Jaylen's impending Free Agency could resemble the OKC Harden dilemma

[NKY fan]

Ainge could be waiting for the right opportunity to trade Hayward, who is a heavy weight on the cap.
That opportunity could come if Hayward shows further improvement early.

Danny needs to get out of that contract to have freedom to sign younger players like Brown and Tatum.

No he doesn’t.  They could offer max extensions to Brown and Tatum and keep Hayward to the end of his deal and not be a tax team.

Great ! Let’s throw two more years of non contending away so we don’t hurt Hayward’s feelings.
His contract is either going to be used to match salary of a star being traded or Danny is really content on being 3-7 seed in the east and to keep it rolling

[gouki88]

Ainge could be waiting for the right opportunity to trade Hayward, who is a heavy weight on the cap.
That opportunity could come if Hayward shows further improvement early.

Danny needs to get out of that contract to have freedom to sign younger players like Brown and Tatum.

No he doesn’t.  They could offer max extensions to Brown and Tatum and keep Hayward to the end of his deal and not be a tax team.

Great ! Let’s throw two more years of non contending away so we don’t hurt Hayward’s feelings.
His contract is either going to be used to match salary of a star being traded or Danny is really content on being 3-7 seed in the east and to keep it rolling

Yeah, because there's no way Hayward can actually improve, right?

[NKY fan]

Ainge could be waiting for the right opportunity to trade Hayward, who is a heavy weight on the cap.
That opportunity could come if Hayward shows further improvement early.

Danny needs to get out of that contract to have freedom to sign younger players like Brown and Tatum.

No he doesn’t.  They could offer max extensions to Brown and Tatum and keep Hayward to the end of his deal and not be a tax team.

Great ! Let’s throw two more years of non contending away so we don’t hurt Hayward’s feelings.
His contract is either going to be used to match salary of a star being traded or Danny is really content on being 3-7 seed in the east and to keep it rolling

Yeah, because there's no way Hayward can actually improve, right?

The overwhelming opinion on here is that Hayward will improve to borderline all star this year. I am saying if that is what will make us better it’s a long shot

[Somebody]

Ainge could be waiting for the right opportunity to trade Hayward, who is a heavy weight on the cap.
That opportunity could come if Hayward shows further improvement early.

Danny needs to get out of that contract to have freedom to sign younger players like Brown and Tatum.

No he doesn’t.  They could offer max extensions to Brown and Tatum and keep Hayward to the end of his deal and not be a tax team.

Great ! Let’s throw two more years of non contending away so we don’t hurt Hayward’s feelings.
His contract is either going to be used to match salary of a star being traded or Danny is really content on being 3-7 seed in the east and to keep it rolling

Yeah, because there's no way Hayward can actually improve, right?

The overwhelming opinion on here is that Hayward will improve to borderline all star this year. I am saying if that is what will make us better it’s a long shot

I think Tatum and Brown's development will be more important than Hayward bouncing back tbh.

[ETNCeltics]

Ainge could be waiting for the right opportunity to trade Hayward, who is a heavy weight on the cap.
That opportunity could come if Hayward shows further improvement early.

Danny needs to get out of that contract to have freedom to sign younger players like Brown and Tatum.

No he doesn’t.  They could offer max extensions to Brown and Tatum and keep Hayward to the end of his deal and not be a tax team.

Great ! Let’s throw two more years of non contending away so we don’t hurt Hayward’s feelings.
His contract is either going to be used to match salary of a star being traded or Danny is really content on being 3-7 seed in the east and to keep it rolling

Patience is evidently not your strong suit, but the plan appears to be to see if Tatum becomes a franchise player, while also  keeping salary flexibility for 2021s FA class. There are some secondary hopes, like Hayward reemerging or Brown becoming a star, that would propel us upward, but it’s apparent to me they’re banking on Tatum.

If Ainge believes that’s the best path, he’d be a fool to do anything differently. It has nothing to do with being content with being a 3 seed, and everything to do with the reality of our situation. Trading a talented player for a less talented player to fill what fans believe is a lineup hole probably isn’t helping the team win a title.

Is that the best course? I don’t know, but it appears a lot better than the nonsensical or unworkable trades people post on here.

[Smartacus]

Ainge could be waiting for the right opportunity to trade Hayward, who is a heavy weight on the cap.
That opportunity could come if Hayward shows further improvement early.

Danny needs to get out of that contract to have freedom to sign younger players like Brown and Tatum.

No he doesn’t.  They could offer max extensions to Brown and Tatum and keep Hayward to the end of his deal and not be a tax team.

Great ! Let’s throw two more years of non contending away so we don’t hurt Hayward’s feelings.
His contract is either going to be used to match salary of a star being traded or Danny is really content on being 3-7 seed in the east and to keep it rolling

Yeah, because there's no way Hayward can actually improve, right?

The overwhelming opinion on here is that Hayward will improve to borderline all star this year. I am saying if that is what will make us better it’s a long shot

So why is adding a legitimate max contract All Star in his prime a long shot to make us better? For the first time since he signed here, there is room on this team for the Gordon Hayward reclamation project.

-No Horford has opened up our need for a facilitator in the Starting unit.

-No Morris has opened up our need for a Veteran shot maker.

-No Rozier means there wont be anyone in the second unit that refuses to pass to Hayward.

-Replacing Kyrie with Kemba swaps out the biggest chemistry question mark in recent memory with a guy that helped convince Hayward to sign with Charlotte years ago as an RFA.

There is room for Hayward in Boston this year. Most of us are optimistic for the improved fit as much as the expected improvement in play.

LaMarcus Aldridge looked washed up his first year in San Antonio, year 2 they improved his fit in the system, Kawhi sat out the year opening up opportunity and he ended up All NBA 3rd team.

Fit is a real factor, assuming that Tatum and Brown cannot work with Hayward on the roster because of what we saw last year is no less irrational than assuming Hayward will be back to Borderline All Star form.

[NKY fan]

It’s Ainges job to figure out (after 3 years of observations) what the optimal contract is that will keep jaylen here long term ...
The reasons he hasn’t offered jaylen a contract extension are:
-he has no idea what is jaylen worth
-He doesn’t think jaylen is worth the max and is hoping no team offers him the max.

I think brown will reject anything less than the max

[jambr380]

It’s Ainges job to figure out (after 3 years of observations) what the optimal contract is that will keep jaylen here long term ...
The reasons he hasn’t offered jaylen a contract extension are:
-he has no idea what is jaylen worth
-He doesn’t think jaylen is worth the max and is hoping no team offers him the max.

I think brown will reject anything less than the max

If Ainge doesn't think Brown is currently worth the 5-yr max extension and Jaylen won't accept anything less than that, then obviously you let him just play out the year and see where everything lands next off-season.

If Brown proves he is worth the 5-yr max, you offer it to him and you have a star locked up for 5 years. If not (but he is still really good), you match a 3+1 max offered from another team and go from there.

RFA is one of the only real benefits teams have - no reason to get a 5-yr max signed now if there are real questions.

[NKY fan]

It’s Ainges job to figure out (after 3 years of observations) what the optimal contract is that will keep jaylen here long term ...
The reasons he hasn’t offered jaylen a contract extension are:
-he has no idea what is jaylen worth
-He doesn’t think jaylen is worth the max and is hoping no team offers him the max.

I think brown will reject anything less than the max

If Ainge doesn't think Brown is currently worth the 5-yr max extension and Jaylen won't accept anything less than that, then obviously you let him just play out the year and see where everything lands next off-season.

If Brown proves he is worth the 5-yr max, you offer it to him and you have a star locked up for 5 years. If not (but he is still really good), you match a 3+1 max offered from another team and go from there.

RFA is one of the only real benefits teams have - no reason to get a 5-yr max signed now if there are real questions.

I remember reading that one of the reasons Hayward left Utah was that they didn’t offer him the 5 yr max when they could but let him go to teams and sign offers.

[gouki88]

It’s Ainges job to figure out (after 3 years of observations) what the optimal contract is that will keep jaylen here long term ...
The reasons he hasn’t offered jaylen a contract extension are:
-he has no idea what is jaylen worth
-He doesn’t think jaylen is worth the max and is hoping no team offers him the max.

I think brown will reject anything less than the max

If Ainge doesn't think Brown is currently worth the 5-yr max extension and Jaylen won't accept anything less than that, then obviously you let him just play out the year and see where everything lands next off-season.

If Brown proves he is worth the 5-yr max, you offer it to him and you have a star locked up for 5 years. If not (but he is still really good), you match a 3+1 max offered from another team and go from there.

RFA is one of the only real benefits teams have - no reason to get a 5-yr max signed now if there are real questions.

I remember reading that one of the reasons Hayward left Utah was that they didn’t offer him the 5 yr max when they could but let him go to teams and sign offers.

Wasn't that in 2014? I can't quite remember

[dannyboy35]

In the next 2 years, Brown, Tatum and Hayward will all hit free agency.

Something will have to give as keeping 3 guys who play the same position is redundant.

My gut feeling is Jaylen stays because he can also play the 2 and the team will have to make a decision between Hayward and Tatum.

Imo. Not a hard decision there

  Agreed. Ship out Tatum and Smart for a really good to great big.

[dannyboy35]

When you can match there is no rush to extend unless there is a team friendly discount. Brown could also be looking for a bigger role and may not want to extend unless he gets it.

If Hayward returns to All-Star form and Tatum becomes a 20-point scorer, Brown will not get a bigger role.

We all know Hayward is Brad's boy.

Tatum is better than Brown.

So Brown will just have to be content with whatever is given to him.

  I don’t agree that Tatum is better. I think the jury is out on that. Brown is a very good defensive player and Tatum is a poor one. Brown learned to play within himself where Tatum continued to take bad shots. If he’s not scoring he’s not helping ( so far). Brown is the only one of the 3 wings that can guard 2 guards really well. The other two would get roasted .

[chiken]

1. Why is it impossible to think that we are better with both of these guys on the Roster...

2. Brown has been in the league longer than Tatum... Why does it matter who's "better" at this point.  They don't even play the same position.

3. Our future is bright because we have two outstanding Young wings...

4. The playmaking thing for 3rd and 4th year players is not a big deal at this stage in their young Careers.

5. Why are we pretending that our team wasn't torn between Racking up pieces for AD and Bending over Backwards to please Kyrie last year...  It is totally understandable why Nearly everyone on the Roster not named Kyrie had a subpar, unimpressive year.

6. Butler is a good Comp for Brown and he is Worth the Max... I think it's crazy to think that "3 and D" guys can't be valued as Max players...(Browns floor is Butler and his Ceiling could be as high has Kawhi's - You keep that when you have it)

 

 

[bellerephon]

1. Why is it impossible to think that we are better with both of these guys on the Roster...

2. Brown has been in the league longer than Tatum... Why does it matter who's "better" at this point.  They don't even play the same position.

3. Our future is bright because we have two outstanding Young wings...

4. The playmaking thing for 3rd and 4th year players is not a big deal at this stage in their young Careers.

5. Why are we pretending that our team wasn't torn between Racking up pieces for AD and Bending over Backwards to please Kyrie last year...  It is totally understandable why Nearly everyone on the Roster not named Kyrie had a subpar, unimpressive year.

6. Butler is a good Comp for Brown and he is Worth the Max... I think it's crazy to think that "3 and D" guys can't be valued as Max players...(Browns floor is Butler and his Ceiling could be as high has Kawhi's - You keep that when you have it)

 

 

Money is probably the big reason. If both Tatum and Brown are good enough to command max contracts, the Celts may not be willing to keep both. Unless the team is a legit title contender I don't think the Celtics will be willing to carry three max contracts (Kemba, Jayson, Jaylen). Now if they are a legit contender that changes things.

[chiken]

1. Why is it impossible to think that we are better with both of these guys on the Roster...

2. Brown has been in the league longer than Tatum... Why does it matter who's "better" at this point.  They don't even play the same position.

3. Our future is bright because we have two outstanding Young wings...

4. The playmaking thing for 3rd and 4th year players is not a big deal at this stage in their young Careers.

5. Why are we pretending that our team wasn't torn between Racking up pieces for AD and Bending over Backwards to please Kyrie last year...  It is totally understandable why Nearly everyone on the Roster not named Kyrie had a subpar, unimpressive year.

6. Butler is a good Comp for Brown and he is Worth the Max... I think it's crazy to think that "3 and D" guys can't be valued as Max players...(Browns floor is Butler and his Ceiling could be as high has Kawhi's - You keep that when you have it)

 

 

Money is probably the big reason. If both Tatum and Brown are good enough to command max contracts, the Celts may not be willing to keep both. Unless the team is a legit title contender I don't think the Celtics will be willing to carry three max contracts (Kemba, Jayson, Jaylen). Now if they are a legit contender that changes things.

If Money is the problem (which could very well be the case) you shouldn't get rid of the Young Cornerstones if we deem them "Good enough."