  Is the singular focus a complicated three way deal for Beal that may not be legal?  Otherwise, what is a “star”?  A one-time all-star?  Perennial all-stars only?  All-NBA?  MVP candidates?

I suspect that a lot of folks are going to be disappointed.

[wdleehi]

I don't think the Celtics can trade directly for a star but the use of the TPE is the best way to get the Celtics in the position to trade for a star in the future. 


The TPE needs to become a player under contract for a decent amount next year that could be attractive as one of the main pieces in such a trade. 

[nickagneta]

It won't be any of these guys as they all make too much or will be free agents next year and, lest we forget, there will be no sign and trade into that Hayward TPE.

RK   NAME   TEAM   SALARY
1   Stephen Curry, PG   Golden State Warriors   $43,006,362
2   Russell Westbrook, PG   Washington Wizards   $41,358,814
3   Chris Paul, PG   Phoenix Suns   $41,358,814
4   James Harden, SG   Brooklyn Nets   $41,254,920
5   John Wall, PG   Houston Rockets   $41,254,920
6   Kevin Durant, PF   Brooklyn Nets   $40,108,950
7   LeBron James, SF   Los Angeles Lakers   $39,219,565
8   Blake Griffin, PF   Detroit Pistons   $36,810,996
9   Paul George, SG   LA Clippers   $35,450,412
10   Klay Thompson, SG   Golden State Warriors   $35,361,360
11   Mike Conley, PG   Utah Jazz   $34,502,130
12   Jimmy Butler, SF   Miami Heat   $34,379,100
13   Kawhi Leonard, SF   LA Clippers   $34,379,100
14   Kemba Walker, PG   Boston Celtics   $34,379,100
15   Tobias Harris, PF   Philadelphia 76ers   $34,358,850
16   Khris Middleton, SF   Milwaukee Bucks   $33,051,724
17   Anthony Davis, PF   Los Angeles Lakers   $32,742,000
18   Kyrie Irving, PG   Brooklyn Nets   $31,742,000
19   Damian Lillard, PG   Portland Trail Blazers   $31,626,953
20   Kevin Love, PF   Cleveland Cavaliers   $31,258,256
21   Pascal Siakam, PF   Toronto Raptors   $30,559,200
22   Ben Simmons, PG   Philadelphia 76ers   $30,559,200
23   Kyle Lowry, PG   Toronto Raptors   $30,500,000
24   Steven Adams, C   New Orleans Pelicans   $29,592,696
25   Joel Embiid, C   Philadelphia 76ers   $29,542,010
26   Andrew Wiggins, SF   Golden State Warriors   $29,542,010
27   Nikola Jokic, C   Denver Nuggets   $29,542,010
28   Devin Booker, SG   Phoenix Suns   $29,467,800
29   Karl-Anthony Towns, C   Minnesota Timberwolves   $29,467,800
30   Kristaps Porzingis, C   Dallas Mavericks   $29,467,800
31   CJ McCollum, SG   Portland Trail Blazers   $29,354,152
32   Bradley Beal, SG   Washington Wizards   $28,751,775
33   Andre Drummond, C   Cleveland Cavaliers   $28,751,775
34   D'Angelo Russell, PG     Minnesota Timberwolves   $28,649,250

So are there any "stars" left the Celtics can fit into that TPE?

[nickagneta]

Here's the next bunch of guys that could fit into the TPE, again, if they aren't free agents.

RK   NAME   TEAM   SALARY
35   Gordon Hayward, SF   Charlotte Hornets   $28,500,000
36   Otto Porter Jr., SF   Chicago Bulls   $28,489,237
37   DeMar DeRozan, SF   San Antonio Spurs   $27,739,975
38   Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF   Milwaukee Bucks   $27,528,090
39   Rudy Gobert, C   Utah Jazz   $27,525,281
40   Al Horford, C   Oklahoma City Thunder   $27,500,000
41   Jamal Murray, PG   Denver Nuggets   $27,285,000
42   Brandon Ingram, SF   New Orleans Pelicans   $27,285,000
43   Jrue Holiday, PG   Milwaukee Bucks   $26,231,111
44   Nikola Vucevic, C   Orlando Magic   $26,000,000
45   Chandler Parsons, SF   Atlanta Hawks   $25,102,511
46   Buddy Hield, SG   Sacramento Kings   $24,701,834
47   LaMarcus Aldridge, C   San Antonio Spurs   $24,000,000
48   Jaylen Brown, SG   Boston Celtics   $23,735,118
49   Draymond Green, PF   Golden State Warriors   $22,246,956
50   Harrison Barnes, SF   Sacramento Kings   $22,215,909
51   Fred VanVleet, SG   Toronto Raptors   $21,250,000
52   Victor Oladipo, SG   Indiana Pacers   $21,000,000
53   Malcolm Brogdon, PG   Indiana Pacers   $20,700,000
54   Domantas Sabonis, PF   Indiana Pacers   $19,800,000
55   Gary Harris, SG   Denver Nuggets   $19,610,714
56   Zach LaVine, SG   Chicago Bulls   $19,500,000
57   Danilo Gallinari, PF   Atlanta Hawks   $19,500,000
58   Jerami Grant, SF   Detroit Pistons   $19,050,000
59   Tim Hardaway Jr., SF   Dallas Mavericks   $18,975,000
60   Terry Rozier, SG   Charlotte Hornets   $18,900,000
61   Julius Randle, PF   New York Knicks   $18,900,000
62   Allen Crabbe, G   Minnesota Timberwolves   $18,500,000
63   Aaron Gordon, PF   Orlando Magic   $18,136,364
64   Goran Dragic, PG   Miami Heat   $18,000,000
65   Myles Turner, C   Indiana Pacers   $18,000,000
66   Bogdan Bogdanovic, SG   Atlanta Hawks   $18,000,000
67   Bojan Bogdanovic, SF   Utah Jazz   $17,850,000
68   Gorgui Dieng, C   Memphis Grizzlies   $17,287,640
69   Evan Fournier, SG   Orlando Magic   $17,150,000
70   Ricky Rubio, PG   Minnesota Timberwolves   $17,000,000
71   Eric Bledsoe, SG   New Orleans Pelicans   $16,875,000
72   Eric Gordon, SG   Houston Rockets   $16,869,276
73   Timofey Mozgov, C   Orlando Magic   $16,720,000
74   Caris LeVert, SG   Brooklyn Nets   $16,203,704
75   Joe Harris, SF   Brooklyn Nets   $16,071,429
76   James Johnson, PF   Dallas Mavericks   $16,047,100
77   Dennis Schroder, PG   Los Angeles Lakers   $16,000,000
78   Clint Capela, C   Atlanta Hawks   $16,000,000
79   Cody Zeller, C   Charlotte Hornets   $15,415,730
80   Danny Green, SF   Philadelphia 76ers

[mobilija]

People on Celticstrong are gonna be disapointed?!?

I suspect that to be an understatement.

[Wretch]

That's a great list, thanks for the effort. Unfortunately most of the players the Cs would want are playing for teams that are still in playoff contention or they seem to be going for the play in games.

I honestly don't see too many players that are "get" able on that list that move the needle enough to make them worth the price in what is shaping up to be a sellers market.  If we added Jerami Grant, or (insert your Orlando binkie) would the Cs be favorites in a 7 game series versus the Nets, Lakers, Clippers or Jazz?

As painful as it is to say the Cs are probably best served using the TPE in the offseason when the cost of won't be prohibitive.  If JB and JT were a few years older and in their primes I would say go all in but how many teams have gone all in on a short window and lost their star to LA or Miami or taken on veteran contracts/players that became liabilities.  The Cs have a longer window opening and I am OK with patience.  Neither JT nor JB are top 5-10 players in the league, yet.  That's when the Cs should cash in future assets (picks/swaps).

[todd_days_41]

In threads about John Collins, Victor Oladipo and Harrison Barnes, a common refrain is “I don’t want to use the TPE on them; we need to use it on a star”.

I’m curious, what type of star are people dreaming of?  And remember, that star has to be making $28.6 million or less, and can’t be acquired via sign-and-trade.

What options are out there?  Is the singular focus a complicated three way deal for Beal that may not be legal?  Otherwise, what is a “star”?  A one-time all-star?  Perennial all-stars only?  All-NBA?  MVP candidates?

I suspect that a lot of folks are going to be disappointed.

I'd rather trade for re-sign DeRozen than those three. I think the price (in trade) for value might be the best of the bunch. I also get the feeling that from a culture perspective DeRozen may fit in / be good for the Cs.

[Phantom255x]

I would legitimately consider trading for Vucevic in the offseason. I think he's one of those guys who may not "sound" like a star, but he absolutely has played like one this season and his contract isn't as egregious. He's still just 30, and I think he'd be a nice fit here. 

Look, lets face it. There really aren't many "superstar" bigs in the NBA nowadays. You have Davis, Embiid, Giannis, KAT and Jokic basically. Unless KAT becomes available, I don't see how you can really acquire any one of these guys. KAT would definitely cost you one of Tatum or Brown, and probably another piece like Smart or Timelord. And frankly I don't even think you need to trade for him. Vucevic is really good and could complement our two primary stars really well (Tatum, Brown).

There are other options like Barnes, DeRozan, etc.

Beal is a pipe dream unless you guys really want to trade away Brown in the deal as well. No way Washington does it without him or Tatum included. Other teams can easily outbid us.

[aingeforthree]

I don’t think it’s going to be a ‘star’ trade. At least not yet. Maybe over the summer.

For now, I think it’s going to be along the lines of a Nesmith/Grant Williams for PJ Tucker type trade. More of a ‘fit’ type trade. Then use the TPE in the summer.

Need another defender for that SF/PF position. Vet with toughness.

[Big333223]

In threads about John Collins, Victor Oladipo and Harrison Barnes, a common refrain is “I don’t want to use the TPE on them; we need to use it on a star”.

I’m curious, what type of star are people dreaming of?  And remember, that star has to be making $28.6 million or less, and can’t be acquired via sign-and-trade.

What options are out there?  Is the singular focus a complicated three way deal for Beal that may not be legal?  Otherwise, what is a “star”?  A one-time all-star?  Perennial all-stars only?  All-NBA?  MVP candidates?

I suspect that a lot of folks are going to be disappointed.

100% right. I think the likes of John Collins and Victor Oladipo is as big of a star as the Celtics could reasonably be targeting.

[Roy H.]

In threads about John Collins, Victor Oladipo and Harrison Barnes, a common refrain is “I don’t want to use the TPE on them; we need to use it on a star”.

I’m curious, what type of star are people dreaming of?  And remember, that star has to be making $28.6 million or less, and can’t be acquired via sign-and-trade.

What options are out there?  Is the singular focus a complicated three way deal for Beal that may not be legal?  Otherwise, what is a “star”?  A one-time all-star?  Perennial all-stars only?  All-NBA?  MVP candidates?

I suspect that a lot of folks are going to be disappointed.

I'd rather trade for re-sign DeRozen than those three. I think the price (in trade) for value might be the best of the bunch. I also get the feeling that from a culture perspective DeRozen may fit in / be good for the Cs.

DeRozan is almost 32, though, and we’d have to send out significant salary to stay under the tax.  What’s the point?

[johnnygreen]

If I’m not mistaken, the Celtics can split up the TPE. Trading the TPE for some sort of star player is not realistic at all. There may be teams on the edge of having enough room to sign a max free agent, but need to shed salary to get there for this coming off season. I think this may be the area the Celtics need to focus. The team needs to strengthen their depth and look to acquire players that are will be 4-8 on the depth chart.

BTW, in a radio interview Wyc did on the Felger and Mazz show recently, he pretty much said the team won’t use the TPE during this season (because of the hard cap), but rather during the off season.

[slamtheking]

If I’m not mistaken, the Celtics can split up the TPE. Trading the TPE for some sort of star player is not realistic at all. There may be teams on the edge of having enough room to sign a max free agent, but need to shed salary to get there for this coming off season. I think this may be the area the Celtics need to focus. The team needs to strengthen their depth and look to acquire players that are will be 4-8 on the depth chart.

BTW, in a radio interview Wyc did on the Felger and Mazz show recently, he pretty much said the team won’t use the TPE during this season (because of the hard cap), but rather during the off season.

my thoughts on it are similar to this.

they're not going to get a player that's going to make them contenders this year.  team has a number of issues that aren't going to be addressed by one player with the portion of the TPE we can spend.   At this point, I think the team may be better off waiting until the offseason to use the TPE (which is pretty much what I figured they'd do all along).

in the offseason, I would prefer they use the bulk of it to bring in another all-star level talent that makes the amount of the TPE (or less) to really improve the team.  I'm not so sure they'll be able to pull that off BUT that TPE is more than large enough to sign 2-3 really good players that would shore up the bench so we're not relying on the youth to immediately contribute nor on vets that seem to be struggling to stay in the league.  I could see a vet PG to replace Teague and a vet 3+D wing to come off the bench.  perhaps a legit PF that has a reliable shot out to 18 feet, plays good D and can rebound.

[johnnygreen]

If I’m not mistaken, the Celtics can split up the TPE. Trading the TPE for some sort of star player is not realistic at all. There may be teams on the edge of having enough room to sign a max free agent, but need to shed salary to get there for this coming off season. I think this may be the area the Celtics need to focus. The team needs to strengthen their depth and look to acquire players that are will be 4-8 on the depth chart.

BTW, in a radio interview Wyc did on the Felger and Mazz show recently, he pretty much said the team won’t use the TPE during this season (because of the hard cap), but rather during the off season.

my thoughts on it are similar to this.

they're not going to get a player that's going to make them contenders this year.  team has a number of issues that aren't going to be addressed by one player with the portion of the TPE we can spend.   At this point, I think the team may be better off waiting until the offseason to use the TPE (which is pretty much what I figured they'd do all along).

in the offseason, I would prefer they use the bulk of it to bring in another all-star level talent that makes the amount of the TPE (or less) to really improve the team.  I'm not so sure they'll be able to pull that off BUT that TPE is more than large enough to sign 2-3 really good players that would shore up the bench so we're not relying on the youth to immediately contribute nor on vets that seem to be struggling to stay in the league.  I could see a vet PG to replace Teague and a vet 3+D wing to come off the bench.  perhaps a legit PF that has a reliable shot out to 18 feet, plays good D and can rebound.

I'd be really excited to split the TPE to get Terrance Ross and Jae Crowder.

[nickagneta]

If I’m not mistaken, the Celtics can split up the TPE. Trading the TPE for some sort of star player is not realistic at all. There may be teams on the edge of having enough room to sign a max free agent, but need to shed salary to get there for this coming off season. I think this may be the area the Celtics need to focus. The team needs to strengthen their depth and look to acquire players that are will be 4-8 on the depth chart.

BTW, in a radio interview Wyc did on the Felger and Mazz show recently, he pretty much said the team won’t use the TPE during this season (because of the hard cap), but rather during the off season.

my thoughts on it are similar to this.

they're not going to get a player that's going to make them contenders this year.  team has a number of issues that aren't going to be addressed by one player with the portion of the TPE we can spend.   At this point, I think the team may be better off waiting until the offseason to use the TPE (which is pretty much what I figured they'd do all along).

in the offseason, I would prefer they use the bulk of it to bring in another all-star level talent that makes the amount of the TPE (or less) to really improve the team.  I'm not so sure they'll be able to pull that off BUT that TPE is more than large enough to sign 2-3 really good players that would shore up the bench so we're not relying on the youth to immediately contribute nor on vets that seem to be struggling to stay in the league.  I could see a vet PG to replace Teague and a vet 3+D wing to come off the bench.  perhaps a legit PF that has a reliable shot out to 18 feet, plays good D and can rebound.

You can't sign players into the TPE, you can only trade players into it or claim players put on waivers into it. You can sign and trade players into it but that would hardcap the team and that won't be happening next year.