NOW might be a good time to trade Sully

[knuckleballer]

I have really enjoyed watching Sully play this year, but I agree with the OP.  I can't forget that he gained 20 pounds during the first half of last season ballooning to over 300 pounds and I'm worried about how well he will take care of himself after getting a big contract.  If Danny can find a willing trade partner and value in return, he needs to pull the trigger and I think he will.

[pearljammer10]

It's always been a good time to trade Sully. Now just happens to be the best time where we might be able to get the best return for him.

Evan Turner and Avery Bradley should be in the same conversation while Danny is at it. Trade em while they're playing somewhat respectably.

[Vermont Green]

... This team is loaded at the PF position

I think that is a stretch since we need to consider either Johnson or Olynyk as a center.  So are we left with Lee and Jerebko as our PF depth?  That is not loaded.

In terms of trading Sullinger, I don't consider anyone on the current team untouchable but I put Sullinger and Smart as the two I would be most unlikely to trade.  I understand the FA situation for him and the team may not want to be forced to over pay for him but I don't think this is a case of selling high.  I think he is simply as good as he has been showing.  It is a level he can sustain and even improve upon.

I also get the injury concern based on his history but that is not enough of a concern for me to make me feel like we were selling high on him if we were to trade him.  Who knows with injuries, they can happen to any player, but I don't see him as any more than average injury risk.

[CFAN38]

I agree that Sully is playing so well that this may be the time to trade him. Ive always been a sully fan and I doubt many people where happier then I when he fell to the Cs. However the sad truth is that he is a dangerous player to commit a big long term contract too. His back and weight issues are just too big of risks to commit to him as a long term starting PF.

Where I am struggling with this is finding a player the Cs should target in a Sully trade. Any trade that moves Sully should bring in a player who is a clear upgrade at the 3,4, or 5. This player is also going to have to be a + rebounder as this team will struggle on the glass with out Sullinger.

Some possible idea (without trying to make $$ work and other assets would likely be needed)

Noah (but would the bulls want to add a big to the rotation?)

Faried (does his offensive skill set work with Stevens?)

Ryan Anderson (would his defense cripple with team?)

[dreamgreen]

Tp to the OP, you nailed it.

[Donoghus]

I do think there is a strong chance that he is gone by Feb.

[slamtheking]

he's our best and most consistent big man right now.  he's likely the one we should be keeping and moving everyone else first. 

Unless it's the type of deal Danny would be an idiot to reject (like Charlotte turning down multiple picks for the love of Kaminsky), I'd keep him.  He's unlikely to command big money in free agency so retaining him at a fair price should be attainable. 

[Hemingway]

Th OP is right in thinking that if we trade Sully soon we might get the most value back as he is playing well now, not injured and also because the team getting him would have a little more time to see if they want to resign him compared with getting him at the deadline.

But the problem is that if you take Sully away from this team it probably costs us some games. We need to win as many as we can so that we look like a respectable place to free agents as we will have money to spend. So.. if we trade sully the return we get must be at the very least equal in terms of win now impact to our team.

[Who]

Unfortunately, I don't think his trade value has moved significantly. I think Sully will need to be playing 32-36mpg and putting up big numbers to get a substantial move his trade value. He'll need that to prove he can be a quality starting PF. Right now, I think Sully is just viewed as a bench player borderline starter. Those per36 numbers are impressive but needs to show what he can do in 30+ minutes to really get a boost in status.

[Megalodon]

I am Sully fan as well (and Olynyk hater) but I also have to admit that if we can get a good return on him we should move him. If we do not, he will receive a sizeable offer in RFA that we would not want to match to pursue free agents. Having said all that, losing Sully would make team worse in the short run regardless how you spin it (forget about dream scenarios - Sullinger + assets for Cousins, etc.). I think the best we can hope for is Sullinger, Rozier, Young, Dallas pick, Minnesota pick, our own 2016 pick for Noel + any player with non-guaranteed minimum. 76ers might do the deal because 3 picks at the same draft (plus their own, Lakers' pick and Saric) will infuse them with sufficient talent to stop tanking next year. If owners suffer financially because of the tank they might force Hinkie to accept the deal.

[wdleehi]

It comes down to finding a team that doesn't worry about his back.  That will affect his trade value. 



I also think at this point the Celtics should be looking to send out a package of player/picks to bring back a greater single impact player.  So any Sully trade should be part of a package. 

[TheFlex]

I don't think Danny's MO is identifying the best players in a certain positional group at the moment and trading them to liberate lesser players. Sullinger, KO, Amir, Jerebko and Mickey should stay. Zeller and Lee should be moved at the deadline for whatever we can get for them, unless it's more beneficial to let them just expire.

edit: FWIW, one side of the narrative is that Sullinger is only getting in better shape and playing phenomenally because he wants a payday. Another side is that Sullinger was humiliated by benchings in the playoffs vs. Cleveland, in the preseason and in the earliest stages of the regular season. He's being shown that talent doesn't supersede hard work for the first time in his entire life and has been rewarded for his admirable perseverance with a starting spot despite the fact that KO, Lee, and Zeller are all healthy. If this notion (that Sullinger's resurrection has more do with fear of not playing because he's too fat rather than fear of losing money because he was not playing) is accepted, Sullinger might accept a team-friendly contract to stay with the team that instilled in him the idea that you have to first lay a basis with hard work in order for your talent to matter. That matters to players who have matured with one franchise.

[Hemingway]

with the cap gong up every team wll have money to spend. There will be someteam that strikes out and feels they need to get someone. So I think Sully will get a big pay day if he keeps it up.

[manl_lui]

I'm one of those pessimistic guys who think that once Sully gets paid, he's gonna regress to being fat and lazy. His back always worries me

If I were to trade him, I would TRY to package him a late first or a second to TRY to get someone like

Noah
Noel

[wiley]

Is this any good?
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=q4vf4ho

To Boston: Snell, Portis, Memphis first round pick

To Memphis:  Noah

To Chicago:  Sully, Jeff Green, Evan Turner, James Young

Still curious what people think of this one.  I think it should appeal to Chicago as it helps
them a lot this year and even going forward.  Memphis is getting old and might need a couple
second rounders since they're giving up a first. 

Of course, scratch it if Boston planning to re-sign Sully.  He is our best big whether people like it or not.