Struggling with Consistency is time to think about Trade Pieces?

[Wretch]

This team has been inconsistent all year and if that trend keeps up I don't see how the team can expect anything more than a playoff appearance and an early exit (1st or 2nd round).

I do not advocate trading core players so for this discussion Tatum, Brown, RWilliams, and to a lesser extent Smart are not on the block.  What does that leave the Cs with as tradable assets (that can net picks or prospects for next year or beyond.  To add to this the Cs are currently a tax paying team and I don't think they want to pay the tax for a middling team. This isn't the ownership being cheap it's called good cap management).

Obvious choices that aren't just salary dumps: (ranked in order of likelihood, in my opinion)

• Schroder (He's been good but he's extremely unlikely to resign)
• Richardson  (He's a quality starter, especially defensively on a tradeable deal and a good depth piece for a contending team)

Moving these players also opens up playing time for PP, Nesmith and Langford to hopefully aid their development.

Players less likely to be traded but are tradeable:

• Al (playing great basketball but I think he's likely to stay since he's such a positive impact on the locker room and specifically RWilliams.  I also think his salary is going to be used to try to swing larger trade in the offseason)
• GWilliams (He's just solid, he'll help any contender with shooting and being a perfect glue/role player but I think he stays because he's on such a team friendly rookie deal)

Straight Salary Dumps:

• Juancho
• Parker

So based on those lists who are the likely trading partners: (I had a hard time coming up with a list of teams that need the tradeable players the Cs have.)

Schroder:
Denver (might have interest in a rental to help them until Murray is back)
Dallas (might want to have bench help because they are all sorts of bad when Luka is off the floor)
Richardson:
Clippers (might want wing depth for PO run and help until Leonard comes back)
GSW (depending on how Thompsons' return goes they may want help. They were rumored to have interest in Smart last year and Richardson offers a lot of the same qualities)
Chicago (total reach here but they may want a low usage player that plays good D for a playoff run.)

Based off my assumptions about who is tradeable and the teams that may have demand, at best we are looking at late first round picks (that may be years away from now from a team like the Clips) and/or maybe a rookie like Bones Hyland from Denver.

Maybe a 3rd team gets involved to help facilitate salaries so here are some potential "distressed assets" that the C's might look at that might be gettable considering the talent I think is tradable by the Cs.

• Jaxson Hayes
• Marvin Bagley III

What did I miss any teams with needs and are there other realistic players the C's could target?

[Moranis]

Boston isn't good enough to be more than a 2nd round team even if everything works out and making minor trades isn't going to help that and I don't see the point of just selling off pieces that may cause Boston to miss the playoffs entirely.

[Wretch]

Boston isn't good enough to be more than a 2nd round team even if everything works out and making minor trades isn't going to help that and I don't see the point of just selling off pieces that may cause Boston to miss the playoffs entirely.

My thought is if the team is going to try to get below the tax they'd be better served getting an asset for a player rather than giving one up to dump salary. 

The trade of 1 player like Schroder or Richardson would probably drop the Cs from a 5-6 seed (with an anticipated early PO exit) to a play in team.  Is there a substantial difference in the outcome/ceiling of the team with 1 trade? I don't think so.

Trading both Schroder and Richardson would probably put the Cs in the late lottery, but even that outcome isn't that bad if the Cs have some luck in the lottery. 

I think Western Conference teams have a different calculus since that conference is relatively weak this year.  A 1 star team (like Denver without Murray) or Dallas could make a run to the Finals, especially if Lebron keeps getting injured.  A western team is more likely to be in a win now frame of mind. Unlike eastern teams that have the Nets, and Bucks to consider.

[wiley]

in general I like the idea of playing the young guys more.  But I wouldn't trade Richardson, or Schroeder now....

I think the Celtics should give Brown and Tatum this year's playoffs with the team as currently stands.
I have concerns about their fit on offense, but this team could be special defensively in the playoffs, with some great offensive outbursts too....I think we should see what the current team as is...if healthy, can do in this years playoffs. 

Then make a bunch of decisions in the offseason.

If the team has health woes and clearly out of contention...(or making finals is definitely out of reach), then go ahead and do some trades during the season....