I was always for the Butler's and PG13's and even DMC's if they were available.
I am probably still on board going after Kawhi or Davis.
But, I'm totally fine if we run it back. This team may very well be good enough to win a title when healthy.
We are in a position where we don't need to overpay to get anyone.
If it's Davis then you got to really press on that deal. It's rare to get a guy on your team who could put up something like 30/20 a night or two each week.
Our bench would be awful if we even traded for Davis. Lack of depth and quality options in the bench.
I think Smart, Theis, Baynes, and Monroe would be a good starting point for a bench. Rozier may or may not have to be included in the trade. Larkin could be brought back. Plus there are players like Yabu, Semi, Nader, Bird, Allen, etc. most of which would be back.
I mean Kawhi doesn't make all that much. Boston doesn't need much past Tatum, Morris, and Yabu to get it done financially (Nader & Semi added in works for example). Add in the Sacto pick and Boston's 2019 1st and that gets it done.
The rotation post-trade would be something like this
PG - Irving, Rozier, Larkin
SG - Brown, Smart
SF - Hayward, Leonard, BOS 18 rookie
PF - Leonard, Horford, Theis
C - Horford, Baynes, Monroe
That to me is a plenty good enough bench and an incredible starting 5. To acquire Davis, Rozier probably needs to be in the trade (for salary), but the starting 5 is even more balanced so the C's would still make that trade. That said, Davis won't be available, but Leonard absolutely could be.
Let's assume Rozier has to be included. If I am Pop, I want him included.
So he's not on the bench. The next year you have to max out Leonard and Irving giving you 4 max contracts. When Horford's contract runs out you have to max out Brown and still retain Horford. How exactly are you retaining Smart, Monroe and Baynes given that reality? Monroe and Baynes are both going to demand MLE money. You can't give it to both of them. Smart could get a ridiculous RFA offer. The financial reality is you most likely aren't keeping both Monroe and Baynes. And you might have to pass on Smart because he is too expensive. So the rotation looks more like this
PG - Irving, Larkin
SG - Brown
SF - Hayward, Leonard, BOS 18 rookie
PF - Leonard, Horford, Theis
C - Horford, Baynes
So a bench of Larkin, Theis, Baynes, a late 1st round rookie, Jabari Bird, Kadeem Allen and vet mins and 2nd rounders. A team that can't rebound to save its life with no bench all for a guy with at this point a massive question mark on him given his health and possible attitude problems who is extremely redundant on this team.
There is absolutely no reason at all why the team wouldn't retain Smart. They've consistently said the luxury tax isn't a problem for a team that is a contender. That team is a contender, so Smart easily can be retained. And I have no idea why you think the team couldn't keep Monroe and Baynes at MLE type money. Again, it is a luxury tax issue only and the ownership should be willing to pay the tax for a contender. If they aren't, then we might as well give up on fielding a championship team, because it just won't happen. I'd worry about the 19/20 season when it was that time. No reason to make moves now that might affect the future when you have a legit contender now.
You make good points, BUT it really depends how much luxury tax they have to pay.
Hypothetically, you have 4 max guys and possibly another one (whoever between Tatum/Brown stays), and another guy (or two) staying on a decent contract in Rozier OR Smart. Then of course there's the dilemma of putting together a bench with good depth options using a bunch of exceptions.
Sure, they'll be willing to go into the luxury tax, but would they be willing to dish out about as much as CLE has been paying recently or even more? Doubt it. Of course though, part of it depends on how much the max-extensions are for Kawhi+Kyrie, AND how much Smart signs for (and/or Rozier).