Looking back at the Gordon Hayward for Myles Turner sign-and-trade

[Roy H.]

In the summer of 2020, it seemed likely that Gordon Hayward was going to be signed-and-traded to Indiana.  The offer was reportedly Myles Turner + rotation player + 2021 1st rounder.

Imagine how that trade would have changed our team?  And Indy's?

Our 2021 roster would have been:

Timelord
Turner
Tatum
Brown
Smart / Kemba

With Nesmith, Pritchard, Grant Williams off the bench.  No idea if we still make the move for Kornet, but there's a probability there.

Then, the following summer, we have Indy's pick (it ended up #13) and our own (#16).  Do we still trade ours for Horford, or do we pick our reported target with either ours or Indy's pick?  Or do we combine Kemba and a 1st for a different player?

Let's say we keep both picks, and hold onto Kemba as an expiring contract.  Could we have traded #13 and #16 to move up to take Franz Wagner?  Probably not, since at least one of those picks would probably have ended up lower in the draft.  But, let's say the Pacers only marginally improve, and end up around 15th or 16th.  We take Sengun and let's say Jalen Johnson.

2021 roster:

Sengun / Timelord
Turner
Tatum
Brown
Smart / Kemba

We still have the pieces to make the White, Brogdon and Jrue trades.  We probably don't make the KP trade.

Our contending core:

Sengun
Turner
Tatum / Johnson
Brown / White
Jrue / Pritchard

That said, we probably would have still dealt Marcus, since he would be a bit redundant here.  Who knows what we get, but he basically landed KP, a late 1st, and last year's 14th pick. 

Obviously, there are hundreds of directions and changes that can't be predicted, but I've always been a sucker for "what might have been".  The only sad part:  no Horford to enjoy a potential championship (or more) with.

[slamtheking]

where did you see that was the reported deal?  I'd be stunned if the ghost of Hayward would land more than a 'rotational' player nevermind Turner and/or a first round pick.

if this were true, I'm not sure we win last year.  I see Al as a key piece to winning that title.  also, even though KP didn't play much in the playoffs, his contributions during the season gave the team almost a sense of invinsibility/inevitability for the title.

Turner would be a good piece to have but I'm not sure he gets that group over the top

[Roy H.]

where did you see that was the reported deal?  I'd be stunned if the ghost of Hayward would land more than a 'rotational' player nevermind Turner and/or a first round pick.

I think you're misremembering Hayward at the time of that deal.  He was coming off a 17.5 ppg season for us and he looked really good.  The next season he averaged 19.5 in Charlotte.  He wasn't a ghost at that point, although it was a surprise when he got offered $120 million by the Hornets.

Anyway, here's one report on the proposed deal:

https://www.nbcsports.com/nba/news/report-pacers-offered-celtics-myles-turner-and-first-rounder-in-gordon-hayward-sign-and-trade

There were several.

As for a title, I'd miss having Al here, but there's no real question that Turner + Sengun would have been a better option.

[keevsnick]

Turner is one of those players who juts in a vacuum talent wise is probably overrated. Buuuuuuuut, his skill set as a stretch big who can protect the rim just so valuable that even if he's not an elite version of any of those things he's still insanely valuable.

The number of players who can protect the rim and shoot threes on volume is just so low.

Turner, JJJ, Horford, Mobley (low volume now, but i think he's getting there), Wemby, Lopez and KP. Thats it off the top of my head. 7 guys in the whole league who shoot threes on volume and protect the rim. Chet may also get there soon.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Turner is one of those players who juts in a vacuum talent wise is probably overrated. Buuuuuuuut, his skill set as a stretch big who can protect the rim just so valuable that even if he's not an elite version of any of those things he's still insanely valuable.

The number of players who can protect the rim and shoot threes on volume is just so low.

Turner, JJJ, Horford, Mobley (low volume now, but i think he's getting there), Wemby, Lopez and KP. Thats it off the top of my head. 7 guys in the whole league who shoot threes on volume and protect the rim. Chet may also get there soon.

This, by the way, is the reason we should probably keep KP, hope that he can find health in the 2nd act of his career (like Lopez), and sign him to a team-friendly deal.

It's also the reason I wish we could get Kornet shooting threes again.