Realistic way to clean up this roster Celtics/Magic/Raptors trade

[CFAN38]

Looking at this team right now I think the healthy return of Smart and to a lesser extent Langford coupled with the following trade will go a long way in righting the ship.


https://tradenba.com/trades/TFKd_tmkK

Celtics trade Thompson, Edwards, and 2021 1st
Celtics receive Fournier, Baynes


Magic trade Fournier
Magic receive Edwards, Cs 2021 1st, Raptors 2023 2nd, 15.5 mill TPE


Raptors trade Baynes, 2023 2nd
Raptors receive Thompson


WHY

Raptors, Baynes simply isn't a starting 5 at this point. He can be trusted to be healthy or play the minutes they need from him. They have been linked to Drummond but I would argue Thompson makes a lot more sense for them as he can be acquired without them having to strip their roster to match a massive salary. I debated making this 2 seconds going to orlando rather then 1 or Terrace Davis.

Magic, this comes down to if the team plans on resigning Fournier. If the answer is yes then scrap the trade and maybe reconstructed it for Terrance Ross. I think a trade based around the Cs 1st and a large TPE is a fair return for either vet wing. Looking around the media sites at speculated trades for Fournier this seems more then fair.

Celtics, Fournier coming in greatly improves the Celtics offense. His current offensive production is very similar to Haywards last year except more of his pts come from 3pt shots. Baynes comes in not as the starting center but the 3rd center behind Theis and R Williams. He brings a familiar face back to the team, toughness, a big body for Embiid, and an improved 3pt shot. These acquisitions would leave the Cs with a potential playoff rotation of.

Starters Kemba, Smart/Fournier, Brown, Tatum, and Theis 
Bench Fournier/Smart, R Williams, Pritchard, Langford/Semi

It then becomes really important to resign Fournier in the offseason. This still leaves the Cs 11mill in TPE for potential offseason use.
   

[moiso]

I like the trade for the future, but I'm not crazy about losing Thompson for Baynes this year.  Out of Baynes, Thompson, and Timelord, Thompson is the one I most trust to stay healthy and contribute for the rest of the year.

[CFAN38]

I like the trade for the future, but I'm not crazy about losing Thompson for Baynes this year.  Out of Baynes, Thompson, and Timelord, Thompson is the one I most trust to stay healthy and contribute for the rest of the year.

I don’t disagree but in trading Thompson for Baynes and an asset the Cs are betting that R Williams is ready to take a leap and become a regular rotation 20+mpg guy. With his injury history Baynes becomes the Williams safety net. Also at 34 Baynes is likely to see a good amount of DNPs against teams without large bigs. This opens up small ball 5 minutes for Grant

[GreenCoffeeBean]

There is nothing we can do this year to be contenders. The plan should be:

1. Load up on minutes to Nesmith, Pritchard, TL, and Langford if/when he is healthy

2. Move Kemba and his atrocious contract in the offseason

3. Try and pry a big like Jaren Jackson Jr, Jonathan Isaac, or Michael Porter

[Roy H.]

I don’t think we need Baynes. Take Fournier into the TPE, cut Green and Edwards, sign Boogie.

[Vermont Green]

If we can get Fournier from Orlando for Carson Edwards and a 1st + 2nd, I would do that part of the trade and keep Toronto (and Baynes and Thompson) out of it.  Fournier is a nice piece to add.  I don't see how Baynes over Thompson helps.

[CFAN38]

If we can get Fournier from Orlando for Carson Edwards and a 1st + 2nd, I would do that part of the trade and keep Toronto (and Baynes and Thompson) out of it.  Fournier is a nice piece to add.  I don't see how Baynes over Thompson helps.

I view Thompson as a failed attempt to either upgrade the center position or create an asset out of the MLE. He hasn’t outplayed Theis and is preventing R Williams from having a consistent expanded role. Addition by subtraction if R Will can establish himself as the starter moving forward.

I review Baynes as an upgrade to the teams culture, a larger body to throw at Embiid, and he can and will hit open 3s.

[Vermont Green]

I don’t think we need Baynes. Take Fournier into the TPE, cut Green and Edwards, sign Boogie.

Wow, our posts were 1 min apart.  Yes, Cousins over Baynes for sure.  I might cut Teague over Green though.  Not a big difference but I like the athleticism and versatility that we get with Green.  Or someone might take Teague for a second.

[CFAN38]

There is nothing we can do this year to be contenders. The plan should be:

1. Load up on minutes to Nesmith, Pritchard, TL, and Langford if/when he is healthy

2. Move Kemba and his atrocious contract in the offseason

3. Try and pry a big like Jaren Jackson Jr, Jonathan Isaac, or Michael Porter

I’m not against moving Kemba, if may trade was to happen the Cs can then move on from Kemba and have a starting 4 of Smart, Fournier, Brown and Tatum. Kemba can be moved to upgrade the 5 or for bench depth.

I don’t see any plausible way Cs get Jackson or Issac, for that matter they won’t have the assets for Porter but I also don’t like his fit.

[Vermont Green]

If we can get Fournier from Orlando for Carson Edwards and a 1st + 2nd, I would do that part of the trade and keep Toronto (and Baynes and Thompson) out of it.  Fournier is a nice piece to add.  I don't see how Baynes over Thompson helps.

I view Thompson as a failed attempt to either upgrade the center position or create an asset out of the MLE. He hasn’t outplayed Theis and is preventing R Williams from having a consistent expanded role. Addition by subtraction if R Will can establish himself as the starter moving forward.

I review Baynes as an upgrade to the teams culture, a larger body to throw at Embiid, and he can and will hit open 3s.

There is no doubt that Thompson has not set the world on fire or anything like that but in my mind, he is a better all around blue collar big than Baynes right now.    I see no reason to do this.  And if you want to play RWilliams more, just play him more.  There are 48 Center minutes.  Theis is playing mostly PF minutes.  You don't have to trade Thompson for a lesser player in order to play RWilliams more.  Thompson and Williams offer two nice options.  One more of a strong, tough type and the other more athletic.  Good flexibility for match ups.  And if we were to bring in Cousins as was suggested as an alternate to this trade, then you have a more offensive minded center option who can step out and hit a 3.

[Vermont Green]

Cousins will have a plethora of teams looking to sign him and one NBA agent has a prediction of where he’ll land. Without hesitation, he said the ‘Boston.’

Austin Krell
@NBAKrell
·
Feb 23
Asked an NBA agent where he thinks DeMarcus Cousins might go. Replied “Boston” within seconds.

In 25 games this season, Cousins is playing 20.2 minutes per game, averaging 9.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.7 blocks

[CFAN38]

Cousins will have a plethora of teams looking to sign him and one NBA agent has a prediction of where he’ll land. Without hesitation, he said the ‘Boston.’

Austin Krell
@NBAKrell
·
Feb 23
Asked an NBA agent where he thinks DeMarcus Cousins might go. Replied “Boston” within seconds.

In 25 games this season, Cousins is playing 20.2 minutes per game, averaging 9.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.7 blocks

I fear what a negative Boogie experience could mean for this team. His talent will help this roster, his personality will either galvanize the team by adding a player with a “edge” to him ( to go along with Smart) or he could be a BS nightmare headcase who alienates team mates

[Roy H.]

Cousins will have a plethora of teams looking to sign him and one NBA agent has a prediction of where he’ll land. Without hesitation, he said the ‘Boston.’

Austin Krell
@NBAKrell
·
Feb 23
Asked an NBA agent where he thinks DeMarcus Cousins might go. Replied “Boston” within seconds.

In 25 games this season, Cousins is playing 20.2 minutes per game, averaging 9.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.7 blocks

I fear what a negative Boogie experience could mean for this team. His talent will help this roster, his personality will either galvanize the team by adding a player with a “edge” to him ( to go along with Smart) or he could be a BS nightmare headcase who alienates team mates

Boogie hasn’t really been a problem since Sacramento, unless I’m missing some incidents. 

[moiso]

Cousins will have a plethora of teams looking to sign him and one NBA agent has a prediction of where he’ll land. Without hesitation, he said the ‘Boston.’

Austin Krell
@NBAKrell
·
Feb 23
Asked an NBA agent where he thinks DeMarcus Cousins might go. Replied “Boston” within seconds.

In 25 games this season, Cousins is playing 20.2 minutes per game, averaging 9.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.7 blocks

I fear what a negative Boogie experience could mean for this team. His talent will help this roster, his personality will either galvanize the team by adding a player with a “edge” to him ( to go along with Smart) or he could be a BS nightmare headcase who alienates team mates

His teammates like him and I think he'd potentially help in making players accountable in some ways, but his on court behavior would be horrible for the young guys to see.  The pouting when things aren't going his way, taking several plays off after missing an easy shot so he can complain about nonexistent fouls on him, getting frustrated and following up one missed shot with another dumb mistake or two, getting ejected when things aren't going his way, appearing to be the most miserable player in the league who seems to hate playing basketball based on his facial expressions and demeanor- our guys need to have some fun, not have a big time negative presence on the court join the team.  Never mind that he's not a very good player.

[Roy H.]

Cousins will have a plethora of teams looking to sign him and one NBA agent has a prediction of where he’ll land. Without hesitation, he said the ‘Boston.’

Austin Krell
@NBAKrell
·
Feb 23
Asked an NBA agent where he thinks DeMarcus Cousins might go. Replied “Boston” within seconds.

In 25 games this season, Cousins is playing 20.2 minutes per game, averaging 9.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.7 blocks

I fear what a negative Boogie experience could mean for this team. His talent will help this roster, his personality will either galvanize the team by adding a player with a “edge” to him ( to go along with Smart) or he could be a BS nightmare headcase who alienates team mates

His teammates like him and I think he'd potentially help in making players accountable in some ways, but his on court behavior would be horrible for the young guys to see.  The pouting when things aren't going his way, taking several plays off after missing an easy shot so he can complain about nonexistent fouls on him, getting frustrated and following up one missed shot with another dumb mistake or two getting ejected when things aren't going his way, appearing to be the most miserable player in the league who seems to hate playing basketball based on his facial expressions and demeanor- our guys need to have some fun, not have a big time negative presence on the court join the team.  Never mind that he's not a very good player.

I think JT has already mastered this.  He’s got nothing left to learn from DMC.