Which center should we sign?

[Rondo9]

Isn't Poetl on a contract year? I don't think he'll keen on riding the pine on that year.

[liam]

Isn't Poetl on a contract year? I don't think he'll keen on riding the pine on that year.

How about winning a championship in his contract year?

[mrceltics2013]

I vote for Poetl. Help the Lakers get Kyrie, so the lakers help us get Poetl.

Celtics:
Trade D.White to Nets
Trade pick to Spurs
Recieve Poetl

Nets:
Trade Kyrie to Lakers
Recieve D.white
Recieve Horton Tucker
Recieve 1st from Lakers

Lakers:
Trade Russ to Spurs
Trade 1st to Spurs
Trade Horton-Tucker to Nets
Recieve Kyrie

Spurs:
Trade Poetl to Celtics
Recieve Westbrook
Recieve Celtics draft pick
Recieve lakers draft pick


Cs
PG: Smart/Pritchard
SG: Brown/Brogdon
SF: Tatum/Gallinari
PF: Horford/Grant
C: Rob/Poetl/Kornet

And Poetl is behind Horford and Rob… he will have PLENTY of playing time 😂

[td450]

Just reported that Spurs making Poeltl and Richardson available. Too expensive though given our tax situation.

Grabbing Poeltl with the TPE would be huge for this team. Yes, the owners have to pay a tax big time this year, but if they extend Poeltl, they have the perfect Horford replacement for the future when Al's $27 million come off the books next year.

Meanwhile for this year, it would make the Celtics one of, if not the strongest defensive interior team's in the league and allow a reduction in minutes for Al and Timelord so they are injury free and rested for a long playoff run.

Poeltl for two unprotected first and the TPE could do it. Maybe you thrown in Pritchard.

Smart/Brogdon
Brown/White
Tatum/Grant
Horford/Gallo
Timelord/Poeltl

Love that team's balance and talent level. A very serious 10 deep team

2 unprotected FRP’s for a backup big man is a wild amount to give up.

See my above response to JBcat

As someone who hasn't seen a lot of Poeltl, it appears he's a quality center, but can he play the C's defensive scheme? Because you are arguing he will essentially phase in as a replacement for Horford. He seems more like a big traditional defensive center at first glance, i.e - he can not switch like Horford does. Not sure I want to give up yet on finding a defender who can maintain that advantage.

[Roy H.]

I don’t think Poeltl would work as a Horford replacement, either offensively or defensively.

[tazzmaniac]

I don’t think Poeltl would work as a Horford replacement, either offensively or defensively.

Who is still available that would?   

[Roy H.]

I don’t think Poeltl would work as a Horford replacement, either offensively or defensively.

Who is still available that would?

John Collins and maybe Harrison Barnes, although neither is necessarily obtainable by us right now.

A lack of immediate options doesn’t mean we trade multiple first rounders for a pending free agent who has no long term fit, though.

[nebist]

I’m not saying we shouldn’t be on the lookout for a Horford succession plan, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if we sign him to a 2-year extension this offseason as well. He’s clearly beloved in the locker room, by the coaches, and by Brad. He played great last year, and there are other guys his age (Chris Paul, LeBron, etc.) still expected to contribute at a high level. Of course we want to manage and reduce his minutes and games played as much as possible, but I still expect him to be a top 6 contributor or next year’s team, and we can likely continue to search for his successor at the deadline and next offseason as well.

[tonydelk]

I don’t think Poeltl would work as a Horford replacement, either offensively or defensively.

Who is still available that would?

There isn't anyone out there that can do what Al does for this team even at his age that is obtainable or available.  This would come via the draft if we ever pick in the 1st again. lol.  My favorite Al replacement was Jaylin Williams from Zona.  He would take a few years to develop but he can defend and pass like Al.  Just needs to develop his 3pt shot and get stronger. 

[td450]

Defensively , Horford provides a better on ball low post defender. He's stronger at holding his spot against bigger centers than Rob Williams, and allows him to roam which he is amazing at. He can switch onto smaller players out to the perimeter, and makes excellent reads. He can still block shots.

Who can play like that defensively?

Adebayo
Jackson
Mobley
Capela
Looney
Okongwu

Sort of?:
DeAndre Ayton
Wendell Carter
Jax Hayes
Isaiah Stewart

Some:
Larry Nance
Khem Birch
Udoka Azubuike

Any other names out there?

Atlanta has Capela and Okongwu, who are rare in that they can do most of that on the defensive side too. It is possible that Atlanta may want to make another run at a top player. Maybe one of those two shakes out when that happens.

[#1P4P]

Al’s played in over 80% of the regular season games plus 20+ playoff games. His per 36 and efficiency stats were consistent with his career averages as an elite defender and he was the best 3P shooter in the playoffs shooting over 60% in the Warriors and Nets series.

Horford’s ability to take on the defensive responsibilities that he does (simultaneously guarding shooters, protecting the paint, and closing out; and defend elite players of all sizes well in isolation) and still contribute with efficiency on offense (48% from 3 over 20 playoff games!) is impressive. The list of bigs that can replicate that is ridiculously short.

PJ Tucker had multiple suitors (all contenders) and just received a 3 year extension at 37 and he isn’t the caliber of player Al is. Brad’s definitely extending Al beyond this season and I wouldn’t be surprised if Al signs short term deals until he retires with this team.

[JBcat]

Just reported that Spurs making Poeltl and Richardson available. Too expensive though given our tax situation.

Grabbing Poeltl with the TPE would be huge for this team. Yes, the owners have to pay a tax big time this year, but if they extend Poeltl, they have the perfect Horford replacement for the future when Al's $27 million come off the books next year.

Meanwhile for this year, it would make the Celtics one of, if not the strongest defensive interior team's in the league and allow a reduction in minutes for Al and Timelord so they are injury free and rested for a long playoff run.

Poeltl for two unprotected first and the TPE could do it. Maybe you thrown in Pritchard.

Smart/Brogdon
Brown/White
Tatum/Grant
Horford/Gallo
Timelord/Poeltl

Love that team's balance and talent level. A very serious 10 deep team

Problems with that:

1. Poetl is probably overqualified to be a backup.
2. He's an expiring that would cost like 45 million total in salary and luxury tax
3. The Spurs almost certainly want a 1st for him, and probably justifiably so. That's a lot to give for a backup center on an expiring contract.

A first for an expiring contract? I could see that if he had at least 2 years left. Evan Fournier cost us 2 2nd picks when he had half a season left. That’s what I would offer.

First, Poeltl is better than Fournier and his fit is excellent. Second, as I stated, extend Poeltl so you have him for years. Since Horford's contract is gone once Poeltl's extension kicks in, that extension, financially, will be saving some money. Third, Poeltl would only be a backup one year and in that year would start a bunch of games as Horford and Timelord get rest. Lastly, if everything works right, those two firsts will be 28-30 in the first round, or basically, expensive salary 2nds.

First, it’s debatable if Poeltl is better than at the time we traded for Fournier. At the time we traded for Fournier he was averaging 20 a game during the best stretch of his career, and some had thought he could possibly be a poor man’s Hayward at the time. Obviously that didn’t come to fruition. Yes, I agree for this year’s edition of the Celts Poeltl is a better fit. I missed that part regarding the extension, so I would agree with that price tag only if there is an extension. He could possibly be a replacement for Al, though not in style of play.

[Celtics2021]

Getting back to the minimum salary guys, Tony Bradley seems like he will become available soon, if he isn’t already.  The Bulls have effectively 16 guaranteed contracts (Dosunmu is not guaranteed but there’s no way the Bulls don’t keep him), and it figures that Bradley could be the odd one out with Vucevic, Drummond, and the prospect Marko Simonovic also on the roster at center.

He struggled a little bit finishing around the rim last year, which hurt his stats a bit, but that feels like a blip, potentially due to the Bulls loss of PGs last season.  Otherwise he’s pretty much a rim runner with good shotblocking and rebounding numbers, and teams generally perform okay with him in limited minutes.  He probably could be had for effectively free since the Bulls would otherwise eat his salary.

[Birdman]

Moses Brown to the Clippers…ugh

[Jvalin]

Getting back to the minimum salary guys, Tony Bradley seems like he will become available soon, if he isn’t already.  The Bulls have effectively 16 guaranteed contracts (Dosunmu is not guaranteed but there’s no way the Bulls don’t keep him), and it figures that Bradley could be the odd one out with Vucevic, Drummond, and the prospect Marko Simonovic also on the roster at center.

He struggled a little bit finishing around the rim last year, which hurt his stats a bit, but that feels like a blip, potentially due to the Bulls loss of PGs last season.  Otherwise he’s pretty much a rim runner with good shotblocking and rebounding numbers, and teams generally perform okay with him in limited minutes.  He probably could be had for effectively free since the Bulls would otherwise eat his salary.

Best free agent suggestion thus far, imo. I reckon he'd be a serviceable third stringer. Wouldn't be surprised if he becomes a borderline starting-caliber Center going forward.