Would you be willing to trade KG or Pierce?

[CelticConcourse]

Pick.

[kgainez]

i really dont see the point in keeping one without the other

if i had to pick tho...idk...maybe Paul. I hated him at the beginning of the season and he was a disappointment to me in the playoffs. But there is that sentimental value anddd financial value from an owners perspective. so...it's tough!

[crimson_stallion]

I love Paul and KG and I have been passionately against trading them since the dawn of time.

Finally though it's at the point where I think it's getting to a time where we need to move on and focus primarilly on what the team needs in order to be successful moving forward.

Right now, much as it pains me to say, I think we're at the point where Pierce would be more valuable in a trade than he is on our roster. 

If Pierce stays, the emergence of Jeff Green leaves us with only two options:

1. Play Pierce at SG
2. Bring Pierce off the bench

The first option I think hurts Pierces game and (hence) the team.  The second option I would would hurt Pierce's pride, and I'm not sure he could/would accept it. The only other remaining option would be to bring Green off the bench or start him at PF, and I think history has proven that neither option makes the most of Green's talent.

I hate seeing the team without Pierce and/or KG out there, but lately I've started to accept that some time in the next year or two both guys will be gone regardless.  Because of Pierce's special contract situation his value is actually quite high at the moment - not only could he turn a solid playoff team into a legit contender, but any team in need of cap space can also buy him out for $5M, and take $16M in cap space of their books in the process.  That means he's one of the unique players who has trade value to both contending teams and young rebuilding teams.

It's not bad for Pierce either because if he's traded to any team he refuses to play for they will likely buy him out to gain cap space, and that leaves him free to sign with anybody he pleases.  It's about the best possible way to let him go...if we keep him for another year we have to either lose him to free agency for nothing, or resign him to a new contact (which he may not agree to if the team does go the 'rebuild' route).

It just seems to make a lot of sense to trade him out right now and get some talent back, allowing Jeff Green the space to develop and show us what he can really do.

As for KG, I would understand either way.  He is still one of the better centers in the NBA right now, but if we keep him we need to accept that he can only give is about 25 minutes per night, so we really NEED to get a solid backup center to play behind him.  If we cannot pick up a solid backup center with the trade chips we have, then we probably need to consider moving him in in a deal like the Clippers one, wich gives us enough young talent (in Bledsoe + Jordan) to be able to sign for a legit starting center.  Even worse case scenario we can start Jordan - it's not optimal, but at least he could give us a legit big man on the court for 30+ minutes a night.

Ultimately I'd like to solve our overcrowded back court issue by trading Jamal Crawford and/or Courtney Lee for someone of more use - maybe a SF to back up Jeff Green or a big.

I've actually contemplated trying to send Courtney Lee and Brandon Bass (maybe throw our first rounder in there too) to Washington in return for Emmeka Okafor.  To my knowlege Okafor and Nene are both free agents this year, and Washington only plans to keep one of them - with Nene being their first choice.  This means they are likely willing to part with Okafor and let him walk.  Washington has a lot of young talent but they desperately need a couple of productive veterans to help lead the young core.  Brandon Bass and Courtney Lee are good locker room guys who have solid work ethic and a defensive mentality.  They both have playoff experience, yet both are still young and athletic so they should fit in Washington as well.  No idea how likely this is...but I'd love Okafor in Boston.   

[LooseCannon]

If Pierce stays, the emergence of Jeff Green leaves us with only two options:

1. Play Pierce at SG
2. Bring Pierce off the bench

The first option I think hurts Pierces game and (hence) the team.  The second option I would would hurt Pierce's pride, and I'm not sure he could/would accept it. The only other remaining option would be to bring Green off the bench or start him at PF, and I think history has proven that neither option makes the most of Green's talent.

If I wanted Pierce to come off the bench, I would appeal to his ego by asking him if he can be more of a team player than Ray Allen.

[Celtics17]

What's the old saying.. 'there is no I in team'? Well, if it's better for this team to finally trade one or both of PP and KG then maybe it's time we stop being sentimental and let the team do what is best (like we really have a choice anyway). You know, come to think of it, there is no PP or KG in team either?

[wdleehi]

If the Celtics ever got a good offer instead of the rumor cap clogging, overrated talent we have seen.

[Surferdad]

Both, time to move on. ThIs was the year to get the depth needed to rest PP and KG for the playoffs. However, injuries foiled the plan. Window closed sorry to say.

That doesn't mean I don't love both guys and what they did for this franchise. It was a great run.

[badshar]

I'd like to call out all the people who would rather trade Pierce and KG than keep them here and go for another run.

What exactly makes you think we will get anything done without them that we won't get done with them?

Without them, Rondo and Green will make this team very mediocre. Not garbage, but nothing good. Eventually they will ask for trade and we will be awful for even longer, just because you people think "we are too old" and "we can't compete anymore" even though we had just 3 guys over 30 and those "old guys" were leaders in much of the stats for this team with pretty good stats, unless you think 18-20 ppg is average.

[aporel#18]

I wouldn't trade either, rather see them retiring in green.

But if KG wants to retire or PP wants to be traded, then I'd try to get the best return for them.

Either way, the real deal will be to have assets and flexibility by next year's tradeline/Draft. This team would need a miracle to contend again next season anyway.

[erisred]

If the Celtics ever got a good offer instead of the rumor cap clogging, overrated talent we have seen.

Yep, that's my thinking, too.

I expect both to play for the Celtics next year, because I don't expect DA to get an acceptable offer for either of them.

However, sure! I'd trade anybody in the right deal.

[chambers]

I'd like to call out all the people who would rather trade Pierce and KG than keep them here and go for another run.

What exactly makes you think we will get anything done without them that we won't get done with them?

Without them, Rondo and Green will make this team very mediocre. Not garbage, but nothing good. Eventually they will ask for trade and we will be awful for even longer, just because you people think "we are too old" and "we can't compete anymore" even though we had just 3 guys over 30 and those "old guys" were leaders in much of the stats for this team with pretty good stats, unless you think 18-20 ppg is average.

That's not the argument for getting rid of them. Getting rid of them means we get worse, quickly. And actually without those two we'd stink. We wouldn't make the playoffs and we'd be going to the lottery. So if we're going to stink, why not gt something out of it by getting as terrible as possible and be in with a real shot at Wiggins or Parker?

[Afam]

Both.

[kgfor3]

I'd like to call out all the people who would rather trade Pierce and KG than keep them here and go for another run.

What exactly makes you think we will get anything done without them that we won't get done with them?

Without them, Rondo and Green will make this team very mediocre. Not garbage, but nothing good. Eventually they will ask for trade and we will be awful for even longer, just because you people think "we are too old" and "we can't compete anymore" even though we had just 3 guys over 30 and those "old guys" were leaders in much of the stats for this team with pretty good stats, unless you think 18-20 ppg is average.

That's not the argument for getting rid of them. Getting rid of them means we get worse, quickly. And actually without those two we'd stink. We wouldn't make the playoffs and we'd be going to the lottery. So if we're going to stink, why not gt something out of it by getting as terrible as possible and be in with a real shot at Wiggins or Parker?

Except we would not be as bad as you are talking. Rondo, Green, Sully, etc.. are probably good enough to keep us out of any real contention for getting a top 8 pick.

[BleedGreen1989]

Yea you don't rebuild just so you can put a sign out front that says "rebuilding".

The deals need to make sense and so far I haven't seen very many that do.

[mmmmm]

If the Celtics ever got a good offer instead of the rumor cap clogging, overrated talent we have seen.

Yep, that's my thinking, too.

I expect both to play for the Celtics next year, because I don't expect DA to get an acceptable offer for either of them.

However, sure! I'd trade anybody in the right deal.

This^

I'll trade anybody ... for the right deal.

I haven't heard any rumor or proposed transaction yet that makes much sense, though.

I'd wait until the trade deadline.  'See how the season goes.  At that point, PP's market will be it's broadest, because he'll have value as both an expiring contract to teams squeezed by the cap AND as an 'over the hump' contributor to contending teams, with no real risk for either.