After Bradley's Playoffs, How About This?

[Csfan1984]

Not much of a Kaminsky fan either but I want a good big man pf or C. With Portis and Lyles stocks rising they may jump up. C's could always go Booker/Oubre at 16 and say Harrell/Woods late

[Beat LA]

Not much of a Kaminsky fan either but I want a good big man pf or C. With Portis and Lyles stocks rising they may jump up. C's could always go Booker/Oubre at 16 and say Harrell/Woods late

I completely agree, which is why I'd like to see how well, or not, lol , Sullinger would play next to a guy like Upshaw.

[Csfan1984]

I want guards 6'4 or above that can shoot if I'm moving on from AB. That puts Booker and Harvey way high on my board. Also means Harrison twins in second round are a good late option.

Still team needs Sf and Center. I do want Lab or Simmons in 2016 so PF isn't my real concern this draft. Center looks very good in 2016 as well.

One thing to know is this draft in contrast seems to have better guards and Sfs all over the draft. While PF and Center is rather weak which works out great if you have lots of picks in both 2015 and 2016.

Upshaw is tough because didn't get to see him this year. But he was a late lottery talent potential going into season. I wouldn't take him in the first round given his personal issues.

[dreamgreen]

AB did not have a great playoff but I think people are getting a little carried away with it. He is the only consistent threat on our team (was before IT) so the Cavs played him as the #1 threat. If we had more options on offense he would have more room to make shots and I believe he would make them. He's far from a great player but he has come along way.

[manl_lui]

I thought Stanley was going to be a top 5? If not, I don't mind this trade, I like Stanley

[loco_91]

I'd do this in a second. Stephenson is a talented player and #9 is a very valuable pick in this year's draft - far more valuable than #16. Possibilities there are Johnson, Porzingis, Mario, and maybe WCS. I would try really hard to move up further from #9 to #5 or #6 to nab Winslow or WCS.

There are concerns about Stephenson's influence on the lockerroom but I think these are vastly outweighed by the value of #9. However, I think Charlotte hangs up the phone.

Edit - maybe Charlotte really would do this, they seem quite motivated to move Stephenson and AB makes a lot of sense for them. I think it's a bad trade for them but that doesn't mean they wouldn't do it. This is a great idea.

[GzUP617]

  OP I like the way you think.   

[BDeCosta26]

The Celtics need better three-point shooting at SF more than they need better ball-handling at SG, plus Stephenson would be a downgrade in floor-spreading ability.

Khris Middleton to a reasonable deal this summer? That'd be a scary perimeter defense, and he's an excellent outside shooter.  Plus we also have Young that we need to work into the rotation eventually.

But outside of the unlikely Butler and Leonard, where do you see us getting a better shooting SF this summer or in the draft? We could also switch out Johnson with Hezonja or Oubre, though I think Johnson's ceiling is much higher than those two.

I think Middleton is a really good option to look at. One thing I thought was that by trading AB and the two draft picks your justifying taking Stevenson off their hands while also doing enough to move up in the draft and take WCS. Adding Zeller, who would get a lot of love back in NC and is a young C who fits with big Al and is still on a rookie deal, could get extra. I think extracting Vonleh is possible out of that trade.

BOS: Avery Bradley, Tyler Zeller, #1and #33
CHA: Lance Stephenson, Noah Vonleh and #9.

Then we sign Middleton and draft Cauley-Stein. Or, you make that trade and draft Johnson if he falls to you. Then we sign Robin Lopez or a similar but less talented stop-gap.

I'm more sold on an IT/Smart/Bradley back-court than you because I think Smart will make large strides in ball handling. But I also think his future could be as a 2, and that would mean another ball handler playing with him anyway. Stevenson fits that mold perfectly. He can handle the ball, he can pass, drive to the hoop, can hit 3s at a slightly below average (which is about our team average) and he can rebound. He would be the ultimate Stevens reclamation project. One that could pay off huge. My only question is whether Smart/Crowder/Thomas could get him to fly right or whether Lance could get them all to fly wrong.

Just a slightly different variation. Something to think about.

BOS: Isaiah Thomas, Tyler Zeller, #16
CHA: Lance Stephenson, Noah Vonleh and #9

IT would be a good fit for them too. Replaces some of the production Mo Williams gave them with much more playmaking. Still get rid of Lance, only slide back a few spots and still land Zeller. I actually think KO is a better fit over there but they would want Zeller for sure. I think there may be a few moves available to package 28 and 33 together to move up with too.

[Neurotic Guy]

OP -- Congrats on presenting a thoughtful and debatable trade.  Not absurd from either side. Not an obvious steal for the C's -- a trade proposal in which we are actually giving up some value to get some value.

If Danny doesn't see Lance as a problem, then it seems like a good get for the C's.  Big hole left at 5 (actually 2 holes there now).   If Danny has a realistic shot at a strong 5 in free agency, this trade looks better.

[PhoSita]

I agree the Celts need to take some risks to get where they want to be, so going after a guy like Lance, and trading into the top 10, both make some sense.

However, I think The Flex is right --- giving up Bradley, Zeller, and #16 is too much for the privilege of absorbing Lance's horrible contract and moving up 7 spots in a draft of questionable depth.

[GetLucky]

This is a solid trade, but I would be wary of giving up any frontcourt size, no matter how role-playerish Zeller is.

[Forza Juventus]

I've posted this trade in the past, with mostly negative feedback. However, after seeing Bradley neutralized in the playoffs by the Cavs taking away his jumper, how do people feel about it now?

Bradley, Zeller, #16, #28 OR #33

for

Stephenson, #9

Granted, this would really only work if the Hornets didn't love someone at #9. Currently, they're projected to take Stanley Johnson, who seems redundant to MKG (though admittedly with a much higher ceiling). Kaminsky, Turner, Oubre, Dekker, and Grant are the five behind them, so I'm not really sure that they'd really love any of those guys. Either way, this would be a condition.

They've been rumored to have interest in Bradley, who would seemingly be an ideal offensive backcourt mate with Kemba with a very reasonable contract. (Though they might be worried about size in the backcourt.) They've also been intent on dealing Stephenson due to his lack of fit (and their misuse of him), even being rumored to attach a first to get out of his contract or get an upgrade. After this year, Bradley would be an upgrade in the back court in their system, and they could even get a Booker, Lyles, or Looney with #16.

For us, though not a perfect match, Stephenson would be a better fit than Bradley with Smart in the back court, because he can virtually act as the de-facto point guard and share ball-handling responsibilities with Smart. He'd also provide us with an almost unprecedented backcourt defense with great size. Though Smart has shown himself as a capable outside shooter and is projected to get better with more summer work, Smart and Stephenson don't necessarily pose a very lethal shooting combination, so we'd need a capable shooter at the 3. We already have Young, but if we nabbed Johnson in the draft that'd give us another good-shooting youngster with a high ceiling.

And for those worrying about Stephenson's fit or attitude, I think Stevens has shown this year that his philosophy is to fit the game around the players. Furthermore, I think Stevens would also be able to quell any attitude problems that he might have, though I've heard they've been way overblown and he's just a super-competitive guy like Smart.

However, if he doesn't work out or causes problems, then we'd only have to deal with him for a year, because his contract is a team option for 2016-2017. To me, this is a win-win deal for us, because Stephenson still has a TON of talent when utilized correctly. And I think we have the right coach and type of players to make it work. Just think, we could have a lineup of:

PG: Smart, IT
SG: Stephenson, Turner
SF: Johnson, Young, Wallace
PF: Sully, KO
C: Free Agent?

We'd still have plenty of cap room to use and Wallace's big expiring as trade bait, along with all the rest of our assets. We can still max out a guy like DJ and even upgrade our four spot if we wanted to/had a guy willing to.

So yay or nay? Does Charlotte say no or want something different?

Very creative idea. 

I like Lance and would trade for him especially because his contract has no risk at all. He is an expiring contract with a team option after. Lance is a better ball handler than Bradley but a worse shooter. Lance is bigger and stronger than Bradley but Bradley is a better defender. Also, I feel like Lance's trade value might be really low so maybe Charlotte would just give him to us, I think he fits in a trade exception.

Also does this trade really require including Zeller?

I would consider this trade depending on who is on the board and would love to trade up but I just feel like they might give us Lance for free anyway.

Also this is Zach Lowe's column on Lance Stephenson when he was a free agent last summer.

http://grantland.com/features/the-courtship-of-lance-stephenson/

[BDeCosta26]

AB is a guy who is generally undervalued by Celtic fans and may be a bit over valued (or was before the playoffs at least) by other fans. That said, I think he's our best chance at an easy package to move up 5-8 spots in the draft.

The Jazz (per the Lowe article) have a big interest in AB. They'll probably be willing to do a pick swap involving him and one of their younger guys. Lowe suggested Hood, who I like because he can hit 3s and play SF.

Something like Bradley and #16 for Hood and #12 is a pretty good deal for both sides. Gives us a guy to split the minutes with Young so he doesn't get destroyed defensively 25 mins a game.

Miami is a possible landing place for him too. Or IT. To be honest Thomas seems like the kind of guy Reilly would love but idk if they have the assets to get him. I might do Bradley and #28 for #10. But would you do Thomas straight up for #10? How about with a throw in? Look at it for a second.

BOS: Isaiah Thomas
MIA: 2015 #10, Shabazz Napier.

I think Sacto is a possible trading partner too. They need to put a team around Cousins if he's gonna stay there past this year, how about this?

BOS: Jared Sullinger, Avery Bradley, Evan Turner, #16, and '16 Brooklyn 1st.
SAC: #6 and Ben McLemore.

Could prob give less if we took back one of their bad deals too.

[Celtics4ever]

He fought with ET and George Hill in IND, fought with team mates in Charlotte.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2013097-lance-stephenson-george-hill-reportedly-had-to-be-separated-vs-spurs

https://sports.yahoo.com/news/pacers-fight-each-other-on-eve-of-playoffs--finally-take-swing-at-hawks-in-game-2-062419341.html

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/11/28/rumor-lance-stephenson-was-issue-with-roy-hibbert-may-be-issue-in-charlotte/

He utterly failed being the man in Charlotte,

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2015-04-21/lance-stephenson-problem-future-charlotte-hornets-steve-clifford-kemba-walker

I am a cancer survivor and I hate to use this term, because everytime I hear the word, I think what I had to go though, but he is a locker room cancer.

This is shoot yourself in the foot risky.

[slamtheking]

I've posted this trade in the past, with mostly negative feedback. However, after seeing Bradley neutralized in the playoffs by the Cavs taking away his jumper, how do people feel about it now?

Bradley, Zeller, #16, #28 OR #33

for

Stephenson, #9

no interest.

Stephenson is not a prize at this point.  I'm no fan of AB but AB/Zeller/16/28 is too much for Stephenson and what I'm assuming you hope will be WCS.  Stephenson is as much damaged goods at this point as AB is after the playoffs -- even more so I believe because AB hasn't developed a reputation for being a locker room headache and he actually performed decently during the season unlike Stephenson.  we'd actually be doing a favor for Charlotte taking Stephenson off their hands