Its like a chess match ...

[otherdave]

Next two summers will be very tricky ones.  Danny & the Inner Circle (sounds like a 60's psychedelic band) will have to be very prudent. 

Again, its not just a question of signing Hayward or Milsap, etc.  You have to part with a core player to create enough cap space for a max contract.  Long term, big money has already been committed to Al H.  Does giving Hayward long term, big money (while letting Kelly walk as a RFA) move the needle enough?

Of course Kelly could be moving on regardless a la the Evan Turner route. Do you get Gordon just to set up a big trade?  Do you save the cap space for the 2018 FA group?  Which current Celtics (IT, Bradley, Smart) should be resigned in 2018 using precious cap space?

The next two years will be difficult for DA to navigate.  One false move could set us down the wrong path.  We maybe close to contending, so of course, its great and exciting and fun that these are the issues for the C's (vs. the Nets issues).

Good luck to Danny & CBS & the guys!!!

[spikelovetheCelts]

Next two summers will be very tricky ones.  Danny & the Inner Circle (sounds like a 60's psychedelic band) will have to be very prudent. 

Again, its not just a question of signing Hayward or Milsap, etc.  You have to part with a core player to create enough cap space for a max contract.  Long term, big money has already been committed to Al H.  Does giving Hayward long term, big money (while letting Kelly walk as a RFA) move the needle enough?

Of course Kelly could be moving on regardless a la the Evan Turner route. Do you get Gordon just to set up a big trade?  Do you save the cap space for the 2018 FA group?  Which current Celtics (IT, Bradley, Smart) should be resigned in 2018 using precious cap space?

The next two years will be difficult for DA to navigate.  One false move could set us down the wrong path.  We maybe close to contending, so of course, its great and exciting and fun that these are the issues for the C's (vs. the Nets issues).

Good luck to Danny & CBS & the guys!!!

This is chess but we have can keep KO. We have Zeller Amir and JJ coming off we can sign Gordon with that money. 25 mil.  We have 2 bigs overseas so I see both of them coming. Plus we have the Nets top 5 pick.  We lose experience with Amir but we get two bigs for less money.
Danny plays Chess while 25 GMs play checkers. We can stand pat and be fine next year.

[otherdave]

This is chess but we have can keep KO. We have Zeller Amir and JJ coming off we can sign Gordon with that money. 25 mil.  We have 2 bigs overseas so I see both of them coming. Plus we have the Nets top 5 pick.  We lose experience with Amir but we get two bigs for less money.
Danny plays Chess while 25 GMs play checkers. We can stand pat and be fine next year.

Unfortunately the math is not as simple as you portray.  TZ, AJ, and JJ exiting does clear salary off the books, but others are getting raises.  KO will have a cap hold of 7.7 mil (vs. 3.1 in salary this year).  Those two stashed have cap holds, so will that Net pick.  All of this eats into the available cap space to sign a FA.  Plus max contract for a 7 to 9 year player will be 28 mil.

You say KO has to stay, OK, but then someone else will have to go - who??

[TheSundanceKid]

This is chess but we have can keep KO. We have Zeller Amir and JJ coming off we can sign Gordon with that money. 25 mil.  We have 2 bigs overseas so I see both of them coming. Plus we have the Nets top 5 pick.  We lose experience with Amir but we get two bigs for less money.
Danny plays Chess while 25 GMs play checkers. We can stand pat and be fine next year.

Unfortunately the math is not as simple as you portray.  TZ, AJ, and JJ exiting does clear salary off the books, but others are getting raises.  KO will have a cap hold of 7.7 mil (vs. 3.1 in salary this year).  Those two stashed have cap holds, so will that Net pick.  All of this eats into the available cap space to sign a FA.  Plus max contract for a 7 to 9 year player will be 28 mil.

You say KO has to stay, OK, but then someone else will have to go - who??

You are correct sir! I don't think it's as simple as someone has to go though. Free agency is one part of the game. We still have way too many players and picks for future years and i doubt DA wants a repeat of this summer. I think the first port of call is a trade, either for Cousins or Okafor or perhaps someone unknown right now. If that happened I would imagine a considerable amount of our cap space will be gone. It may also have involved moving KO or Bradley or Smart which alleviates some of the cap issues into 2018.

If a trade doesn't go down before the trade deadline there is draft night. If not then we go to FA. If Hayward or someone similar is interested then DA will consider trading a core piece to free up room but before then I dont think he does.

There is also the option of using the cap space to extend IT and manage the cap better over thw next few years. This would be a better option if we were confident of landing a player in trade later in the summer ir early in 2018

[otherdave]

TP,   Your point is well taken - we have to get thru the trade deadline and draft night first, and a lot could change effecting available cap space and free agency signings next July. 

Perhaps lots of twists and turns to come.