Stein: Celtics have better assets to land DMC than Nuggets

[Hemingway]

What we need to do is see what guys we don't need and make them look good for the first half of the year and then trade them. What I don't get is why Sac doesn't just tank out. I mean what are they going to get that even lets them sniff the playoffs?

[jambr380]

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.

The #2 is an awesome asset, but it is hardly the prize that Wiggins was last year. People were talking about Wiggins for years like they were talking about Lebron and he actually came out and proved to be awesome. Okafor should prove to be a very good NBA player, but it's not the same thing. An injured Randle is still a hefty asset, but there have to be questions, right?

If Danny REALLY wanted Cousins, I think he could come up with enough to get it done...and yes, that absolutely includes Smart and the 2016/18 BKN picks.

[Rondo9]

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.

As much as Bennett sucked in his first year, he was the number one pick and the Wolves also got Thaddeus Young and others from Philly.

[D.o.s.]

What we need to do is see what guys we don't need and make them look good for the first half of the year and then trade them. What I don't get is why Sac doesn't just tank out. I mean what are they going to get that even lets them sniff the playoffs?

Because they have the longest active playoff drought in the NBA and the new ownership is decidedly not ok with tanking.

[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.

As much as Bennett sucked in his first year, he was the number one pick and the Wolves also got Thaddeus Young and others from Philly.

Bennett was pure filler. There's not much point in bringing up his draft position since he was a throw-in and nothing more.

I acknowledged the first rounder that they received, which they then turned into Young.

That said, my point is that the centerpiece of the deal was Andrew Wiggins, aka the first overall pick in the draft. That's what sold Minnesota.

What we need to do is see what guys we don't need and make them look good for the first half of the year and then trade them. What I don't get is why Sac doesn't just tank out. I mean what are they going to get that even lets them sniff the playoffs?

Because they have the longest active playoff drought in the NBA and the new ownership is decidedly not ok with tanking.

Yeah, it's easy to sit around and say "they should just tank." They've basically been tanking for a decade. We're not talking about some team that's experienced moderate success, but has been unable to get over the hump (a la Memphis).

[BringToughnessBack]

I just do not see us beating out an offer of #2 from the lakers. Not one of our players on our roster has the ability to be a top 10 superstar and Okafor has a better chance by far. The issue is that if the Kings are truly looking for players who can step in now and play, there are many other teams that could out bid us as well.

My 2 other team ideas:

If I were the Timberwolves, I would be offering the 1st, Rubio and Pekovic for Cousins, Landry and the 6th pick. Can you imagine Wiggins and Cousins together? It would get them closer to the promised land and faster vs. waiting for their pick to turn into a star(hoping)

It would work on trade checker as well

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=q9ps6jd

If I were the Magic, I might start with Vucevic, Frye, the 5th for Cousins and if needed, another first in the future. Oladipo, Payton and Cousins would be a very nice foundation to build upon.

With all of our players, I don't think we have anyone that is equal to Vucevic and for the Kings, it not only fills their need at center, but it gives them another valuable pick at the 5 which they can trade for more assets(perhaps with us and force us to take back one of their bad contracts) or pick 2 potential stars.

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=msodb9r


Despite logic and what we are hearing the that the Kings want, I somehow see our dreaded rivals getting Cousins. I hope not, but I have always feared Cousins would be traded this year and not next and with that number 2 pick, it might make too much sense for Kings to pass on a potential center superstar. The big if is does Coach Karl want to wait for development.

I don't see a fit with the Knicks or the Pistons with the Kings and not Charlotte as well.

One other chance for us and it is a small one, is that we somehow trade up with the Pistons and than with the Knicks to get a higher pick and combine that pick with Smart(yes, the kings will demand that) and one other player plus a future pick or maybe 2, for Cousins. Kind of like a Herschel Walker trade from long ago. I am actually a bit uneasy at that idea as we would be bare for next year but we also might be able to land an Aldridge if Cousins was sitting there in Celtics Green.

[Hemingway]

So when we are decent everyone here says we should tank, but it makes no sense for Sac to do so? I get they want to win, I want to be super rich, but c'mon. If we are realistic about it, Sac will try for another year or two to get some talent to help DMC and it probably won' work. what if we just said, duck it, all our picks for Cousins? They will get less for him eventually. That's our best bet, a one time crazy offer.

[D.o.s.]

So when we are decent everyone here says we should tank, but it makes no sense for Sac to do so? I get they want to win, I want to be super rich, but c'mon. If we are realistic about it, Sac will try for another year or two to get some talent to help DMC and it probably won' work. what if we just said, duck it, all our picks for Cousins? They will get less for him eventually. That's our best bet, a one time crazy offer.

I agree that the C's could probably deliver a great package for Cousins, but not only is overpaying is just as bad as missing out, we can't really offer them what they want (the pieces to get back into the playoffs this upcoming season). They're less interested in draft picks than they are in players that will help them compete right now.