Stein: Celtics have better assets to land DMC than Nuggets

[TheFlex]

If we wanted to, we could offer Smart, Young, Sullinger, Olynyk and 2 Brooklyn picks and have Cousins in green tomorrow.

So what you propose is essentially trading the vast majority of the roster and coffer of assets for Cousins.

The question is really, then, would the Kings want to swap rosters and draft assets with the Celtics?

We spend so much time puffing up our plucky young team, our boy wonder coach, and our fearless GM that we have to believe that this moribund franchise in Sacramento would want to switch places with us, right?

But of course, the reason the Celtics would consider doing such a deal is because one great asset in the NBA is always worth more than a cascade of lesser assets.  Quality wins out over quantity, pretty much always.  That's the hole in which the Celtics find themselves.  Nobody is swapping quality for the Celtics' quantity.

Agree to disagree. If the Kings find a Wiggins for their Love, we'll likely be defeated once again. If they can't - and the Lakers report was just fabricated by Sacramento to drive up Cousins' price - then we will absolutely be in play.

Also, that's not what I propose, I'm just saying that we could beat anybody's offer if we chose to reach into the depths of our asset bin. Ainge won't go that far, just as he resisted giving up a hefty amount of picks and prospects for Love.

Edit: just to affirm my suspicions that the Lakers report is made up, colincb posted this in another thread:

Brian K. Schmitz ?@MagicInsider 2h2 hours ago

League source tells Orlando Sentinel that Magic are not part of proposed 3-way trade that includes Nik Vucevic, contrary to ESPN's report.

We saw this a few times last summer with Love, when one report would come out saying Klay Thompson was on the table and even going so far as to suggest that Harrison Barnes could be added to a potential deal, only to find out later that this was BS and likely originated from Flip Saunders to drive up Love's price.

[Endless Paradise]

It was that or let Melo go for nothing (and honestly ... maybe that's what they should have done).

Why do you say that? They've had a better overall record than the Knicks since the Melo trade, a cheaper payroll, and they're still benefitting from the players/assets they acquired from new York.

[Rondo9]

That #2 pick that the Lakers are holding is darn close to trumping what the Celtics can throw at SAC right now.  Add Randle to the picture and I'm not sure the Celtics can do anything in terms of matching that.

That's because you have the Lakers using pretty much their best (and only) assets. When the Celtics packages are being considered we rarely include our main trade assets and simply talk about picks.

We have plenty of young players, talented and skilled, in cost effective contracts. We have a plethora of valuable draft picks.

IF we  wanted to, we should be able to outbid the Lakers. It would be costly though.

But #2 + Randle is not enough to the totality of what we can offer.

That's pretty obvious but what deal could the Celtics realistically propose (without grossing overpaying) that would trump a proposed Lakers package of #2 pick/Randle/filler?

The answer should be fairly easy to see.

But other than the number 2 pick the Lakers offer isn't very appealing. Randle only played 14 minutes last year and had foot problems in the past. Jordan Clarkson is a nice surprise, but how much of his stats were inflated on a horrible team?

[Endless Paradise]

The #2 pick in itself is what's appealing.

[Rondo9]

Yeah, but what else?

[RAAAAAAAANDY]

That #2 pick that the Lakers are holding is darn close to trumping what the Celtics can throw at SAC right now.  Add Randle to the picture and I'm not sure the Celtics can do anything in terms of matching that.

That's because you have the Lakers using pretty much their best (and only) assets. When the Celtics packages are being considered we rarely include our main trade assets and simply talk about picks.

We have plenty of young players, talented and skilled, in cost effective contracts. We have a plethora of valuable draft picks.

IF we  wanted to, we should be able to outbid the Lakers. It would be costly though.

But #2 + Randle is not enough to the totality of what we can offer.

That's pretty obvious but what deal could the Celtics realistically propose (without grossing overpaying) that would trump a proposed Lakers package of #2 pick/Randle/filler?

The answer should be fairly easy to see.

But other than the number 2 pick

...

Come on, you see where this is going right?

[Donoghus]

That #2 pick that the Lakers are holding is darn close to trumping what the Celtics can throw at SAC right now.  Add Randle to the picture and I'm not sure the Celtics can do anything in terms of matching that.

That's because you have the Lakers using pretty much their best (and only) assets. When the Celtics packages are being considered we rarely include our main trade assets and simply talk about picks.

We have plenty of young players, talented and skilled, in cost effective contracts. We have a plethora of valuable draft picks.

IF we  wanted to, we should be able to outbid the Lakers. It would be costly though.

But #2 + Randle is not enough to the totality of what we can offer.

That's pretty obvious but what deal could the Celtics realistically propose (without grossing overpaying) that would trump a proposed Lakers package of #2 pick/Randle/filler?

The answer should be fairly easy to see.

But other than the number 2 pick the Lakers offer isn't very appealing. Randle only played 14 minutes last year and had foot problems in the past. Jordan Clarkson is a nice surprise, but how much of his stats were inflated on a horrible team?

We're not removing the #2 pick from the equation, though.  The fact of the matter is that the Lakers DO have it.  I don't see the sense of removing it from the picture.

[D Dub]

thing is, LA still has to match salary.  That means choosing between the likes of J Hill, Lin, and SwaggyP to go along with that #2. 

I get the appeal of having a high draft pick, but this deal puts Sacramento back in the tank and ensures several more rebuilding years.

As flashy as the #2 pick sounds, if they want to make the playoffs anytime soon, they'd be better off with some other trade package. 

[Endless Paradise]

thing is, LA still has to match salary.  That means choosing between the likes of J Hill, Lin, and SwaggyP to go along with that #2. 

Nope, they have more than cap space to absorb him.

[Endless Paradise]

Yeah, but what else?

The #2 pick. There is no "what else" (well, realistically, there would be since there's a zero percent chance the Kings are trading Cousins for the #2 pick straight up, but the #2 pick itself is the centerpiece).

Bennett, Wiggins, and a future first rounder doesn't sound like much, but Minnesota was way more willing to take that deal over Boston's pupu platter of middling assets. Quantity doesn't beat quality in the NBA.

[heyvik]

I think the framework is already done -
somebody posted this link - LAL - ORL - SAC

http://en.yibada.com/articles/40245/20150622/nba-trade-rumors-demarcus-cousins-to-lakers-nikola-vucevic-to-kings-and-julius-randle-to-magic-appear-to-be-framework-of-potential-blockbuster-deal.htm

[Hemingway]

It's the same story every year. We have great assets but a top pick will trump all of t=what we have. But, the thing is, top picks are like new cars, once you pick them they usually drop in value. We just want Sac to hol on to DMC, let LAL make their pick, by the deadline whomever they pick will probaby be scoring under 10 points a game and suddenly that guy plus Randle will look silly. Then we can make the best offer and get DMC.

[fairweatherfan]

I think the framework is already done -
somebody posted this link - LAL - ORL - SAC

http://en.yibada.com/articles/40245/20150622/nba-trade-rumors-demarcus-cousins-to-lakers-nikola-vucevic-to-kings-and-julius-randle-to-magic-appear-to-be-framework-of-potential-blockbuster-deal.htm

Orlando has denied that they have any part in this kind of deal.  Doesn't rule it out but teams don't usually go out of their way to say they aren't part of a deal that they are actively working on.

[max215]

That #2 pick that the Lakers are holding is darn close to trumping what the Celtics can throw at SAC right now.  Add Randle to the picture and I'm not sure the Celtics can do anything in terms of matching that.

That's because you have the Lakers using pretty much their best (and only) assets. When the Celtics packages are being considered we rarely include our main trade assets and simply talk about picks.

We have plenty of young players, talented and skilled, in cost effective contracts. We have a plethora of valuable draft picks.

IF we  wanted to, we should be able to outbid the Lakers. It would be costly though.

But #2 + Randle is not enough to the totality of what we can offer.

Randle has proven nothing he was the #7 pick last year, who played in 1 NBA game. #2 this year - probably Stein is UNPROVEN!
That's the extent of what the Lakers have to offer! the Celts on the other hand do not have enough to offer for DMC straight up - HOWEVER- we have assets, picks, expirings to facilitate a 3 way - which may land DMC here. Yes we do have quantity but we that could also work in our favor.
The other thing that we do have going for us is we are in the Eastern Conference which hopefully Vlade recognizes (or maybe not, I forgot he has ties to the Lakers - let me rethink that last thought)

WCS is going to be the second pick in the draft?! Yeah, maybe if Okafor, Russell, Porzingis, and Mudiay all pull out of the draft within the next two days.

[D.o.s.]

^ Agreed. It'll be Okafor, I think.