What to do if we strike out in free agency?

[ETNCeltics]

Are Brown/Fultz/any other potential young star we pick up going to be ready to compete with the NBA's best during Hayward's window? There's your answer. If you think they can, you try to get him. If you don't, you're wasting your $$. Unfortunately, the truth is probably somewhere in between.

I don't think we'll get him, and I don't think Ainge will lose a second of sleep over it. I think we'll extend IT, which with our young talent and Horford, guarantees we're competitive in the short-term, and allows us to build for a few years down the road when Jaylen Brown et al are ready to play with anybody.

[kozlodoev]

Are Brown/Fultz/any other potential young star we pick up going to be ready to compete with the NBA's best during Hayward's window? There's your answer. If you think they can, you try to get him. If you don't, you're wasting your $$. Unfortunately, the truth is probably somewhere in between.

I don't think we'll get him, and I don't think Ainge will lose a second of sleep over it. I think we'll extend IT, which with our young talent and Horford, guarantees we're competitive in the short-term, and allows us to build for a few years down the road when Jaylen Brown et al are ready to play with anybody.

Why, because we can't compete unless Fultz and Brown are ready?

[slamtheking]

Are Brown/Fultz/any other potential young star we pick up going to be ready to compete with the NBA's best during Hayward's window? There's your answer. If you think they can, you try to get him. If you don't, you're wasting your $$. Unfortunately, the truth is probably somewhere in between.

I don't think we'll get him, and I don't think Ainge will lose a second of sleep over it. I think we'll extend IT, which with our young talent and Horford, guarantees we're competitive in the short-term, and allows us to build for a few years down the road when Jaylen Brown et al are ready to play with anybody.

Why, because we can't compete unless Fultz and Brown are ready?

for a title?  maybe.  depends on how GSW and Cleveland hold up for the next 2 years.  it would take the addition of at least 2 more top talents to the starting lineup with no appreciable losses of current rotation players to fill out the bench.  that's a tall order

[spikelovetheCelts]

People seem to forget how much AB, Smart and Brown can grow as players. I think that gap is not as big as one thinks. You add  Heyward and  decent center we will be right there IMO.

[Future Celtics Owner]

People seem to forget how much AB, Smart and Brown can grow as players. I think that gap is not as big as one thinks. You add  Heyward and  decent center we will be right there IMO.

Brown is the guy that can legitimately walk into training camp as our own form of Jimmy Butler. But Smart....

Realistically how much room for improvement is there for a guy who can't drive or get past anyone offensively? It's not like he was drafted as a JJ Redick type shooter.
Unfortunately Smart has not progressed the way we thought he would. He is 30 pounds overweight and as long as he can't drive and has zero first step....he won't prove to be any better than Tony Allen IMO. Tony Allen is a FA this summer btw.

[fairweatherfan]

I vote for "keep winning a bunch of games while we despair online"

[celticsclay]

I vote for "keep winning a bunch of games while we despair online"

YES

[droopdog7]

Good question because we if we end up paying KO, then we're pretty much leaving trades and the best/only option.  On the other hand, we don't pay KO and we could be treading water at best next year.  May not sit well with the players themselves.

I think at that point our best option is trades.  I would dangle Brown and the 18 brooklyn pick for Butler or George (assuming we thought we could keep him) and probably keep KO.

so basically you're saying you would panic and trade our future for 2 years of prime butler or rental of George. Wow

I don't think the trade proposal is a panic move at all for 5-7 years of prime George or Butler.  Ray was 32 when we traded for him in 2007.  KG was 31.  And before you say, hey, they won the title, no one had ANY idea that we would catch lightening in a bottle the way we did. 

The issue, as I see it, is that we would have a roster of some young (Fultz and Brown) and some old (Al and IT) that isn't any kind of contender.  So we're basically just wasting IT and Al on this team.  I guess we can play it out but what is that going to get us?  Shoot, at that point we may as well try to blow it up.  I mean, how many more rookies we want on this team?

And the fascination with Brown is just off the charts around here.  Is he talented?  Sure.  Is he some kind of generational talent.  Heck no.  Is he a guaranteed all-star?  Heck no.  I'd put the odds of him ever even making a single all star game at about 50-50 and his chances as ever being as good as George or Butler at around 15%.  Now, could he get there?  Sure.  Could he exceed those guys?  Sure.  But I keep hearing people say that there are only a "handful" of guys in the league that they would trade Brown for.  SMFH.  He ain't ALL that. 

Now, oddly enough the 18' Brooklyn pick is the scarier proposition (if you're not a gambler).  I would hate for that to become #1 and one of these bigs become the next KG (I'm looking at you Porter Jr).  But the odds that that happens is not that high.  And I'd happily give up, say the #5 pick because chances are THAT guy won't become a multiple time all star either. 

So, we can reset it to a degree or we can reload.  But staying in the middle makes less sense to me.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

Good question because we if we end up paying KO, then we're pretty much leaving trades and the best/only option.  On the other hand, we don't pay KO and we could be treading water at best next year.  May not sit well with the players themselves.

I think at that point our best option is trades.  I would dangle Brown and the 18 brooklyn pick for Butler or George (assuming we thought we could keep him) and probably keep KO.

so basically you're saying you would panic and trade our future for 2 years of prime butler or rental of George. Wow

yeah heck with that. i'd take melo for a couple years as a FA as long as we were still flexible cap wise. Could that happen? Dump him in two as kids develop and add more FA's as needed won the line.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

Are Brown/Fultz/any other potential young star we pick up going to be ready to compete with the NBA's best during Hayward's window? There's your answer. If you think they can, you try to get him. If you don't, you're wasting your $$. Unfortunately, the truth is probably somewhere in between.

I don't think we'll get him, and I don't think Ainge will lose a second of sleep over it. I think we'll extend IT, which with our young talent and Horford, guarantees we're competitive in the short-term, and allows us to build for a few years down the road when Jaylen Brown et al are ready to play with anybody.

Why, because we can't compete unless Fultz and Brown are ready?

for a title?  maybe.  depends on how GSW and Cleveland hold up for the next 2 years.  it would take the addition of at least 2 more top talents to the starting lineup with no appreciable losses of current rotation players to fill out the bench.  that's a tall order

right. add melo for two years then who else can we get with our cap space? won't be easy. this is assuming we do not get GH.

[mef730]

Good question because we if we end up paying KO, then we're pretty much leaving trades and the best/only option.  On the other hand, we don't pay KO and we could be treading water at best next year.  May not sit well with the players themselves.

I think at that point our best option is trades.  I would dangle Brown and the 18 brooklyn pick for Butler or George (assuming we thought we could keep him) and probably keep KO.

so basically you're saying you would panic and trade our future for 2 years of prime butler or rental of George. Wow

yeah heck with that. i'd take melo for a couple years as a FA as long as we were still flexible cap wise. Could that happen? Dump him in two as kids develop and add more FA's as needed won the line.

Heck, Melo is an expiring contract. We could probably dump him after one.

Given that we have an athletic team threat can't rebound, I think he obvious diversification play is to max out Sullinger.

Mike

[jambr380]

Carmelo is the only option. We increase our top end talent, give up very little in the process, and are only 'stuck' with two-years at basically max dollars.

If we don't get Hayward or Blake, I will be very surprised if Danny doesn't make a deal for Melo.

[TheSundanceKid]

Use the cap space to renegotiate Isaiah. There's no benefit to adding a mid tier player to this roster when it's already heading towards the luxury tax. Best to try and manage that risk if there is nothing in free agency

[Surferdad]

Carmelo is the only option. We increase our top end talent, give up very little in the process, and are only 'stuck' with two-years at basically max dollars.

If we don't get Hayward or Blake, I will be very surprised if Danny doesn't make a deal for Melo.

If that's the case, I would not bother with Melo.  Don't ask why, it's been discussed on CB ad nauseum.