The Max Free Agent Plan Trap

[ETNCeltics]

Fans make no sense at all. If Tatum and Brown surrounded by a really good cast of role players aren't good enough to win a title, then we need to trade them.

It isn't necessary to have 3 superstars. The LAL won 2 years ago with only 2. The Bucks just won with only one. GSW won with their 3rd "star" being a defender and rebounder. The doom and gloom is ridiculous.

[RJ87]

Fans make no sense at all. If Tatum and Brown surrounded by a really good cast of role players aren't good enough to win a title, then we need to trade them.

It isn't necessary to have 3 superstars. The LAL won 2 years ago with only 2. The Bucks just won with only one. GSW won with their 3rd "star" being a defender and rebounder. The doom and gloom is ridiculous.

That's subjective, isn't it? It depends on what one really thinks of the role players. I don't believe the role players are anything to be excited about. Our best role players are Al Horford, who's 35 and will likely need load management, Timelord who can never stay healthy so you can't count on him, and Smart, whose defense regressed last season and you can always pencil in for missing 10-20 games.

After that, everything is a question mark. Can Shroeder play an off the bench role or is he going to pout because he's not starting? Can Josh Richardson replicate that one really good season he had in Miami two years ago? Can Langford or Nesmith crack the rotation consistently?

[Celtics2021]

I don't have big expectations for free agency next year.  I think it's unlikely that we sign anybody.  And, realistically, perhaps that wouldn't be a bad thing.  I foresee Summer 2022 being a lot like Summer 2021, where we tread water and attempt to sign guys to one year deals, looking toward Summer 2023.

2023 is when the real game-changers could become available.  Joel Embiid, for instance, is scheduled to be a free agent.  Unless Philly makes the Finals, I think he'll explore free agency.  The Jays should start recruiting him now:

Embiid
Tatum
Nesmith
Brown
Pritchard

That's a core that we can go to war with.  Jokic is also scheduled to be a free agent that season, although I suspect that he's more likely to stay in Denver.

Jokic is a lock for a supermax and Embiid will be if he finishes all-nba once in the next two years.  You think they’ll turn them down?

EDIT: Embiid is currently eligible.

And he signed it.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I don't have big expectations for free agency next year.  I think it's unlikely that we sign anybody.  And, realistically, perhaps that wouldn't be a bad thing.  I foresee Summer 2022 being a lot like Summer 2021, where we tread water and attempt to sign guys to one year deals, looking toward Summer 2023.

2023 is when the real game-changers could become available.  Joel Embiid, for instance, is scheduled to be a free agent.  Unless Philly makes the Finals, I think he'll explore free agency.  The Jays should start recruiting him now:

Embiid
Tatum
Nesmith
Brown
Pritchard

That's a core that we can go to war with.  Jokic is also scheduled to be a free agent that season, although I suspect that he's more likely to stay in Denver.

This seems much less likely to me if the Celtics are a 40-45 win team in 21-22 and then follow that up with another "bridge year" summer and have a similar record in 22-23.

There are certainly reasons to think the Celtics will be better than that each of the next two seasons, but it's still entirely plausible given where the roster is at compared to the rest of the East right now.


Note as well that in Summer 2023, Jaylen Brown will be entering the last year of his deal.  Tatum will have two years remaining.  If the Celts have basically been treading water / floundering for three straight seasons at that point, it seems just as likely that either or both of those guys will be eyeing the door, rather than trying to recruit some other big name to join them.

We're gonna have to start calling this "the bridge decade."

[sgrogan]

Fans make no sense at all. If Tatum and Brown surrounded by a really good cast of role players aren't good enough to win a title, then we need to trade them.

It isn't necessary to have 3 superstars. The LAL won 2 years ago with only 2. The Bucks just won with only one. GSW won with their 3rd "star" being a defender and rebounder. The doom and gloom is ridiculous.

Trade them for what? Other players that aren't going to win either?
Until Tatum, or someone else is LeBron, Durant, or Kahwi, we are hoping to be the 2007 Spurs.
No disrespect meant for Steph.

[Sophomore]

We’ve got a bunch of young players. Their ceiling defines the team’s ceiling and we don’t know what it is yet. If Rob is healthy I think ppl are sleeping on how good he will be. Surround him and the Js with solid players (we don’t need a superstar) and all we need is a break or two to get out of the East.

Most importantly, Kevin Durant can’t continue to be the most lethal big game player on the planet. Kyrie and Harden don’t scare me. KD tho, when he’s on, is at the top of the heap.

[#1P4P]

Fans make no sense at all. If Tatum and Brown surrounded by a really good cast of role players aren't good enough to win a title, then we need to trade them.

It isn't necessary to have 3 superstars. The LAL won 2 years ago with only 2. The Bucks just won with only one. GSW won with their 3rd "star" being a defender and rebounder. The doom and gloom is ridiculous.

It is. The pessimism in this forum is ridiculous; they would’ve preferred to dismantle the Bucks core that just won the title right after 2020’s 2nd round exit to the Heat.

Forget an elite defense, chemistry, maturation, role players that don’t have to rely on scoring to have a positive impact, and forget 2 top 20 scorers entering their primes, who can we trade for Bradley Beal? Can we trade Jaylen for Javonte Green because he’s one of Tatum’s favorite teammate and we have to placate to him so he wants to resign his extension coming up in 2025?

After 4 years of having elite scoring guards that are below average defenders, they yearn for another one despite Tatum and Brown clearly demonstrating the readiness to shoulder the offensive load. I appreciate Stevens embracing a defensive identity by adding/subtracting players that fit his ideal accordingly. If others want to be bearish on this team, let them, time will tell what’s what.