Two year plan...

[$Mike$]

This year: Let Tacko, Waters, Semi, Kormet go. Move Smart $13 and Thompson $9 and preferably a 2nd rd pick* in some combination to free money to sign Fournier and Ball (RFA/ST? – Would NO want Smart, on the final year of the contract, Edwards/1st or 2nd?). Add Edwards, picks, right to Yam, to make this happen if they are valued. I love how Smart plays (charges/def/first to floor/etc), but don’t think he is the PG to build the future around or the right one to compliment JB/JT.  He is going to need a new contract soon as well. Thompson is replaceable with the addition of Horford, Brown, and the other C/5 I have included below.

 (this would be a young team and what should be a late first-round pick can be offered to make this happen if a 2nd rd pick is not enough)

Salaries are approximate and rounded.

2021-2022 15 Man Roster

1.   Ball $18 (pass first PG/Good Size-can switch on D/takes fewer shots than MS and higher %)
2.   Fournier $18 (hopefully full season of health-pure shooter-should benefit from playing with Ball, and Tatum and Brown being on the court at the same time which was infrequent last year)
3.   Brown $24 (all-star who will continue to improve)
4.   Tatum $28 (all-star who will continue to improve)
5.   R. Williams $2 (wild card-very talented, availability is the best ability and he is unknown)
6.   Pritchard  $2 (proved he can serve as a backup PG in the league after taking Jeff T’s minutes)
7.   Langford $4 (See R. Williams- hopefully can help replace MS Defense.)
8.   Nesmith $3 (Earned his way on the court with D and hustle –potentially a pure shooter)
9.   G. Williams $3 (plays multiple positions/contracts right/solid back up defender)
10.   A. Horford $27 (improves the bench/can facilitate/Kemba was the better player in trade, but Horford is better for THIS team)
11.   Parker $1 (can score-right contract-hopefully motivated to improve D under new coach)
12.   Brown $2 (project-could be a diamond in the rough-7’2’’ high energy athlete?)
13.   Sign Giles-Tatum’s friend-end of bench 4/5 $1
14.   Two Way (doesn’t count against luxury tax)
15.   Two Way (doesn’t count against luxury tax)

Approximately $133 mil – last luxury tax was $132 I believe – so in the ballpark, no?

2022-23, you should have a better understanding of R. Williams, Langford, Nesmith, Pritchard, and unless the Celtics have a great year in 2021-22, Horford’s salary should be significantly reduced to address the C5 position and bench. If all goes well, you have a solid, young 5 that can be built around/resigned when Horford’s salary is completely off the books, the following year.

Random Thoughts:

 I think Brown will be a better player than Beal. Beal also needs the ball in his hands, similar to Kemba, which takes it out of JT and JB’s hands.

Keep guys like Parker and Giles on the roster to keep Tatum happy.

If not Ball, keep Smart before going to the other PG often mentioned like McConnell, Dinwiddie, Sexton or any other guard 6ft tall or shorter. Ball just seems like the best fit for THIS team.

If RW does not have a good year next year, then perhaps move JB for KAT.

[Surferdad]

So, Smart and Thompson for Ball.  No thanks.

[Walker Wiggle]

I appreciate this thread. It’s impossible to predict what they’ll do but I think the broad goal is to keep all of their draft capital and young players to trade for a star one year from now, or potentially at this year’s trade deadline.

That means you probably don’t acquire a guy via sign and trade this year, since it hard caps you. It probably means you try and offload Tristan Thompson to a team with cap space, to get under the tax line this year. And it means you probably try and extend or sign Smart, Fournier, and R Williams as long as the money is reasonable, with an eye towards packaging at least two (plus young players and picks) for a max guy when the opportunity presents itself.

[ETNCeltics]

There's a huge list of stars and superstars who will be free agents a year from now.

IMO, they're going to clear salary so they can easily to a S&T or sign a free agent. Some fans won't like it, but I don't believe they'll make any moves that will hamper their salary cap next summer.

[Surferdad]

There's a huge list of stars and superstars who will be free agents a year from now.

IMO, they're going to clear salary so they can easily to a S&T or sign a free agent. Some fans won't like it, but I don't believe they'll make any moves that will hamper their salary cap next summer.

Good point, and what would help ATTRACT a top FA is for the team to greatly improve this upcoming season.  Then the FA could view himself as putting the team over the top.

[td450]

There's a huge list of stars and superstars who will be free agents a year from now.

IMO, they're going to clear salary so they can easily to a S&T or sign a free agent. Some fans won't like it, but I don't believe they'll make any moves that will hamper their salary cap next summer.

I really hope that is not their plan.

Obtaining a third star that way is highly opportunistic. It is very difficult to get a player who fits the roster circumstances, wants to come here, and has a situation we can solve for. It can certainly happen, but planning for it is unwise.

We would be far better off if we had Lonzo Ball and a complementary starting power forward than if we had Bradley Beal.

We don't need a third star, and we stand a better chance of growing one than getting one that fits. Ball for Smart and Thompson would be a fantastic move. I don't know how they pull that off, but if they can, they should do so, and stop fantasizing that some incredible star will fall into our laps.

[trickybilly]

So, Smart and Thompson for Ball.  No thanks.

Smart for Ball probably works straight up - maybe even get a pick too. I would kick the tires on that.

[tazzmaniac]

There's a huge list of stars and superstars who will be free agents a year from now.

IMO, they're going to clear salary so they can easily to a S&T or sign a free agent. Some fans won't like it, but I don't believe they'll make any moves that will hamper their salary cap next summer.

I really hope that is not their plan.

Obtaining a third star that way is highly opportunistic. It is very difficult to get a player who fits the roster circumstances, wants to come here, and has a situation we can solve for. It can certainly happen, but planning for it is unwise.

We would be far better off if we had Lonzo Ball and a complementary starting power forward than if we had Bradley Beal.

We don't need a third star, and we stand a better chance of growing one than getting one that fits. Ball for Smart and Thompson would be a fantastic move. I don't know how they pull that off, but if they can, they should do so, and stop fantasizing that some incredible star will fall into our laps.

There is no indication that Ball is on the market.  Zion apparently wants him to stay.  I see no reason for NOP to trade him unless they get a very good offer and Smart and Thompson most definitely not it. 

[tazzmaniac]

So, Smart and Thompson for Ball.  No thanks.

Smart for Ball probably works straight up - maybe even get a pick too. I would kick the tires on that.

You're way overrating Smart's value on an expiring contract.  I don't see what value provides to NOP. 

[td450]

There's a huge list of stars and superstars who will be free agents a year from now.

IMO, they're going to clear salary so they can easily to a S&T or sign a free agent. Some fans won't like it, but I don't believe they'll make any moves that will hamper their salary cap next summer.

I really hope that is not their plan.

Obtaining a third star that way is highly opportunistic. It is very difficult to get a player who fits the roster circumstances, wants to come here, and has a situation we can solve for. It can certainly happen, but planning for it is unwise.

We would be far better off if we had Lonzo Ball and a complementary starting power forward than if we had Bradley Beal.

We don't need a third star, and we stand a better chance of growing one than getting one that fits. Ball for Smart and Thompson would be a fantastic move. I don't know how they pull that off, but if they can, they should do so, and stop fantasizing that some incredible star will fall into our laps.

There is no indication that Ball is on the market.  Zion apparently wants him to stay.  I see no reason for NOP to trade him unless they get a very good offer and Smart and Thompson most definitely not it.

I've made the point that Ball is not likely to ever be available too. But my point more broadly is that we need two complementary starters, not a superstar, and we need to take the opportunities when we get them.

There are three quality power forward prospects in the top 15 picks this year. Aaron Gordon was available at the trade deadline last year. Tyrese Halliburton was just two picks away last year. Those are the level of opportunities we should have pursued and should pursue going forward.

[footey]

There's a huge list of stars and superstars who will be free agents a year from now.

IMO, they're going to clear salary so they can easily to a S&T or sign a free agent. Some fans won't like it, but I don't believe they'll make any moves that will hamper their salary cap next summer.

I really hope that is not their plan.

Obtaining a third star that way is highly opportunistic. It is very difficult to get a player who fits the roster circumstances, wants to come here, and has a situation we can solve for. It can certainly happen, but planning for it is unwise.

We would be far better off if we had Lonzo Ball and a complementary starting power forward than if we had Bradley Beal.

We don't need a third star, and we stand a better chance of growing one than getting one that fits. Ball for Smart and Thompson would be a fantastic move. I don't know how they pull that off, but if they can, they should do so, and stop fantasizing that some incredible star will fall into our laps.

There is no indication that Ball is on the market.  Zion apparently wants him to stay.  I see no reason for NOP to trade him unless they get a very good offer and Smart and Thompson most definitely not it.

I've made the point that Ball is not likely to ever be available too. But my point more broadly is that we need two complementary starters, not a superstar, and we need to take the opportunities when we get them.

There are three quality power forward prospects in the top 15 picks this year. Aaron Gordon was available at the trade deadline last year. Tyrese Halliburton was just two picks away last year. Those are the level of opportunities we should have pursued and should pursue going forward.

Aaron Gordon?  Did you see his play for the Nuggets? Pretty pedestrian.  I would stop using him as an example of a lost opportunity....