So looking at the trade today, Boston gives up Crawford and Brooks (two young players, with upside, on expiring contracts) and in return all we get is a bad player on a two year deal (Anthony) and what will likely be a trio of second round picks after in 2015/2016 (or a first in 2015 and another second, but this is a less likely scenario).
I knew the Crawford deal was coming the instant Bayless came over, but there was supposedly strong interest in Crawford so why did we not get more quality back?
I don't think Danny would want to give up his current picks (the current 2014 Celtics pick is looking like gold right now, and the Nets future picks could all be lottery) so I'm thinking that this deal was made to acquire assets that Danny needed in order to complete the real trade, which is still to come.
So, what do other people think will be the next deal to fall?
I'm predicting that the next player to go will be Humphries. I believe this for a few reasons:
1. The way he is playing the Celtics would probably have to pay starter money to re-sign him after this season, which they are likely not willing to do given they are in rebuild mode.
2. Humphies is a very valuable trade asset because he is just as valuable to a solid playoff team (could give improve their roster enough to give them a stronger playoff run) as he is to a rebuilding team (gives cap relief in the offseason)
3. Humphries is probably the best player on this team right now, with his 'PER' of around 19-21 (last I checked) being well above anyone else on the team. Losing him helps to ensure the team will continue to lose games even after Rondo comes back, and hence maximises the chance of the balls falling Boston's way in the 2014 Draft.
4. Hump's 12M coming off the books doesn't help Boston much in the offseason, because we still won't have enough cap space to sign a major free agent. We can (and likely will) sign re-sign Bradley and our rookies, and then will have only $3M or so probably left...we can probably get a MLE guy and that's about it.
5. We do have a lot of bigs right now (mostly PF's) and so guys like Olynyk, Faverani and even SUlly aren't getting as many minutes as DA probably would like them to for developmental reasons. Losing a PF probably helps make minutes for the young prospects.
For all of the above reasons, Hump is probably much more valuable to other teams right now than he is to Boston, and hence I think there is a very, very high chance that he is the next player to go.
My prediction is that Danny will send Humphries (along with the picks acquired today) to another team as compensation for absorbing the long term contract of either Bass or Wallace. One such trade that might make sense (as an example) would be something like:
Boston send to LAL:
- K Humphries
- G Wallace
- Protected 1st Round pick (from 76ers)
- 2014 1st Round Pick (from LAC)
LAL send to Boston:
- Pau Gasol
1. Lakers cut ties with a disgruntled Gasol, whos "bang it in the post" play style doesn't suit D'Antoni's gameplan. In return they get Hump, who is happy to sit around taking jumpers and probably fits the Lakers better than Gasol
2. Lakers get either (a) a 2014 1st and a 2015 1st or (b) a 2014 1st, a 2015 2nd and a 2016 2nd. This is probably attractive to the Lakers as they won't have cap space even after Gasol's contract expires, so the picks allow them to add cheap talent and to help them win now
3. Boston gets to dump Wallace's contract after this season by allowing Gasol's $19M contract to expire. This along is probably worth giving up the draft picks for. This should give boston enough cap space to go after a solid free agent this off-season or to use their trade exception to bring in a quality player.
What other options are out there (aside from the obvious Asik deal that everybody is certain to bring up)?
Topic: What deal will come next - predictions? (Read 8049 times)