Celtics trade for David Lee

[Emmette Bryant]

Well that is disappointing.

Don't we have enough problems finding minutes for Sullinger and Olynyk with Amir, Ty Zeller and Jerebko already on board?

Do we really need to add a PF who is going to complicate that even further?

Remember, this is not a team.

It's just an amorphous pile of assets that nobody wants.

Can't tell if this is sarcasm, don't think it is going by the general negative tone on the boards as of late, but the reason the Celtics made the playoffs last year was because they gelled as a team and played greater than the sum of its parts. Too much emphasis is placed on slotting positions instead of identifying skillsets and player combinations that maximize the talent we do have.

TP. You said it better than I could.

[PhoSita]

David Lee and Amir Johnson should start. Two best big men on the team.

Two guys who probably have no future here and will be gone in 12 months time and whose playing time will come at the expense of young up and coming players.

I feel like this means the C's either have a deal lined up for one or both of Sullinger/Olynyk or they don't think enough of those guys that giving them heavy minutes was something they needed to do.

A couple things are becoming clear:

- Danny values having huge expiring contracts more than developing players
- The Celtics aren't concerned with playing their young guys -- Sullinger, Olynyk, Zeller -- in starting roles.


On both accounts, I'm guessing this means the team doesn't view the aforementioned younger guys as likely longer term pieces and / or has trades lined up.

[bdm860]

The most amazing thing about this is that Wallace is actually 3 months YOUNGER than Lee.  Has 30 ever hit a player so hard?

I think one of the comments I saw on Reddit explains this nicely:

He was Draymond Green before Draymond Green

      If you shot Green out of a canon toward the rim every other play.

They ain't call him Crash for nothing.

[Jon]

It's a good deal.  Worst case he's another expiring contract.  Best case he gives us a starting power forward and allows Danny the freedom to start consolidating some of our young assets. 

Lee should also thrive in Stevens's fast-paced, read and react offense. 

Defensively, it's not like Sully and Olynyk were much to write home about either. 

[JHTruth]

I like it. Worst case scenario, he gets hurt or sucks completely, we move him at the deadline. Best case, he turns into a beast on the Celtics and we can trade Sully/Olynyk/whomever to get a decent C or a 3 and Lee turns into a key part of the next contender.

No lose here..

[ThaPreacher]

Bottle rockets!

LOL.

David Lee can play Center and PF.  At Center, he doesn't block shots, but can clean up the glass. Stretch opposing centers out to the key and the corner.  Better than Zeller, he actually makes tradingany combination: Zeller/Sully/Jerebenko/K.O. possible since he can play both the 5 and the 4.
He is a stretch 5!  Which I'm sure makes Brad Stevens giddy. 

Bottle rockets you say!  Indeed! But expect a few M40s and cherrybombs to follow!

Now all we need is a scoring wing!  Where is Paul Pierce when you need him.
Ah Gerald Green will do.

[PhoSita]

Well that is disappointing.

Don't we have enough problems finding minutes for Sullinger and Olynyk with Amir, Ty Zeller and Jerebko already on board?

Do we really need to add a PF who is going to complicate that even further?

Remember, this is not a team.

It's just an amorphous pile of assets that nobody wants.

Can't tell if this is sarcasm, don't think it is going by the general negative tone on the boards as of late, but the reason the Celtics made the playoffs last year was because they gelled as a team and played greater than the sum of its parts. Too much emphasis is placed on slotting positions instead of identifying skillsets and player combinations that maximize the talent we do have.

TP. You said it better than I could.

See: Who's post about giving starting time to two veteran players with no future here at the expense of younger guys.

[Jon]

I'd also add that Lee has to be pretty motivated to prove he still has a future in the NBA beyond next season. 

[jbpats]

Bradley, Sully and 1st rounder for Tobias Harris... lock it up.

I was trying to figure out a way to get Gordon Hayward here for the Butler reunion but Utah doesn't need our 'assets'

[JHTruth]

Well that is disappointing.

Don't we have enough problems finding minutes for Sullinger and Olynyk with Amir, Ty Zeller and Jerebko already on board?

Do we really need to add a PF who is going to complicate that even further?

Remember, this is not a team.

It's just an amorphous pile of assets that nobody wants.

Can't tell if this is sarcasm, don't think it is going by the general negative tone on the boards as of late, but the reason the Celtics made the playoffs last year was because they gelled as a team and played greater than the sum of its parts. Too much emphasis is placed on slotting positions instead of identifying skillsets and player combinations that maximize the talent we do have.

TP. You said it better than I could.

See: Who's post about giving starting time to two veteran players with no future here at the expense of younger guys.

I think Danny sees the obvious that the talent on this team needs a massive upgrade or we can forget about making any noise in this league for a very long time. If trading for expirings gets is closer, well..

[SparzWizard]

Fireworks baby! 

[Pucaccia]

Lee has more value as a mid season trade chip than Wallace.  If some team is close to getting over the hump, Lee would be a good addition as a player and as a contract piece of the puzzle.  Not a bad move by Ainge.

[Wretch]

Unless my sarcasm meter is broken Simmon's is pretty happy.

https://twitter.com/billsimmons

[Pucaccia]

So the C's are now capped out. Well I guess Lee has more trade value than the corpse of Gerald Wallace.

How are they capped out? Does Lee contract take the place of Wallace?

[RJ87]

Bradley, Sully and 1st rounder for Tobias Harris... lock it up.

I was trying to figure out a way to get Gordon Hayward here for the Butler reunion but Utah doesn't need our 'assets'

Tobias just signed a contract, pretty sure he can't be traded for a few months and I don't think Gordon is available. Utah has a nice young core, he's a big part of that.