I think for taking on Anthony's deal and also giving out Crawford the Celtics should have gotten more than just a "probably not" 1st rounder.
From Goodman at espnboston.com:
The trade will save the Heat about $7.7 million in salary and luxury taxes this season and frees them on the $3.8 million they owed Anthony for next season. Depending on the Heat's salary-situation for next season, this is a deal that could end up saving them more than $15 million in salary and luxury taxes for a player who played just 37 minutes this season.
Also, I thought the Celtics would at least try to make a run at some free agents this fall. Anthony's 3.8 million would seem to discourage that, unless they have some more deals to unload contracts (Bass, Green) planned. I guess this also increases the odds Bradley stays, doesn't it?
If the 76ers are in the lottery this and next season, then those two second-rounders have a shot at being those early second round picks that some people consider almost as good as a late first because of the lack of guaranteed money. The Celtics would be in a good spot to gamble on a foreign player who would be a sure first-round pick if he were guaranteed to come to the US but has a thorny buy-out situation with his foreign club.
If Anthony invokes his player option, the Celtics have a nice package of the expiring contracts of Bass/Anthony and the unguaranteed contract of Bogans to package with draft picks should any big-contract guy become available. It's not as big of an impediment to doing a deal clearing cap space as Courtney Lee's deal would have been.
Yes, you don't have to give 1st round guarantees but you also may have an expensive renegotiation in 1-2 years if you happen to hit on a player in the 2nd round (depending on how many years you settled on). 1st rounders are still the most beneficially unfair contracts to be wielded by GMs against players.
The Celtics are projected to be under the cap. Meaning they could sign somebody to a one-year "expiring" if they desired.
Anyway it's not a horrible deal, just a tiny letdown considering Crawford was playing so well earlier this year. I'm surprised everyone is so positive considering 2nd rounders are relatively easy to acquire. I think it's a sign that deep down, Celtics fans realize Crawford's strong play was kind of a mirage and he never had much value to begin with.