Instead of trying to flip Kemba for a star (Harden, Beal), what about...

[gouki88]

Trading him for a collection of role players? I’ve long bandied around this idea, including posting some in the off-season that got panned, but I’m going to post some again!

First would be a potential move with Dallas: https://tradenba.com/trades/JCWJlqGnh

Boston sends: Kemba Walker, 2023 1st round pick

Dallas sends: Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Richardson, Dorian Finney-Smith

Would leave us with:
Tristan Thompson / Rob Williams / Daniel Theis
Jayson Tatum / Dorian Finney-Smith / Grant Williams
Jaylen Brown / Semi Ojeleye / Aaron Nesmith
Tim Hardaway Jr. / Josh Richardson / Romeo Langford
Marcus Smart / Payton Pritchard / Jeff Teague

Would give us some crazy flexibility, adds shooting and a lot of defence too.

Asking for DFS might be a bit much, so I’d be open to cutting DFS and turning that 1st into a second. I think Dallas is, or at least should be, realising that they need to turn their plethora of role players into something more because KP isn’t entirely reliable health-wise, but those two could form a truly nasty duo to help off of Luka’s crazy offensive magnitude.


I’d also enquire about something with Denver. Something like: https://tradenba.com/trades/SxV9EflHq

Boston sends: Kemba Walker

Denver sends: Gary Harris Jr., Will Barton, 2023 2nd round pick

Would leave us with a pretty fun team of:
Tristan Thompson / Rob Williams / Daniel Theis
Jayson Tatum / Grant Williams / Semi Ojeleye
Jaylen Brown / Romeo Langford / Aaron Nesmith
Will Barton / Gary Harris Jr. / Javonte Green
Marcus Smart / Payton Pritchard / Jeff Teague

I think Murray is more suited to the 2 position, as he’s not a great creator for others, and that guard duo would be super potent besides Jokic in career-best form.


I’m only really messing around, as I want to see how we go when Kemba returns, but I’d love for us to add some role players that would seemingly fit super well alongside the Jays

[Somebody]

We really need that extra offensive punch to really lift us to true title contention, I don't think we can get that from a collection of role players.

[Jvalin]

Another option would be a trade with the Magic for Gordon + Ross. Vucevic is playing the best basketball of his career (although it's still early into the season). It's possible they'd be interested in adding a second all-star-caliber vet in Kemba. Let's say we throw in Edwards as well cause imo he's just dead salary.

(click on image to enlarge)



PG: Smart - Pritchard - Teague
SG: Brown - Romeo - Green
SF: Tatum - Ross - Nesmith
PF: Gordon - Grant - Semi
C: Thompson - Theis - Timelord

Personally speaking, I wouldn't do the trade. Wouldn't do the Dallas/Denver deals either. I'd rather keep Kemba.

[BitterJim]

The only way I'd go for something like that is if the salaries coming in fit into the Hayward TPE (so we could generate a new, bigger one). The Kemba TPE would open up a few more possible deals, and if such a deal was done during the summer it would also essentially give us another year to use the TPE.

That said, if we're bringing in role players I'd rather just do it with the TPE/picks and keep Kemba.

[Jvalin]

The only way I'd go for something like that is if the salaries coming in fit into the Hayward TPE (so we could generate a new, bigger one). The Kemba TPE would open up a few more possible deals, and if such a deal was done during the summer it would also essentially give us another year to use the TPE.

That said, if we're bringing in role players I'd rather just do it with the TPE/picks and keep Kemba.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but such a deal can only happen during the summer. In order for us to create a bigger TPE, we'd have to find a team willing to absorb Kemba's salary via cap space.

edit: My bad, we can trade with the Knicks for Randle. If my math is correct, the Knicks would end up $3,814,401 under tha cap. Meh, I'm not a fan of Randle's game, but maybe that's just me. TP for thinking outside the box!

[CFAN38]

Trading him for a collection of role players? I’ve long bandied around this idea, including posting some in the off-season that got panned, but I’m going to post some again!

First would be a potential move with Dallas: https://tradenba.com/trades/JCWJlqGnh

Boston sends: Kemba Walker, 2023 1st round pick

Dallas sends: Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Richardson, Dorian Finney-Smith

Would leave us with:
Tristan Thompson / Rob Williams / Daniel Theis
Jayson Tatum / Dorian Finney-Smith / Grant Williams
Jaylen Brown / Semi Ojeleye / Aaron Nesmith
Tim Hardaway Jr. / Josh Richardson / Romeo Langford
Marcus Smart / Payton Pritchard / Jeff Teague

Would give us some crazy flexibility, adds shooting and a lot of defence too.

Asking for DFS might be a bit much, so I’d be open to cutting DFS and turning that 1st into a second. I think Dallas is, or at least should be, realising that they need to turn their plethora of role players into something more because KP isn’t entirely reliable health-wise, but those two could form a truly nasty duo to help off of Luka’s crazy offensive magnitude.


I’d also enquire about something with Denver. Something like: https://tradenba.com/trades/SxV9EflHq

Boston sends: Kemba Walker

Denver sends: Gary Harris Jr., Will Barton, 2023 2nd round pick

Would leave us with a pretty fun team of:
Tristan Thompson / Rob Williams / Daniel Theis
Jayson Tatum / Grant Williams / Semi Ojeleye
Jaylen Brown / Romeo Langford / Aaron Nesmith
Will Barton / Gary Harris Jr. / Javonte Green
Marcus Smart / Payton Pritchard / Jeff Teague

I think Murray is more suited to the 2 position, as he’s not a great creator for others, and that guard duo would be super potent besides Jokic in career-best form.


I’m only really messing around, as I want to see how we go when Kemba returns, but I’d love for us to add some role players that would seemingly fit super well alongside the Jays

In general with basketball you want to avoid being the team receiving multiple players for 1 guy. With only 5 guys on the court and 8-9 guys in a playoff rotation consolidated talent not depth is the key to winning in the playoffs.

Moving Kemba really depends on his health and how he plays when he is back. If his looks toasted and the Cs have to make a panic move and trade him for role players then so be it. If he looks healthy then they need to role with him this season and see what types of moves present themselves in the off-season. 

[ETNCeltics]

Best thing for Celtics is to keep a healthy Kemba. He is exactly what the team is missing. Not fat James Harden, not a bunch of role players you can get any time, not Kyrie Irving on an in-season sabbatical, but a PG who can take a backseat to Js or step up and drop 30 when we need it.

We’re never going to get value for Kemba even if he’s healthy. Only reason to trade him is if he isn’t going to be able to get healthy.

[boscel33]

Instead of trying to flip him, what if we keep him?

The team has been playing really good without him, but think of what we might be with him.  Now slide Smart to the bench, Romeo returns, and suddenly we're a deeper team. 

Then there is that little TPE that we have.  Does DA use it this year or in the off season.  That has me excited too.

[JBcat]

Instead of trying to flip him, what if we keep him?

The team has been playing really good without him, but think of what we might be with him.  Now slide Smart to the bench, Romeo returns, and suddenly we're a deeper team. 

Then there is that little TPE that we have.  Does DA use it this year or in the off season.  That has me excited too.

Not only do we have the big TPE, but 2 smaller ones that could be used by the deadline, buyout market, or next offseason. 

I’d rather keep Kemba for now and see what the team looks like with him.  We have had a lot of very close games to start the season, and with him we probably win some of those games with more breathing room, and maybe take both of the Pistons games instead of just one for example.

[Walker Wiggle]

Instead of trying to flip him, what if we keep him?

The team has been playing really good without him, but think of what we might be with him.  Now slide Smart to the bench, Romeo returns, and suddenly we're a deeper team. 

Then there is that little TPE that we have.  Does DA use it this year or in the off season.  That has me excited too.

Agree. Kemba walker started the all-star game last year. He is not trade filler.

[celts55]

I'll start by saying I 100% want to keep Kemba. Stevens claims he's been pain free for over a month. If healthy I think he's prefect for this team. I guy would can play the point, score in bunches, and doesn't appear to mind letting the J's take over.

Also, while I'd love to see the Celtics improve the bench, I recall a few years ago when they had an incredibly deep bench and it didn't work. Stevens' can't play 10 guys at once, or keep that many happy with playing time anyway.

Would love to see someone who can light it up added off the bench, who know, maybe Nesmith? But am not really interested in trading Kemba for some role players. To me that's trading a dollar for 3 quarters.

[td450]

I actually think Kemba is just what we need for this team, as long as both he and Stevens agree that he isn't going to play the same role as before.

The ideal role for him is as a guy who can provide consistent volume scoring from the bench, perhaps 14 ppg in 20 minutes. His availability to peak in the playoffs should be prioritized over anything in the regular season. He really can't be a consistent starter who we build the core offense around any more, because he can't be counted on to be there and he can't play starter minutes.

He has to be a hired gunner type of guy from now on, and he can really help with that. We need that type of professional scoring, without messing with the dynamics of the starters.

His value is in flux and everyone knows it, so why trade him now, when we would need to trade for just that type of contributor if he can't come back?

[ETNCeltics]

Once Kemba is back in playing shape, he's not going to come off the bench. He was an all starter last season, and people are still talking about him as though he was some guy who was good 5 years ago.

There is no "Brad telling Kemba his new role" that needs to be done. Kemba has a feel for the game and the team. He's even talked about a diminishing role from the time he first got here. If it does turn out that he can't fit in, then you think about trading him. But from all indications we've had, Kemba is not someone who will reject our young stars taking over, won't spend a ton of time playing hero ball, and has the ability and the instinct when the team will need him to take a step forward or back. If he's back close to normal, he showed us last year he can go nuclear and put up 40 points in a hurry. You don't just toss out a guy like that.

[BitterJim]

The only way I'd go for something like that is if the salaries coming in fit into the Hayward TPE (so we could generate a new, bigger one). The Kemba TPE would open up a few more possible deals, and if such a deal was done during the summer it would also essentially give us another year to use the TPE.

That said, if we're bringing in role players I'd rather just do it with the TPE/picks and keep Kemba.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but such a deal can only happen during the summer. In order for us to create a bigger TPE, we'd have to find a team willing to absorb Kemba's salary via cap space.

edit: My bad, we can trade with the Knicks for Randle. If my math is correct, the Knicks would end up $3,814,401 under tha cap. Meh, I'm not a fan of Randle's game, but maybe that's just me. TP for thinking outside the box!

As long as from the other team's perspective the trade works as *players* for Kemba, it could work. From our perspective we would be sending out Kemba's salary without getting salary back, while simultaneously absorbing a bunch of salary into the TPE.

The other team would need to send out at least $27.4 million in salary for such a deal to work this season, so anywhere from $27.4-28.5 million in incoming salary would work straight up. If a 3rd team was involved, an incoming player made under $5 million (to fit into the Kanter TPE), or the trade was expanded to include other outgoing players from us, that number could be higher. Over the summer would actually be a bit tougher, since the salary matching for Kemba's salary would be just over the Hayward TPE ($28.7 million vs. $28.5 million)

Edit: and of course, any deal using the full TPE to bring in salary without sending any out would be impossible during this season, so using the full TPE (without sending out Kemba, like I mentioned) would have to be done this summer

[Vermont Green]

At this point, I don't think there is any plan to trade Kemba this season.  I suspect a run is going to be made with Kemba replacing Smart in the starting line up.  They are slow walking him to give the best chance possible for his knee to hold up through the playoffs.

The team has played well so far so if you add a healthy Kemba to the starters, even better.  That allows you to add Marcus and maybe Langford to the bench, more incremental improvements.

Our soft spot is still PF.  That is where I see us deploying the Hayward TPE.  For example maybe Rudy Gay (1 yr, $14M) to replace Theis in the starting line up.  More of a Marcus Morris swing type than a true PF but still fine.  I don't think we can expect to land a star to play PF for us but if we can improve on Theis, it helps.

With say Kemba-Brown-Tatum-Gay-Thompson backed up by Teague, Pritchard, Smart, Langford, Theis and so on, we can make a legitimate run at the finals.  No guarantee and likely not the favorite but we can be very much in the hunt.