Forbes article on Vucevic and Celtics

[footey]

The Magic would have a young defensive minded and athletic point guard in Smart as well as the promising Mickey to go with the boost of two first-round picks in the future.

I can see the Celtics being interested in Vucevic but not Payton.  Plus I don't understand the proposed trade at all.  I would be fine with including Olynyk in the mix plus a non-Brooklyn pick with "the promising" Mickey (really?) and/or Young if that is what they wanted.  This all seems pretty speculative.

Vucevic was a very promising player just a year ago.  I have no idea what happened.  The player I remember from a year or so ago is just what the Celtics need.

I'm guessing he thinks that Boston would like a backup PG if it trades Smart and with Smart Orlando wouldn't need Payton.

Yeah, I know but why complicate the deal with all that?  I like Smart on the Celtics better than Payton anyway.  I could see a deal for Vucevic and understand that, just don't see any point to expanding it to include Payton and Smart.

I'm pretty sure he thinks Orlando will want Smart in a trade for Vucevic.  I don't think KO, Mickey, Young, and two future 1sts (assuming no Brooklyn and that they are lotto protected) are enough for Vucevic (salary isn't enough either), but with Smart it is enough and goes the other way, so sending Payton back makes sense in that regard.

Agreed. If trading Smart for Payton gets it done, I'd do the deal. I think efforts to have cap space for a major free agent signing this off season is unrealistic given the new CBA.

[Csfan1984]

Wait did that guy say Smart, KO, Mickey, Young and two first for Vucevic what a total over pay lol. I'd do like Zeller, Young and a single first. No way would I give up Smart or KO or two 1st for Vucevic. He's a nice young center but not a difference maker like Smart is or KO when KO is in attack mode. Vucevic is probably equal in value to AJ right now and that's because both the C's and Magic would like the cap space more then the player himself heading into the off season. No on that one.

It was Vucevic and Payton for that package.

That is understood but Payton would be behind Rozier so he isn't a factor as far as this year.

[Csfan1984]

I can't imagine Ainge having much interest in Payton and there's no way he's trading Smart, KO and two firsts for a guy like Vucevic.

I could see Ainge parting with KO, Amir, Jerebko the 2018 Nets pick and our 2018 pick for Vucevic and Ibaka.

Orlando gets a potential top 5 pick, salary relief and they're more likely to resign KO than Ibaka.  Boston gets maybe the best trio of bigs in the league.

Mike

Ibaka is going to be a FA no way is he worth a Nets pick when he can walk.

[Eddie20]

I'm on board with Vucevic,  but obviously not at the writer's ghastly suggested price. I also don't think he would hurt us during free agency if were to acquire a player. His contract is reasonable and could be easily unloaded if we needed to generate cap space. Plus, he gives us a nice fallback option if we strike out with upper echelon free agents.

[Csfan1984]

I have a question, is Gortat, Bogut and Kanter better options than Vucevic? I know those teams are looking at unloading those guys cheap at 80 cents on the dollar for cap space and trade assets. What would Magic need to do to move Vucevic take the same 80 cents or something like 65 cents?  There are a glut of big men available let's not be a team that over pays.

[Moranis]

Wait did that guy say Smart, KO, Mickey, Young and two first for Vucevic what a total over pay lol. I'd do like Zeller, Young and a single first. No way would I give up Smart or KO or two 1st for Vucevic. He's a nice young center but not a difference maker like Smart is or KO when KO is in attack mode. Vucevic is probably equal in value to AJ right now and that's because both the C's and Magic would like the cap space more then the player himself heading into the off season. No on that one.

It was Vucevic and Payton for that package.

That is understood but Payton would be behind Rozier so he isn't a factor as far as this year.

Payton would not be behind Rozier.  That is just crazy talk.

[Geo123]

I can't imagine Ainge having much interest in Payton and there's no way he's trading Smart, KO and two firsts for a guy like Vucevic.

I could see Ainge parting with KO, Amir, Jerebko the 2018 Nets pick and our 2018 pick for Vucevic and Ibaka.

Orlando gets a potential top 5 pick, salary relief and they're more likely to resign KO than Ibaka.  Boston gets maybe the best trio of bigs in the league.

Mike

The Magic wouldn't make that trade.  They want to build around Ibaka, not trade him. 

[jambr380]

Wait did that guy say Smart, KO, Mickey, Young and two first for Vucevic what a total over pay lol. I'd do like Zeller, Young and a single first. No way would I give up Smart or KO or two 1st for Vucevic. He's a nice young center but not a difference maker like Smart is or KO when KO is in attack mode. Vucevic is probably equal in value to AJ right now and that's because both the C's and Magic would like the cap space more then the player himself heading into the off season. No on that one.

It was Vucevic and Payton for that package.

That is understood but Payton would be behind Rozier so he isn't a factor as far as this year.

Payton would not be behind Rozier.  That is just crazy talk.

I guess I misunderstood the original trade - I did not realize Payton was coming back to us, I only thought Smart was going out.

If this is the case, it is a lot more enticing. There are many who thought Payton was a better prospect than Smart in previous years and it's not like Smart has taken a huge step up this year. I wouldn't do just a Smart for Payton trade, but getting Vucevic is obviously the real prize.

Payton and Rozier would be a fine backcourt pairing with Payton probably being the only true PG on the roster. I miss Rondo and would love to have Payton here to fill his shoes

[Moranis]

Wait did that guy say Smart, KO, Mickey, Young and two first for Vucevic what a total over pay lol. I'd do like Zeller, Young and a single first. No way would I give up Smart or KO or two 1st for Vucevic. He's a nice young center but not a difference maker like Smart is or KO when KO is in attack mode. Vucevic is probably equal in value to AJ right now and that's because both the C's and Magic would like the cap space more then the player himself heading into the off season. No on that one.

It was Vucevic and Payton for that package.

That is understood but Payton would be behind Rozier so he isn't a factor as far as this year.

Payton would not be behind Rozier.  That is just crazy talk.

I guess I misunderstood the original trade - I did not realize Payton was coming back to us, I only thought Smart was going out.

If this is the case, it is a lot more enticing. There are many who thought Payton was a better prospect than Smart in previous years and it's not like Smart has taken a huge step up this year. I wouldn't do just a Smart for Payton trade, but getting Vucevic is obviously the real prize.

Payton and Rozier would be a fine backcourt pairing with Payton probably being the only true PG on the roster. I miss Rondo and would love to have Payton here to fill his shoes

Um, Thomas is still on the team.

The trade from the article was

Vucevic and Payton

for

Smart, KO, Mickey, Young, and two 1st's (presumably non-Brooklyn picks though it didn't say)

[csfansince60s]

Ibaka, Biyombo and Vucevic are all getting between 27-30 minutes per game. A week ago when Vuceveic played 40 vs the Heat, he got 26/12/3/2, and a lot of that was against Whiteside.

He's an underrated passer and a good rebounder (2.6 apg and 10.5 rpg this year in 28 minutes) with a salary that isn't cap-crippling.

After January 15th, I would do Zeller, KO, Rozier, Young and any non-Brooklyn picks for Vucevic and Payton. Rozier could be their point guard of the future and KO should partner well with Ibaka and Biyombo.

IT/Payton
Bradley/Smart
Crowder/Brown
Horford/Jerebko
Vucevic/Amir

I think that's a rotation that gets us into the 2nd round and maybe into the ECFs.

[tankcity!]

Guys, we don't need to trade for Payton. No point in adding another non shooter on this team

[86MaxwellSmart]

Tyler Zeller is just STEALING Money from the Celtics---I'd trade him with maybe Rozier/Young/Yabu and the 2018 C's pick for Vucevic...
Not giving up Smart/Brown or Nets Picks.

[Csfan1984]

Guys, we don't need to trade for Payton. No point in adding another non shooter on this team

Exactly this is why Magic have soured on him and why I'd have Rozier ahead of him.

[CelticGuardian]

Tyler Zeller is just STEALING Money from the Celtics---I'd trade him with maybe Rozier/Young/Yabu and the 2018 C's pick for Vucevic...
Not giving up Smart/Brown or Nets Picks.

But Godzeller is a perennial professional, tho. He probably already knows the 2017 nets pick's favorite gatorade flavor.

[csfansince60s]

Guys, we don't need to trade for Payton. No point in adding another non shooter on this team

Exactly this is why Magic have soured on him and why I'd have Rozier ahead of him.

I agree with both of you guys, but I can't see them trading Vucevic without getting at least Rozier, KO and picks in return. And if we had to trade Rozier, getting Payton in a trade would at least give us a decent backup pg.  We could pair him with either Bradley or IT (but not Smart).