I don't post often here, but the chance to play armchair GM after all these changes to the team, and all the assets that Danny Ainge acquired last week, I think the Celtics can make a quicker rebuild than people think if Danny hits on the right moves this and next summer. This is especially true if the rumors of the $7.3 salary cap exemption the Celtics are supposed to be getting in the KG/Pierce/Terry deal are true.
If it is all about tanking for the 2014 draft. I think there is still a chance that the Celtics could add three or four players and additional assets to the team that wont necessarily ruin the Celtics chances of getting a top ten pick in 2014 draft and could still be a major part of the team after that draft to play along with the one or two impact players they hopefully pick in that draft. I think the Celtics could also maintain some ability to move on from some of these proposed pick ups if any or most of those players don't pan out. Some of these are risky moves, but this is a time where taking a chance on an injury plagued player helps no matter which direction they go.
Those players are Tyreke Evans, Thomas Robinson, Andrew Bynum and Greg Oden.
I did a quick check and believe that all trade/deal proposals that I have here should work under the cap.
We know going into July 1st with the Celtics roster of:
PG Rondo Crawford Pressey
SG Bradley Lee Brooks
SF Green Wallace Bogans Joseph
PF Sullinger Bass Humphries White
C Olynyk Randolph Melo
and future draft picks of:
2014: 2 firsts (Boston, Brooklyn),
2015: 2 firsts (Boston, L.A. Clippers)
2016: 2 firsts (Boston, Brooklyn), 1 second
2017: 1 first (Boston), 2 seconds *option to swap w/ BKN
2018: 2 first (Boston, Brooklyn), 1 second
1. The first move they should make is sign Tyreke Evans with the $7.3 million trade exemption.
Since drafting McLemore and having a lot of other guards on the roster, the Sacramento Kings are unlikely to go out of there way to resign Evans after another losing season with him. With rumors of him visiting the Celtics to discuss the possibility of signing here this summer popping up, it's safe to assume that Danny considers him a target sign with that $7.3 million trade exemption.
At the very least he's someone that matches or exceeds Jeff Greens talent and production level and since he still hasn't yet developed the consistency needed to become an all star he's still a player who is aggressive at both sides of the floor and has career averages of 17/5/5 on 45% shooting. If he is willing to accept a three or four year deal with the team using the $7.3 million trade exemption, the Celtics need to sign him and use this rebuilding period to take a shot on Tyreke's talent. Evans is usually only good for about 60 games a season due to his feet and other minor injuries, but I don't see how the Celtics couldn't decide to be extra cautious with him next year and ensure that he misses enough games not to seriously hurt their attempts to tank next season.
2. Trade for Thomas Robinson from the Houston Rockets using one of the picks from 2016-2018, plus the three unguaranteed contracts of Shav Randolph, DJ White, and Kris Joseph to make the salaries match.
Houston needs to get rid of Thomas Robinson in order to have enough to sign a max free agent this summer and the Celtics have three unguaranteed contracts that Houston could waive immediately after the deal. Since they would also want a pick to make up for the loss of the former 5th pick in the 2013 draft in Robinson, giving up a future pick in 2016 makes since, especially if the Celtics are competitive by then. I think this is would also be really good value for the C's. Robinson is a bruiser and at the very least would be a tough big off the bench and at his highest could become a starter quality PF who uses toughness and rebounding to carve out a role here.
Since Robinson is a 2nd year player who will still be figuring out his place in the league, I don't think he will positively impact wins and loses next year. So he shouldn't hurt the goal to tank in 2014, but has the talent to get better and better with experience.
3. Sign and trade for Andrew Bynum from the 76er's by offering him 3 years at $30 - $35 total with the 3rd year unguaranteed or needing a minimum games played during the 2nd year clause in his contract in order to guarantee it using Kris Humphries expiring contact and the one or two picks the Celtics have that are NOT from the 2014 draft that would be needed in order to make a deal with Philly. If Bynum's people don't like what the $12 or so annually he'd receive in this deal, I still think the Celtics could still go maybe as high as $15 or $16 million if need be, which is the combined expiring 2013/2014 contracts of Humphries ($12 Million)& Crawford ($2.16 million) plus the slight increase allowed in trades. Anything to stay at no more than one or maybe two years of guaranteed money to Andrew Bynum. There would need to be protection to make him earn a third year or even have to earn his second if the Celtics can swing it. Someones got to benefit from the two maybe three years Bynums knees might even be physically able to hold up to NBA basketball.
Bynum after missing the entire year is not going to go from nothing to 82 games next year. Since he is not likely to play much of this year, he would not hurt the Celtics goal to tank in 2014. The Celtics would get Bynum's 2nd season here in 2014/2015 to see if he can hold up in future seasons and be worth 10-15 million a year they may have to overspend to take this risk. If he can't the Celtics cut bait. When Bynum is healthy he is a top 3-5 center, he's worth the risk over two years during a rebuild.
4. Sign Greg Oden on a two year deal using the bi-annual or a portion of the mid-level exemption.
Basically the same situation as Bynum, but only using the limits of the salary cap exemptions. If he doesn't work out after the second year, cut bait, I think he's worth a look at over two years. Easing into 2013/2014 If he would rather try his comeback in Miami like he's been rumored to all along he's still someone the Celtics should pursue to look at during this rebuilding phase.
In summary, if these deals worked out, the Celtics would end up going into the 2014 draft with a team of:
PG Rondo Evans Pressey
SG Bradley Lee Brooks
SF Green Wallace Bogans
PF Sullinger Robinson Bass
C Bynum Oden Olynyk Melo
and with two 2014 1st round picks after all of the proposed deals, with at least the Celtics pick being most likely high due to the rise of the Heat, Pacers, Knicks, Nets, Bulls, Cavs, and Wizards with the Celtics most likely looking to miss the 2014 playoffs because of the Sullinger,Rondo,Bynum, and Oden rehabs and slow returns from injury and the youth of the rest of the team. The 8th seed in the east is most likely to be a fight between the Raptors and Bucks leaving the Celtics on the outside looking in and landing in the lottery with their 2014 draft pick.
In addition to adding two players from a stacked 2014 draft class, assuming these hypothetical deals go through, going forward the Celtics would still have assets of four 1st round picks from the 2015 up until 2018 drafts with the specific years depending on which picks they give up in all proposed deals(I have them losing 3 picks out of the 7 they have from 2015 through 2018 in the 4 deals I have proposed for this summer) after giving up one to get Robinson, two to get Bynum (hopefully lottery protected or have clauses related to Bynums performance). Along with the picks, the C's would still have the Contracts of Gerald Wallace, Brandon Bass, Keith Bogans (probably unguaranteed for 2014 and/or 2015 seasons) along with young players like Melo, Sullinger, Bradley, Brooks, Lee and Olynyk to have available to use in a deal in case someone like LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Love, or any other all star player that fits becomes suddenly available over the next season or two. With the specific options on the proposed Oden or Bynum contracts, they would be in play in a deal later down the line in a season or two as they would be expiring by the time 2015 comes around and be useful in a trade no matter if they become useful players or not.
Using these moves the Celtics would still tank in 2013/2014 season and get one lottery pick in 2014 and another late pick from the Nets in 2014. They get a chance to take a look at Bynum and Oden during some of this tanking season and the entire 2014/2015 season to prove themselves for possible third season's. no matter what happens, if Bynum earns the third year it obviously means he's working out so it's a win/win. If it doesn't he can be cut prior to 2015 free agency, same thing for Oden.
The Celtics would still be in play for a top player in 2015 through free agency or trades using all the picks they would still have. In the Thomas Robinson deal they have another young player that at the very least fills a role here and can even be a rotation player when the team is most likely to compete for titles again in 2015/2016. The Celtics would have developed a well rounded team experimenting with Bigger defense and rebounding centers like Bynum and Oden while still most likely having plenty of playing time for Sullinger, Olynyk, and Robinson to develop at the power forward and center positions. The small forward position is in good shape with Green and Wallace, Evans and Brooks and the guards in Rondo, Evans, Bradley, and Lee, I think is an aggressive group that should be able to compete on both sides of the ball with any team in the league. The Celtics would have all that and still have the options to add to that via a trade by using one or more of their many upcoming picks as leverage to acquire a star to lead this group and is more reliable than Bynum or Oden or have them in addition to Bynum or Oden if one or both of them work out. I think this would lead to a defense and capable fast break team capable of competing with Miami, Chicago and OKC over the next 3-5 years.
Topic: 4 Moves the Celtics can make to tank in 2014 and still compete in 2015 (Read 818 times)