Would you take Phil Jackson's call?

[KG Living Legend]

Imagine that you're Danny Ainge.  It's at the end of September.  Pre-season is about to start and we don't know much more about our players than we do at present.  Out of the blue, Phil Jackson calls to tell you the following:  Carmelo Anthony has agreed to waive his no trade clause for a handful of teams including the Celtics.  The Knicks have made take it or leave it offers to several teams, including the Lakers and the Heat.  Whoever accepts first gets Carmelo.  The non-negotiable offer is as follows:

Celtics get:  Carmelo

NY gets:  David Lee, KO, Terry Rozier, James Young and the Nets and Celtics picks in 2017.

Why the Knicks do it:  They get a solid starter in Lee who is well suited for the triangle, a young big in KO who also fits their system and two young guys who could potentially develop.  Additionally they get a potential lottery pick from the Nets and another first rounder from the Celts.

Why the Celtics do it:  They finally get a star player and someone who can close out games.  Although Carmelo isn't a great teammate and doesn't play much defense, they surround him with a gritty defensive first unit, where no one else needs to dominate the ball.  They also pare down the roster considerably, allowing for more minutes and thus better development for their players.

Celtics Rotation would be:

Center:  Amir Johnson, Zeller, Mickey
PF:  Carmelo Anthony, Sullinger, Jerebko
SF:  Crowder, Turner, Perry Jones
SG:  Bradley, Hunter
PG, Smart, IT








Here is your first tp, for thinking of a crazy trade idea.

[PhoSita]

Absolutely.

Add Carmelo without giving up too much talent or future assets (the Celts keep the 2016 and 2018 Nets picks!) well before next summer.

With Melo on board, Smart hopefully developing further, and a quality cast of role players, the Celts might convince a couple of top tier free agents like Al Horford and Mike Conley to consider signing here.

If the team gets a top 10 pick from the Nets next summer on top of it all, they would be in great shape.

Sure, Melo is not a perfect fit and he may only have 3 or 4 years left playing at a high level.  But it'd be worth it because it'd make the Celts relevant and give them a fighting chance at signing some difference makers next summer.  Without a star already on board, the Celts have a slightly higher than zero percent chance of signing anybody who matters.

[Jon]

Absolutely.

Add Carmelo without giving up too much talent or future assets (the Celts keep the 2016 and 2018 Nets picks!) well before next summer.

With Melo on board, Smart hopefully developing further, and a quality cast of role players, the Celts might convince a couple of top tier free agents like Al Horford and Mike Conley to consider signing here.

If the team gets a top 10 pick from the Nets next summer on top of it all, they would be in great shape.

Sure, Melo is not a perfect fit and he may only have 3 or 4 years left playing at a high level.  But it'd be worth it because it'd make the Celts relevant and give them a fighting chance at signing some difference makers next summer.  Without a star already on board, the Celts have a slightly higher than zero percent chance of signing anybody who matters.

In theory I agree 100%.  The only thing that I'm hung up on is who exactly that difference maker is going to be this summer.  I can't imagine Carmelo would be enough to lure Durant. 

So who else is out there?  An aging D-Wade?  Al Jefferson?  Maybe Mike Conley. 

[snively]

Absolutely.

Add Carmelo without giving up too much talent or future assets (the Celts keep the 2016 and 2018 Nets picks!) well before next summer.

With Melo on board, Smart hopefully developing further, and a quality cast of role players, the Celts might convince a couple of top tier free agents like Al Horford and Mike Conley to consider signing here.

If the team gets a top 10 pick from the Nets next summer on top of it all, they would be in great shape.

Sure, Melo is not a perfect fit and he may only have 3 or 4 years left playing at a high level.  But it'd be worth it because it'd make the Celts relevant and give them a fighting chance at signing some difference makers next summer.  Without a star already on board, the Celts have a slightly higher than zero percent chance of signing anybody who matters.

In theory I agree 100%.  The only thing that I'm hung up on is who exactly that difference maker is going to be this summer.  I can't imagine Carmelo would be enough to lure Durant. 

So who else is out there?  An aging D-Wade?  Al Jefferson?  Maybe Mike Conley. 

Al Horford is the prize.  Melo/Horford with the rest of the Celtics supporting cast (IT, Smart, Bradley, Hunter, Crowder, Jerebko and either Amir Johnson or Zeller) is contender grade.

[Big333223]

Al Horford is the prize.  Melo/Horford with the rest of the Celtics supporting cast (IT, Smart, Bradley, Hunter, Crowder, Jerebko and either Amir Johnson or Zeller) is contender grade.

Yeah, that would be a good team. It would be contingent on Melo buying in to Stevens' system but we saw him do that for stretches under Mike Woodson in '13 (before it, yes, fell apart the enxt season, but...) and Stevens is a much better coach than Woody.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Absolutely.

Add Carmelo without giving up too much talent or future assets (the Celts keep the 2016 and 2018 Nets picks!) well before next summer.

With Melo on board, Smart hopefully developing further, and a quality cast of role players, the Celts might convince a couple of top tier free agents like Al Horford and Mike Conley to consider signing here.

If the team gets a top 10 pick from the Nets next summer on top of it all, they would be in great shape.

Sure, Melo is not a perfect fit and he may only have 3 or 4 years left playing at a high level.  But it'd be worth it because it'd make the Celts relevant and give them a fighting chance at signing some difference makers next summer.  Without a star already on board, the Celts have a slightly higher than zero percent chance of signing anybody who matters.

In theory I agree 100%.  The only thing that I'm hung up on is who exactly that difference maker is going to be this summer.  I can't imagine Carmelo would be enough to lure Durant. 

So who else is out there?  An aging D-Wade?  Al Jefferson?  Maybe Mike Conley. 

Al Horford is the prize.  Melo/Horford with the rest of the Celtics supporting cast (IT, Smart, Bradley, Hunter, Crowder, Jerebko and either Amir Johnson or Zeller) is contender grade.

As much as I loved the New Big Three era, the downfall of that period was that all three stars were most of the way through their prime, so they weren't able to stay on top for a long time. I enjoyed that ride, but I think this next time around would be better if the team acquired stars who were still on the right side of 30. Carmelo's already 31—plus he's not known as a team player, and does only one thing particularly well. I'm not going to argue with another KG-like deal that gets Boston another title over the next 5-6 years, but my preference is to see Ainge build something that's a bit younger, lasts much longer, and nets Boston multiple titles.

[PhoSita]

Absolutely.

Add Carmelo without giving up too much talent or future assets (the Celts keep the 2016 and 2018 Nets picks!) well before next summer.

With Melo on board, Smart hopefully developing further, and a quality cast of role players, the Celts might convince a couple of top tier free agents like Al Horford and Mike Conley to consider signing here.

If the team gets a top 10 pick from the Nets next summer on top of it all, they would be in great shape.

Sure, Melo is not a perfect fit and he may only have 3 or 4 years left playing at a high level.  But it'd be worth it because it'd make the Celts relevant and give them a fighting chance at signing some difference makers next summer.  Without a star already on board, the Celts have a slightly higher than zero percent chance of signing anybody who matters.

In theory I agree 100%.  The only thing that I'm hung up on is who exactly that difference maker is going to be this summer.  I can't imagine Carmelo would be enough to lure Durant. 

So who else is out there?  An aging D-Wade?  Al Jefferson?  Maybe Mike Conley. 

Al Horford is the prize.  Melo/Horford with the rest of the Celtics supporting cast (IT, Smart, Bradley, Hunter, Crowder, Jerebko and either Amir Johnson or Zeller) is contender grade.

As much as I loved the New Big Three era, the downfall of that period was that all three stars were most of the way through their prime, so they weren't able to stay on top for a long time. I enjoyed that ride, but I think this next time around would be better if the team acquired stars who were still on the right side of 30. Carmelo's already 31—plus he's not known as a team player, and does only one thing particularly well. I'm not going to argue with another KG-like deal that gets Boston another title over the next 5-6 years, but my preference is to see Ainge build something that's a bit younger, lasts much longer, and nets Boston multiple titles.

Ainge has set the Celts on a path toward acquiring established players rather than building through the draft,  which means most likely getting guys who are already near or beyond age 30.    The only hope for putting together a star core that will last for more than four or five years is the Nets picks.

Still,  as much as we'd all love the Celts to go on a run like the Spurs,  four or five years of elite basketball is pretty great.   I'd be thrilled with that,  especially if it began so soon after the last era ended.

[truthhurts34]

No.

When melo ops in for his 27 million at the age of 35 you'll want those picks back. That lineup isn't winning anything.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Absolutely.

Add Carmelo without giving up too much talent or future assets (the Celts keep the 2016 and 2018 Nets picks!) well before next summer.

With Melo on board, Smart hopefully developing further, and a quality cast of role players, the Celts might convince a couple of top tier free agents like Al Horford and Mike Conley to consider signing here.

If the team gets a top 10 pick from the Nets next summer on top of it all, they would be in great shape.

Sure, Melo is not a perfect fit and he may only have 3 or 4 years left playing at a high level.  But it'd be worth it because it'd make the Celts relevant and give them a fighting chance at signing some difference makers next summer.  Without a star already on board, the Celts have a slightly higher than zero percent chance of signing anybody who matters.

In theory I agree 100%.  The only thing that I'm hung up on is who exactly that difference maker is going to be this summer.  I can't imagine Carmelo would be enough to lure Durant. 

So who else is out there?  An aging D-Wade?  Al Jefferson?  Maybe Mike Conley. 

Al Horford is the prize.  Melo/Horford with the rest of the Celtics supporting cast (IT, Smart, Bradley, Hunter, Crowder, Jerebko and either Amir Johnson or Zeller) is contender grade.

As much as I loved the New Big Three era, the downfall of that period was that all three stars were most of the way through their prime, so they weren't able to stay on top for a long time. I enjoyed that ride, but I think this next time around would be better if the team acquired stars who were still on the right side of 30. Carmelo's already 31—plus he's not known as a team player, and does only one thing particularly well. I'm not going to argue with another KG-like deal that gets Boston another title over the next 5-6 years, but my preference is to see Ainge build something that's a bit younger, lasts much longer, and nets Boston multiple titles.

Ainge has set the Celts on a path toward acquiring established players rather than building through the draft,  which means most likely getting guys who are already near or beyond age 30.    The only hope for putting together a star core that will last for more than four or five years is the Nets picks.

Still,  as much as we'd all love the Celts to go on a run like the Spurs,  four or five years of elite basketball is pretty great.   I'd be thrilled with that,  especially if it began so soon after the last era ended.

Established players are fine, I'd just like for the team to acquire them when they're around a max age of 27–29. But again, I'm not going to scoff at another KG-like trade that gives the team 5 or 6 years of legit contention.

[Moranis]

so let me get this straight we get to acquire Melo for a bunch of crap and people are actually hesitating.  Crazy.

That said, as has been mentioned Boston doesn't own both its and Brooklyn's pick in 2017 so it would have to include a pick from another year. 

[PhoSita]

so let me get this straight we get to acquire Melo for a bunch of crap and people are actually hesitating.  Crazy.

You wont' see many better examples of the skewed reality of Celticsblog than this thread.

[PhoSita]

Established players are fine, I'd just like for the team to acquire them when they're around a max age of 27–29. But again, I'm not going to scoff at another KG-like trade that gives the team 5 or 6 years of legit contention.

My preference all along has been to try to put together a group of young players with star talent who can learn to win together and then win games for a long time.  But, ah well, that doesn't appear to be the plan.

Adding established players has a greater chance of getting us to 50+ wins sooner, though.  It just might not last nearly as long once we put a team of that caliber together.

[tarheelsxxiii]

Absolutely.

Add Carmelo without giving up too much talent or future assets (the Celts keep the 2016 and 2018 Nets picks!) well before next summer.

With Melo on board, Smart hopefully developing further, and a quality cast of role players, the Celts might convince a couple of top tier free agents like Al Horford and Mike Conley to consider signing here.

If the team gets a top 10 pick from the Nets next summer on top of it all, they would be in great shape.

Sure, Melo is not a perfect fit and he may only have 3 or 4 years left playing at a high level.  But it'd be worth it because it'd make the Celts relevant and give them a fighting chance at signing some difference makers next summer.  Without a star already on board, the Celts have a slightly higher than zero percent chance of signing anybody who matters.

In theory I agree 100%.  The only thing that I'm hung up on is who exactly that difference maker is going to be this summer.  I can't imagine Carmelo would be enough to lure Durant. 

So who else is out there?  An aging D-Wade?  Al Jefferson?  Maybe Mike Conley. 

Al Horford is the prize.  Melo/Horford with the rest of the Celtics supporting cast (IT, Smart, Bradley, Hunter, Crowder, Jerebko and either Amir Johnson or Zeller) is contender grade.

As much as I loved the New Big Three era, the downfall of that period was that all three stars were most of the way through their prime, so they weren't able to stay on top for a long time. I enjoyed that ride, but I think this next time around would be better if the team acquired stars who were still on the right side of 30. Carmelo's already 31—plus he's not known as a team player, and does only one thing particularly well. I'm not going to argue with another KG-like deal that gets Boston another title over the next 5-6 years, but my preference is to see Ainge build something that's a bit younger, lasts much longer, and nets Boston multiple titles.

Ainge has set the Celts on a path toward acquiring established players rather than building through the draft,  which means most likely getting guys who are already near or beyond age 30.    The only hope for putting together a star core that will last for more than four or five years is the Nets picks.

Still,  as much as we'd all love the Celts to go on a run like the Spurs,  four or five years of elite basketball is pretty great.   I'd be thrilled with that,  especially if it began so soon after the last era ended.

Great point. Ainge & co. chose their path towards rebuilding - likely via trade - which is going to require that he be open to giving a lot to getting the something akin to the end-goal prize.

Someone recently made a good point in another thread that stars become available via trade ~every couple of years. Keeping in mind that many of these cornerstones were acquired pretty fortuitously (e.g., Harden), it would be wise to seriously consider moves if / when they present themselves.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

so let me get this straight we get to acquire Melo for a bunch of crap and people are actually hesitating.  Crazy.

That said, as has been mentioned Boston doesn't own both its and Brooklyn's pick in 2017 so it would have to include a pick from another year.

I see Melo as a faux-star, a one-trick pony who's on the wrong side of 30 and doesn't often draw rave reviews for being a team player.

[tarheelsxxiii]

so let me get this straight we get to acquire Melo for a bunch of crap and people are actually hesitating.  Crazy.

That said, as has been mentioned Boston doesn't own both its and Brooklyn's pick in 2017 so it would have to include a pick from another year.

I see Melo as a faux-star, a one-trick pony who's on the wrong side of 30 and doesn't often draw rave reviews for being a team player.

Completely agree, he has been the one cornerstone I have wanted to avoid for years - obv. an ultimate ball-stopper and one-way player. But if he opens the door for guys like Horford and Conley - both of whom would be great pick-ups for a window of contention - that'd be a pretty great situation to be in.