What do you think happens in Orlando? Frontrunner for Cousins?

[nickagneta]

The thing about Orlando is they have parts but given all the pedigree on their picks(so many top ten picks and a bunch of top 5s), none of their players are transcendent. Heck, at this point after 4 years in the league with Vucevic and Harris, 3 years in the league with Fournier, 2 years in the league with Oladipo and Gordon and Payton finishing their rookie years, there isn't one player on that team that even looks like a future All-Star.

They are a poorer version of the Celtics with a higher draft pedigree. On potential they might be considered to have a better situation than the Celtics but that potential and 5 bucks can buy you a Starbucks latte and little else. I just don't get that the Magic are considered loaded with future stars as some on this site feel they are.

The Magic are a small market team that is going to have a bunch of high draft pick players, none of which are franchise cornerstone types, all come due for huge paydays which could throw them into cap hell, even with the new cap going so high.

So if the Magic can move some of this youth for a talent the equal of Cousins, they should do it because I think they don't have the horses to make the jump to the next level without a player of that ilk. But....it's goin to take a lot more than Vucevic and Hezonja to get it done. A lot more!!!

If we compare all current players on the roster, Orlando is head and shoulders above the Celtics in young All Star potential.
There are multiple potential All Stars on their roster and if you've watched them 4 or 5 times this year their depth and young talent is pretty amazing.
Aaron Gordon, Heznoja, Oladipo, Fournier, Payton are all excellent prospects with Fournier being the oldest one at 23.

They aren't as good as the Celtics because they are younger than our main core. Take the 5 youngest guys on their team vs our 5 youngest guys and they simply destroy us.

Our only hope of beating an offer for Cousins vs the Magic is that Brooklyn pick finding its way into the top 3.

Youth doesn't equate to All-Star potential. Neither Vucevic, Harris, Oladipo, Fournier, Payton or Gordon have All-Star potential. Thy have potential to be good players, sort of like Sully, Smart, KO, and the other Celtic youth, but I don't see the All-Star potential.

And I guess we will just have to agree to disagree about that because neither one of us can prove our point or disprove the others opinion. I just don't see it and I live in Florida and watch the Magic a whole bunch.

[chambers]

The thing about Orlando is they have parts but given all the pedigree on their picks(so many top ten picks and a bunch of top 5s), none of their players are transcendent. Heck, at this point after 4 years in the league with Vucevic and Harris, 3 years in the league with Fournier, 2 years in the league with Oladipo and Gordon and Payton finishing their rookie years, there isn't one player on that team that even looks like a future All-Star.

They are a poorer version of the Celtics with a higher draft pedigree. On potential they might be considered to have a better situation than the Celtics but that potential and 5 bucks can buy you a Starbucks latte and little else. I just don't get that the Magic are considered loaded with future stars as some on this site feel they are.

The Magic are a small market team that is going to have a bunch of high draft pick players, none of which are franchise cornerstone types, all come due for huge paydays which could throw them into cap hell, even with the new cap going so high.

So if the Magic can move some of this youth for a talent the equal of Cousins, they should do it because I think they don't have the horses to make the jump to the next level without a player of that ilk. But....it's goin to take a lot more than Vucevic and Hezonja to get it done. A lot more!!!

If we compare all current players on the roster, Orlando is head and shoulders above the Celtics in young All Star potential.
There are multiple potential All Stars on their roster and if you've watched them 4 or 5 times this year their depth and young talent is pretty amazing.
Aaron Gordon, Heznoja, Oladipo, Fournier, Payton are all excellent prospects with Fournier being the oldest one at 23.

They aren't as good as the Celtics because they are younger than our main core. Take the 5 youngest guys on their team vs our 5 youngest guys and they simply destroy us.

Our only hope of beating an offer for Cousins vs the Magic is that Brooklyn pick finding its way into the top 3.

Youth doesn't equate to All-Star potential. Neither Vucevic, Harris, Oladipo, Fournier, Payton or Gordon have All-Star potential. Thy have potential to be good players, sort of like Sully, Smart, KO, and the other Celtic youth, but I don't see the All-Star potential.

And I guess we will just have to agree to disagree about that because neither one of us can prove our point or disprove the others opinion. I just don't see it and I live in Florida and watch the Magic a whole bunch.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.
To say that Aaron Gordon, Payton, Oladipo don't have All Star potential is crazy to me but that's why they are called 'opinions'  
I just feel they've got much better young talent than us. That could change after this upcoming draft but we currently have one potential All Star on our roster in Smart. IMO the Magic have at least 3 or 4.

[PhoSita]

FIrst, I don't think Vivek/Vlade think they are "rebuilding".  If they are forced to move Cousins, my guess is they'll want talent back... not draft picks.

Which is exactly what I said.

Second, our draft picks aren't as valuable as people think.  If we could have traded a dozen of those late 1sts we own to move up and take Hezonja/Winslow, we would have. 

Generally I agree, but that Nets pick is worth a lot -- if it falls in the top 5.  I don't think the Celts will even consider trading it before they know where it falls.

All this could change if Brooklyn continues to struggle and we end up drafting Ben Simmons.   Ben Simmons + Marcus SMart might beat an offer of Vucevic and Mario.

I like Demarcus Cousins.  A lot.  But if the Celts get Ben Simmons and add him to the pieces we've already got, I'd just roll with him.

Cousins would only be under Celtics control for 2 seasons.  If we trade away the only other decent prospect we have, we're left hoping we can win 50+ games and multiple playoff series with Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Kelly Olynyk, and Avery Bradley as the main supporting cast for DMC.  Unless the Celts sign a major free agent.  Good luck there, even with Cousins on board.

Really, I only think trading for Cousins is a very good idea if the Celts have a plan in place for getting a second guy.  Cousins shouldn't be the loudest voice in the locker room.

[TheTruthFot18]

I like what the Magic have done and really like some of their players but they are starting to be the poster child of what hitting the lottery alone every year can yield. Maybe if they get a DMC level player, that can change things.

[LarBrd33]

Realistically I'd take any of the Rockets bigs (21 year old Harrell, 21 year old Cappela, Demo, and T Jones) over A Gordon any day and I would think this would make a lot more sense for the Kings

Jokes aside,  Aaron Gordon absolutely has more trade value than Marcus Smart.  Sorry to break it to you.  Smart vs Hezonja is a more interesting debate....   That's not to say Hezonja is outplaying Smart, because he clearly hasn't had the minutes to do anything of significance yet in the NBA...  but whether or not Marcus Smart after 1+ seasons of disappointing play has the same trade value of the most recent #5 pick is something worthy of debating. 

Fwiw, all three of those assets (Gordon, Hezonja, Smart) have more trade value than the Nets pick at this point.  As much as overexcited fans here want to paint it as a guaranteed Ben Simmons ticket, we have no idea where that pick will land at this point.   As remote as it seems, there's still 70+ games for brooklyn to mesh and go on a bit of a win streak.  There's still trades they could make.   A lot can happen.  Right now, there's no rational reason that pick would have more trade value than any of those 3 players.

[Eja117]

Realistically I'd take any of the Rockets bigs (21 year old Harrell, 21 year old Cappela, Demo, and T Jones) over A Gordon any day and I would think this would make a lot more sense for the Kings

Jokes aside,  Aaron Gordon absolutely has more trade value than Marcus Smart.  Sorry to break it to you.  Smart vs Hezonja is a more interesting debate....   That's not to say Hezonja is outplaying Smart, because he clearly hasn't had the minutes to do anything of significance yet in the NBA...  but whether or not Marcus Smart after 1+ seasons of disappointing play has the same trade value of the most recent #5 pick is something worthy of debating. 

Fwiw, all three of those assets (Gordon, Hezonja, Smart) have more trade value than the Nets pick at this point.  As much as overexcited fans here want to paint it as a guaranteed Ben Simmons ticket, we have no idea where that pick will land at this point.   As remote as it seems, there's still 70+ games for brooklyn to mesh and go on a bit of a win streak.  There's still trades they could make.   A lot can happen.  Right now, there's no rational reason that pick would have more trade value than any of those 3 players.

Wait.....I thought you said we were putting joking aside.

[oldtype]

Really don't understand what Gordon has done to be considered "higher trade value" than Smart other than being drafted two slots earlier and not playing for the Celtics.

[alldaboston]

Realistically I'd take any of the Rockets bigs (21 year old Harrell, 21 year old Cappela, Demo, and T Jones) over A Gordon any day and I would think this would make a lot more sense for the Kings

Jokes aside,  Aaron Gordon absolutely has more trade value than Marcus Smart.  Sorry to break it to you.  Smart vs Hezonja is a more interesting debate....   That's not to say Hezonja is outplaying Smart, because he clearly hasn't had the minutes to do anything of significance yet in the NBA...  but whether or not Marcus Smart after 1+ seasons of disappointing play has the same trade value of the most recent #5 pick is something worthy of debating. 

Fwiw, all three of those assets (Gordon, Hezonja, Smart) have more trade value than the Nets pick at this point.  As much as overexcited fans here want to paint it as a guaranteed Ben Simmons ticket, we have no idea where that pick will land at this point.   As remote as it seems, there's still 70+ games for brooklyn to mesh and go on a bit of a win streak.  There's still trades they could make.   A lot can happen.  Right now, there's no rational reason that pick would have more trade value than any of those 3 players.

Im sorry but i just cant stand your negative attitude towards any Celtic or Celtic asset. There is no way gordon has more value than the nets pick.

[Who]

I think Smart and A.Gordon are pretty comparable in terms of trade value at this point.

Slight edge to Gordon but comparable overall.

I do like A.Gordon's ability to move comfortably ahead of Smart in the future though. A.Gordon has elite athleticism and he plays as a combo forward where his offensive limitations are far easier to work into a team's setup than a PG like Smart who struggles to beat his man off the dribble and get into the paint often enough. 

[slightly biased bias fan]

Realistically I'd take any of the Rockets bigs (21 year old Harrell, 21 year old Cappela, Demo, and T Jones) over A Gordon any day and I would think this would make a lot more sense for the Kings

Jokes aside,  Aaron Gordon absolutely has more trade value than Marcus Smart.  Sorry to break it to you.  Smart vs Hezonja is a more interesting debate....   That's not to say Hezonja is outplaying Smart, because he clearly hasn't had the minutes to do anything of significance yet in the NBA...  but whether or not Marcus Smart after 1+ seasons of disappointing play has the same trade value of the most recent #5 pick is something worthy of debating. 

Fwiw, all three of those assets (Gordon, Hezonja, Smart) have more trade value than the Nets pick at this point.  As much as overexcited fans here want to paint it as a guaranteed Ben Simmons ticket, we have no idea where that pick will land at this point.   As remote as it seems, there's still 70+ games for brooklyn to mesh and go on a bit of a win streak.  There's still trades they could make.   A lot can happen.  Right now, there's no rational reason that pick would have more trade value than any of those 3 players.

Im sorry but i just cant stand your negative attitude towards any Celtic or Celtic asset. There is no way gordon has more value than the nets pick.

I've held my tongue long enough, I'm sick to death of Larbrd33 and his ridiculous amount of negativity, there is constructive criticism and there is just negative arrogance. I don't comment on this blog because of his attitude as its like having an intelligent argument with a 16 y.o Lakers fan, if you love Philly and their disgusting tanking regime so much join one of their blogs where you can comment on lose after lose.

I'm sure the lack of traffic on this blog is directly attributed to Larbrd33 as I too have had my fill. 

[Eja117]

Hmmm.  One guy starts for a playoff team and the other doesn't. One guy was invited to help train team USA and the other wasn't.

Guys.....sometimes Larbrd just says stuff.

A Gordon isn't as good as Clint Cappela. He's not.

[PhoSita]

Realistically I'd take any of the Rockets bigs (21 year old Harrell, 21 year old Cappela, Demo, and T Jones) over A Gordon any day and I would think this would make a lot more sense for the Kings

Jokes aside,  Aaron Gordon absolutely has more trade value than Marcus Smart.  Sorry to break it to you. 

EJA made the mistake of forgetting that LarBrd33 is the final arbiter of NBA trade value.  He actually writes the reference book that all NBA GMs use when contemplating trades.

[Eja117]

Realistically I'd take any of the Rockets bigs (21 year old Harrell, 21 year old Cappela, Demo, and T Jones) over A Gordon any day and I would think this would make a lot more sense for the Kings

Jokes aside,  Aaron Gordon absolutely has more trade value than Marcus Smart.  Sorry to break it to you. 

EJA made the mistake of forgetting that LarBrd33 is the final arbiter of NBA trade value.  He actually writes the reference book that all NBA GMs use when contemplating trades.

It was the "absolutely".  When he said "absolutely" AND that he was sorry to break it to me.....well then I just had to sit the heck down. Larbrd had spoken. 

What has he said about Biyombo lately? Because that dude needs to start writing his Hall of Fame acceptance speech. All joking aside. Sorry to break it to you but he absolutely does need to start doing that.

[MBunge]

Fwiw, all three of those assets (Gordon, Hezonja, Smart) have more trade value than the Nets pick at this point.

For a seemingly intelligent guy who apparently puts some thought into his posts, you throw out some of the most nonsensical stuff.  There isn't a competent GM in the league who would take any of those players over an unprotected 1st round pick that looks destined for the upper reaches of the lottery.  Please name the team that would rather have one of those players than the Nets pick.

As for the players, the better teams would pick Smart because he's more likely to contribute to wins now.  The worse teams would pick Gordon for the higher upside.  Either would go before Hezonja.

Mike

[Eja117]

So speaking of high comedy did anyone watch Marcus Smart spank the crud out of Russell Westbrook tonight?

The Thunder are the best 4th quarter scoring team in the league....they were held to 11 tonight. Gee I wonder who had something to do with that.