Zach Lowe had a decent article today that was on the topic of trading pierce/kg, which of course is on a lot of our minds.
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8890026/with-rajon-rondo-season-boston-celtics-do-nowWhat I was thinking about is basically the following considerations:
-Teams that would want KG/PP are teams projected for the playoffs or fighting for the playoffs looking for instant gratification.
-Teams need to give the C's something the C's want.
-Remember KG has the no-trade, so it would have to be dependent on him wanting to experience the playoffs/location dependent.
So, who are the teams that could want KG or PP?
EAST:
Miami
New York
Chicago
Brooklyn
Indiana
Atlanta
Milwaukee
Philly
Detroit
Toronto
WEST:
San Antonio
OKC
LAC
Memphis
Golden State
Denver
Utah
Houston
Portland
LAL
Dallas
There's the list that could want PP or KG.
Brooklyn:
Deal begins or ends with Lopez. Over 25 PER, rebounding semi-ok, scoring well. True big guy. Doubt they give him up for KG.
Miami:
Not going to happen.
New York:
They'd offer Amare in a heart beat. Terrible.
Chicago:
We don't want Boozer, they wouldn't deal Deng, and likely not Noah, so any deal would be based around Gibson and his excellent defense and picks. However, Gibson is a PPP contract, so very hard to trade. Nothing here.
Indiana:
Tricky, because I doubt they trade Hibbert (and his contract is scary for C's), they don't trade Paul George for Pierce (maybe not for KG either), I doubt KG would accept to Indiana unless he really wants to be in the playoffs, and we don't want Granger for PP.
Trade: If KG wanted, I could possibly see Paul George, Gerald Green, Mahinmi for KG as the basis of some trade.
Atlanta:
Lowe covers this. Not sure the C's want Smith and his max demands. Doubt Atlanta deals Horford. Not a good match. I'd do KG or PP for Horford any day of the week at this point.
Milwaukee:
Intriguing. They would LOVE KG, but as with Indiana, it depends on his desire for playoff ball. I think they'd like Pierce too. Either way, the deal hinges on getting Hensen or Sanders coming back this way, with balancing contracts like Gooden/Udrih
Trade: Udrih, Gooden, Henson for Pierce
Philly:
Not much here. Do we want to give the max next year to Bynum? We know the deal: healthy, he's a top 10 player, but that's rare. Holiday is better than anyone on the C's, so not getting him. I don't think we really want anyone else, though I'm sure TUrner has fans as he's following the Jeff Green playbook so far.
Detroit:
Stuckey has plateaued (thank goodness the Rondo for Hamilton and Stuckey never happened), and Drummond and Monroe are not gettable by any C's player.
Toronto:
Amazingly, if the C's drop, Bynum stays hurt, and toronto gets a vet, they can make a playoff push. Not a lot there though. Lowry is redundant with Rondo. Bargnani? I don't like him. KG would not want to go there for just the possibility of a low playoff seed (likely similar to Boston's chances right now). How bad do they want Pierce? Valanciunas bad?
Trade: Pierce+Barbosa for Valanciunas, Gray, Kleiza, Fields
WEST:
San Antonio:
Nothing, unless they're dealing Leonard, which i doubt
OKC:
Some intrigue here. If they want Pierce, then Martin could be the bulk of the contract coming back with Perry jones, Lamb, and a pick. For KG, similar, but with Perk's contract.
Trade: KG for Perk, Lamb, Jones, Toronto 1st.
LAC:
As discussed elsewhere, their best asset is a PG and has question marks, and their potentially available Center (Jordan) is not exactly cornerstone material.
Memphis:
Don't want Gay on his contract, they wouldn't give up Gasol, Randolph doesn't make sense for a rebuild, though if Rondo comes back healthy, a Rondo/Bradley/Green/KG/Randolph team next year is probably better than a Rondo/Bradley/Pierce/KG/Crud team.
Golden State:
Would they deal Barnes or Thompson for Pierce?
Trade: Pierce for Biedrins, Barnes/THompson, Rush, Pick.
Denver:
Pierce for Iggy doesn't make much sense.
Trade: KG for McGee+Faried
Utah:
I don't think it will happen, but if Utah wants to go for it and add a vet scoring SF to their core by giving up Kanter or Favors, the C's would have to jump at that.
Trade: Pierce for Favors/Kanter, Marvin WIlliams, BUrks
Houston:
I think houston is too long-term focused to trade for KG or Pierce.
Portland:
They like Batum a lot, probably more than pierce, and don't otherwise have the contracts to go after either guy. Maybe they could be persuaded to do matthews/leonard/babbit/?pick for KG.
LAL:
Nothing here. Not even just based on principle, just no good parts. Unless they do KG/filler for HOward with an extension in place after a good physical/MRI.
Dallas:
Don't really see the parts, unless it's Kaman, filler (beaubois), and 2 firsts for KG.