Use of TPE if we get Embiid?

[notthebowler]

I looked but I haven't seen this discussed elsewhere, so forgive me if it was and I missed it.

I think a lot of people (including me) have been working under the presumption/hope that if Danny makes the trade for Love, that shoe #2 will be trading the TPE for Asik.  What if Love ends up somewhere else and we walk away from the draft with Embiid?

With Embiid's uncertainty for this year and Asik being in the last year of his contract, I guess there is a chance that Ainge would add both, but that seems unlikely to me.  The TPE expires early in July, and I'm not sure I can think of anyone else who I would want to add who would also be available.

Obviously, the TPE can be broken up into smaller pieces, so we wouldn't have to take on a player making in the $10mil range.  But still, I can't think of anyone we could use it on who would excite me.

Any thoughts from others?  Just letting it expire seems like a waste, but it is certainly better than taking on salary for a so-so player.

[Who]

I'd be interested in going after Asik with the TPE anyway.

Embiid has this foot injury that will keep him out a long while. Probably miss training camp and first part of the season. Lack conditioning after that. So his first year is going to be less than ideal anyway. And to begin with, Embiid is pretty raw anyway. I don't think Embiid would be ready to start even if he was healthy. So I would be happy to bring him off the bench for the first year or two of his career.

Also, having a strong defensive big with strong defensive fundamentals who plays with physical toughness would be good to have alongside Embiid. Someone who can show Embiid by example how he needs to play (in those areas). It would also help bring Embiid along in a winning atmosphere / culture.

So yeah, I think Asik still makes a lot of sense for Boston even if they take Embiid.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I'd be interested in going after Asik with the TPE anyway.

Embiid has this foot injury that will keep him out a long while. Probably miss training camp and first part of the season. Lack conditioning after that. So his first year is going to be less than ideal anyway. And to begin with, Embiid is pretty raw anyway. I don't think Embiid would be ready to start even if he was healthy. So I would be happy to bring him off the bench for the first year or two of his career.

Also, having a strong defensive big with strong defensive fundamentals who plays with physical toughness would be good to have alongside Embiid. Someone who can show Embiid by example how he needs to play (in those areas). It would also help bring Embiid along in a winning atmosphere / culture.

So yeah, I think Asik still makes a lot of sense for Boston even if they take Embiid.

I prefer to sign-up Gortat straight up myself, multi-year if needed be (even preferred). Solid on both sides of the ball, much better offensively, much more up-tempo friendly, and more so than Asik, a player than can play alongside another center if it were required.

[Irish Stew]

I don't think Asik will be happy long term here. At first, while Embiid is healing Asik will get all the minutes at the 5. When Embiid is fully recovered, Asik would be getting about 12-15 minutes a night and again be an unhappy camper. The only wildcard would be if they could coexist in a Ralph Sampson-Hakeem Olajuwon twin towers system for a certain amount of minutes per night. I guess that is a possibility but wouldn't it be easier just to sign Okafor for a reasonable amount?  Off the top of my head it is hard to come up with a good fit to use the TPE if we are going young without Love. Afflalo maybe, but he is a bit old at age 28. I have to go thru all the rosters.

[Who]

I'd be happy with Asik just being here for a year or two. I don't think the TPE needs to bring back a long term addition. I mean, if Ainge does take Embiid, I think the odds of him acquiring someone who stays here long term with that TPE to quite small.

[Who]

I think the most likely use of the TPE is taking back a salary in return for a draft pick.

With Ainge looking to 2015 free agency, he'll probably only be willing to take back a one year salary so the pick probably won't be that valuable. I'd say a low first rounder is the best we can expect Ainge to do. Maybe he gets lucky and gets something higher but I'd expect Ainge would need to take back a longer term salary to get a higher pick.

So nobody who makes an immediate impact on team but get a pick which may or may not net a rotation player somewhere further down the line. Or possibly just be an extra trade asset to throw into a future deal.

[Nef-Oracle]

I'll say the tpe for Turner & Thad Young but i doubt Ainge won't draft Embiid if it'll be easier to get a c w/ the tpe & get a sf in the draft.

[Eddie20]

I'll say the tpe for Turner & Thad Young but i doubt Ainge won't draft Embiid if it'll be easier to get a c w/ the tpe & get a sf in the draft.

Turner was traded to Indy and is a free agent regardless.

I like the idea of acquiring Asik with it. I'd think he could make for a nice deadline trade chip, to a contending team, once we increase his value with the playing time he's sure to receive.

[cometboy]

I don't think Asik will be happy long term here. At first, while Embiid is healing Asik will get all the minutes at the 5. When Embiid is fully recovered, Asik would be getting about 12-15 minutes a night and again be an unhappy camper. The only wildcard would be if they could coexist in a Ralph Sampson-Hakeem Olajuwon twin towers system for a certain amount of minutes per night. I guess that is a possibility but wouldn't it be easier just to sign Okafor for a reasonable amount?  Off the top of my head it is hard to come up with a good fit to use the TPE if we are going young without Love. Afflalo maybe, but he is a bit old at age 28. I have to go thru all the rosters.

We'll take our time with Embiid, so Asik should get plenty of minutes starting for at least the year after next (that is, if we keep him).

CB

[MBunge]

When Embiid is fully recovered, Asik would be getting about 12-15 minutes a night and again be an unhappy camper.

Asik would probably start over Embiid for at least a couple of years, unless Ainge's plan is to take Embiid, trade Rondo and tank for more high draft picks.

Mike

[Who]

I'll say the tpe for Turner & Thad Young but i doubt Ainge won't draft Embiid if it'll be easier to get a c w/ the tpe & get a sf in the draft.

Not interested in Thaddeus Young. I think he plays best as a PF and Boston already has a glut of players at that position already.

I would be hoping for either a shooting guard or a center.

[JBcat]

I'll say the tpe for Turner & Thad Young but i doubt Ainge won't draft Embiid if it'll be easier to get a c w/ the tpe & get a sf in the draft.

Not interested in Thaddeus Young. I think he plays best as a PF and Boston already has a glut of players at that position already.

I would be hoping for either a shooting guard or a center.

Let's just say in some alternate universe we avoid trading the 6th to get Love but have to use Green, Sully, and Bradley (S&T), and other picks for more of a win now approach for Minnesota.   We then have Embiid and Love.  Maybe we take back Martin in the deal, but either way we can use the TPE on an unwanted wing player such as Mayo who Ainge has tried to get in the past, or someone like Gallinari who missed all of last year.  Just maybe we'll have enough assets left to go after Melo but doubt it.

[JBcat]

I'll say the tpe for Turner & Thad Young but i doubt Ainge won't draft Embiid if it'll be easier to get a c w/ the tpe & get a sf in the draft.

Not interested in Thaddeus Young. I think he plays best as a PF and Boston already has a glut of players at that position already.

I would be hoping for either a shooting guard or a center.

Let's just say in some alternate universe we avoid trading the 6th to get Love but have to use Green, Sully, and Bradley (S&T), and other picks for more of a win now approach for Minnesota.   We then have Embiid and Love.  Maybe we take back Martin in the deal, but either way we can use the TPE on an unwanted wing player such as Mayo who Ainge has tried to get in the past, or someone like Gallinari who missed all of last year.  Just maybe we'll have enough assets left to go after Melo but doubt it.

Forgot to mention Deng with TPE.  The point is we could have some options to use the TPE on a wing player.  You can then sign someone like Okofor for hopefully cheap, and start him until or if Embiid proves he is worthy of starting.

[saltlover]

I don't think Asik will be happy long term here. At first, while Embiid is healing Asik will get all the minutes at the 5. When Embiid is fully recovered, Asik would be getting about 12-15 minutes a night and again be an unhappy camper. The only wildcard would be if they could coexist in a Ralph Sampson-Hakeem Olajuwon twin towers system for a certain amount of minutes per night. I guess that is a possibility but wouldn't it be easier just to sign Okafor for a reasonable amount?  Off the top of my head it is hard to come up with a good fit to use the TPE if we are going young without Love. Afflalo maybe, but he is a bit old at age 28. I have to go thru all the rosters.

Yeah, I think you've got that wrong.  From everything I've seen, Embiid should rest (as in, not return to basketball activities, much less get significant NBA minutes in his rookie season) for 6-9 months post-surgery.  It's unlikely, if the Celtics draft Embiid, that he steps on the court before March.  It's also unlikely, in this case, that he plays more than 10-12 minutes a game the end of his rookie season, and certainly no back-to-backs.  Asik would have no competition for minutes from Embiid whastsoever, unless and until it's April and the Celtics have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Whether or not Asik would resign here is a different matter entirely, partly based on Embiid's recovery.  But as a one-year rental, Asik will get the playing time he wants.

[chambers]

We'd still be able to get Asik with the TPE. But yeah there would be some other options.

I'm not decided on whether I'd prefer another tank season and let it burn.
 If we got Asik, and we could pick up someone like Lance Stephenson or Afflalo, so the pieces are in place to let a major star step in as the final piece, then perhaps.

I'd actually wonder if Danny could use the TPE in a sign and trade with the Pacers for Lance Stephenson. That way at least they could replace Lance with someone of a similar price to bolster their roster ie Afflalo.
ie: Send the Pacers the Philly 2nd round picks so they sign and trade Lance for us, then absorb Lance or Asik (whichever one sends us over the cap) with the TPE.

Rondo
Lance
Green
Sully/Vonleh
Asik

Not a contender but leaves us with Sully, Green and Vonleh with our picks as trading pieces for Love at the Feb deadline.
This way we keep our #6 pick, and the Wolves accept much less for Love at the deadline- essentially ending up with both by February.