If the Celtics could realistically trade for a 'go' to scorer, who would it be?

[Roy H.]

I was actually talking about Chalmer's ridiculous buzzer beater when he was on the Jayhawks -- it's the only reason he was drafted in the first round, much like Ennis will be (probably).

Minor correction:  Chalmers was a second rounder.

[LooseCannon]

The premise of this thread seems to be that Love is not a go-to scorer, which just strikes me as odd. Love is about as go-to as any scorer out there. There just aren't many guys who are automatic from 3 who also stand 6'10. Down the stretch, when you need a big shot, run the pick and pop with Rondo and Love. Or run horns with KO and Love spacing the floor, that's going to open up a lot of space for dribble penetration.

I think most people think of a go-to scorer as a guy who you can just put the ball in his hands and let him score.  A significantly higher percentage of his shots are assisted compared to other guys who have similar PPGs.  Kevin Love is not an iso-ball scorer at all.  You are not going to have a Kevin Love end-of-game iso. 

[Monkhouse]

This is the choice of suitable candidates that can possibly be our go to scorers.

1) Lance Stephenson
2) Eric Gordon
3) Dion Waiters
4) Arron Affalo

Why Gordon over Waiters?  From my perspective, Waiters is younger, significantly healthier and much cheaper, he's a better defender, and he's about equal statistically, but with room to grow.

I don't think Waiters will be that much cheaper. I would love Waiters on this team, I think he can be the clear cut 2nd, or even at times the go to guy. He has the ball handling, finishing/driving and the definitive need for the ball in his hands in clutch time to do so. From reading numerous ESPN Cavs/Fearthesword blogs and analysts input on Waiters. It seems the Cavs want a huge return for Waiters.

The premise of this thread seems to be that Love is not a go-to scorer, which just strikes me as odd. Love is about as go-to as any scorer out there. There just aren't many guys who are automatic from 3 who also stand 6'10. Down the stretch, when you need a big shot, run the pick and pop with Rondo and Love. Or run horns with KO and Love spacing the floor, that's going to open up a lot of space for dribble penetration.

I think most people think of a go-to scorer as a guy who you can just put the ball in his hands and let him score.  A significantly higher percentage of his shots are assisted compared to other guys who have similar PPGs.  Kevin Love is not an iso-ball scorer at all.  You are not going to have a Kevin Love end-of-game iso.

Agree.

[Roy H.]

This is the choice of suitable candidates that can possibly be our go to scorers.

1) Lance Stephenson
2) Eric Gordon
3) Dion Waiters
4) Arron Affalo

Why Gordon over Waiters?  From my perspective, Waiters is younger, significantly healthier and much cheaper, he's a better defender, and he's about equal statistically, but with room to grow.

I don't think Waiters will be that much cheaper. I would love Waiters on this team, I think he can be the clear cut 2nd, or even at times the go to guy. He has the ball handling, finishing/driving and the definitive need for the ball in his hands in clutch time to do so. From reading numerous ESPN Cavs/Fearthesword blogs and analysts input on Waiters. It seems the Cavs want a huge return for Waiters.

Well, cheaper in terms of salary.  We'd be paying Gordon near-max money for a VERY limited player.

The Cavs will probably give Waiters and Kyrie a shot together under a new, more competent coach.  If it doesn't work, the cost for Waiters should come way down.

[Monkhouse]

This is the choice of suitable candidates that can possibly be our go to scorers.

1) Lance Stephenson
2) Eric Gordon
3) Dion Waiters
4) Arron Affalo

Why Gordon over Waiters?  From my perspective, Waiters is younger, significantly healthier and much cheaper, he's a better defender, and he's about equal statistically, but with room to grow.

I don't think Waiters will be that much cheaper. I would love Waiters on this team, I think he can be the clear cut 2nd, or even at times the go to guy. He has the ball handling, finishing/driving and the definitive need for the ball in his hands in clutch time to do so. From reading numerous ESPN Cavs/Fearthesword blogs and analysts input on Waiters. It seems the Cavs want a huge return for Waiters.

Well, cheaper in terms of salary.  We'd be paying Gordon near-max money for a VERY limited player.

The Cavs will probably give Waiters and Kyrie a shot together under a new, more competent coach.  If it doesn't work, the cost for Waiters should come way down.

That is true, and that is the main issue I have with Gordon. I wouldn't mind if Gordon could at least average close to the numbers in his past Clipper days. Eventually, you gotta also factor in the possibility of Gordon being injured, or the probability that Gordon may never ever match up to his overpaid contract, and that he has an player option.

Maybe we could trade for him this year, and guarantee in writing from Gordon that he'll refuse his player option.

 

I do think Gordon is a very great player; if he was getting paid 5-6 million less. Hes incredibly fun to play with on NBA 2K.

I do agree with the Waiters comment though. I think once the experiment between Kyrie and Waiters co-existing peacefully as a back court duo flops, and the fact Kyrie isn't a good passer will come to pass and be thrown out in the open. Waiters will probably be on the trade block, and the value for him may have diminished greatly.

I like Bradley, but he clearly doesn't have anything except for a mid range pull up jumper, and a pretty good 3 pt shot. His mechanics are solid, but they aren't worth ponying up any more than 4-5 million if he can prove to be healthy.

[Moranis]

Carmelo Anthony

[Monkhouse]

Carmelo Anthony

If we got Love, how would this be possible?

[DarkAzcura]

The premise of this thread seems to be that Love is not a go-to scorer, which just strikes me as odd. Love is about as go-to as any scorer out there. There just aren't many guys who are automatic from 3 who also stand 6'10. Down the stretch, when you need a big shot, run the pick and pop with Rondo and Love. Or run horns with KO and Love spacing the floor, that's going to open up a lot of space for dribble penetration.

I think most people think of a go-to scorer as a guy who you can just put the ball in his hands and let him score.  A significantly higher percentage of his shots are assisted compared to other guys who have similar PPGs.  Kevin Love is not an iso-ball scorer at all.  You are not going to have a Kevin Love end-of-game iso.

Not sure if this was brought up earlier, but...

Kevin Love was assisted on 54% of his baskets in his career so far.

Carmelo was assisted on 47% but was assisted on 52% in Denver..something like 30% in NY..this is why I feel like Carmelo has been pretty underrated in NY btw..the guy knows how to play team ball. NY has taken that away from him.

Durant was assisted on 48%.

Lebron was assisted on 36%.

Pierce was assisted on 44% throughout his career.

Kobe was at 35%.

Food for thought..Love is definitely higher than the rest, but I think he can get his own shot decently enough.

[LooseCannon]

Kevin Love was assisted on 54% of his baskets in his career so far.

Carmelo was assisted on 47% but was assisted on 52% in Denver..something like 30% in NY..this is why I feel like Carmelo has been pretty underrated in NY btw..the guy knows how to play team ball. NY has taken that away from him.

Durant was assisted on 48%.

Lebron was assisted on 36%.

Pierce was assisted on 44% throughout his career.

Kobe was at 35%.

Food for thought..Love is definitely higher than the rest, but I think he can get his own shot decently enough.

What is your source for those numbers?

According to basketball-reference.com, Kevin Love's %assisted by season are 59.8%, 57.4%, 61.0%, 58.0%, 60.0%, and 65.5%.

Over the same period, Carmelo Anthony's numbers are 48.0%, 41.6%, 47.7%, 37.9%, 39.3%, and 38.6%.

Looking at mysynergysports.com, 6.9% of Love's plays were isolations this season.  Compare that to 25.6% for isolations.

It's not a bad thing that Love doesn't iso much since isolation sets are a horribly inefficient way to run an offense.  Having an offense built around making long twos (if you have decent shooters) is better than a iso-heavy plan.

[D.o.s.]

It is telling, though, that Carmelo and LeBron were the league's best players when it came to last second, broken down offense scoring -- which is where a majority of those isolation plays come from, since the Knicks O was totally dysfunctional this year.

Now, this is an inherently noisy stat, for a few reasons. For one, better offenses will avoid these kinds of shots, so bad units will have more "opportunities" to hit them. That's why our chart of the top 100 players is loaded with Bulls and Bucks. It also doesn't quite capture everything bad about an offense that is inept at creating shots, because turnovers end a possession before it can get into a late-clock situation, and we decided to not factor in 24-second violation TOVs, because there's too much overlap with shots that go up, but don't hit iron.

http://regressing.deadspin.com/which-nba-players-are-best-late-in-the-shot-clock-1563759412

[Moranis]

Carmelo Anthony

If we got Love, how would this be possible?

I posted this a few days ago.  I believe all trades are realistic on their face (though don't actually believe any will happen).

Draft day (post pick though we pick for them) trade with Minnesota
Kevin Love, Corey Brewer for 2014 lottery pick, Bogans, Green, Sullinger, 2016 Nets

Free agency trade with New York
Carmelo Anthony (sign/trade) for 2015 Celtics, 2017 Celtics, 2018 Nets, Bradley (sign/trade), Bass, and salary filler as necessary (Anthony, Faverani, Johnson, Babb, Pressey, etc.)

Free agency trade with Houston
Asik for 2015 Clippers (absorb salary into trade exception)

Re-sign Humphries, Bayless


Post Trades lineup

PG - Rondo, Bayless
SG - Brewer, MLE F.A. or rookie at #17 (Kyle Anderson for example)
SF - Anthony, Wallace
PF - Love, Olynyk
C - Asik, Humphries


EDIT: I think it might also be possible to acquire Eric Gordon for Wallace and #17, which would make the starting 5 and bench even better (though not as deep).  Plug, Gordon in as the starting SG and then bring Brewer off the bench and that team would be very dangerous and perhaps the odds on favorite (depending what the other top teams do).

[sofutomygaha]

If we're trading for Love and building a contender for 2015, then Paul Pierce is at the top of the free agent acquisition list. If you've got to have an all star who can play iso, he's it.

Kyle Lowry and Lance Stephenson are other options, but I'm guessing you don't mean to replace Rondo and you don't mean to pay Stephenson.

[Monkhouse]

If we're trading for Love and building a contender for 2015, then Paul Pierce is at the top of the free agent acquisition list. If you've got to have an all star who can play iso, he's it.

Kyle Lowry and Lance Stephenson are other options, but I'm guessing you don't mean to replace Rondo and you don't mean to pay Stephenson.

I'm sorry but Pierce can't play iso anymore. I mean he can probably score a few shots, but its tough for me to say if I would trust Pierce's ability to come through in the clutch.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

If we're trading for Love and building a contender for 2015, then Paul Pierce is at the top of the free agent acquisition list. If you've got to have an all star who can play iso, he's it.

Kyle Lowry and Lance Stephenson are other options, but I'm guessing you don't mean to replace Rondo and you don't mean to pay Stephenson.

I'm sorry but Pierce can't play iso anymore. I mean he can probably score a few shots, but its tough for me to say if I would trust Pierce's ability to come through in the clutch.

hmmnnnnn

[Vox_Populi]

I would like Irving.