Doolittle's ranking of Celtics' trade assets (ESPN Insider)

[obnoxiousmime]

http://espn.go.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/14549230/boston-celtics-top-trade-targets-assets-nba

Boston Celtics

Record: 19-19
10th place in East
Status: Buyers

The Celtics are perfectly positioned as buyers entering the trade deadline period. Team president Danny Ainge has a deep roster with good chemistry and is not under immediate pressure to swing a deal. But if he wants to pursue a big trade, his cupboard is stocked with talent and multiple future draft picks, including two unprotected firsts from Brooklyn. No team is in a better spot to snag a star if one becomes available.


Potential trade targets

DeMarcus Cousins
If and when the Kings decide to move on from the Cousins era, Boston is a logical destination. Cousins has long been connected to Boston in the rumor mill and would give the Celtics the centerpiece talent that could bring their roster into focus. The Celtics have a strong organizational culture with which to surround Cousins, if Ainge and head coach Brad Stevens want to accept the challenge.

Rudy Gay
The Celtics have the role players and wing defenders that could help balance the Kings' roster. Meanwhile, Gay would give the Celtics a legit No. 2 scorer and the ability to play big on the wing or team Gay with Jae Crowder in a versatile frontcourt.

Hassan Whiteside
Whiteside will be a free agent, and if his financial ambitions are beyond Miami's limits, Boston makes sense as a trade partner. He could shore up the Celtics' defensive rebounding and rim protection deficiencies, keeping the defensive rating elite while giving Stevens the flexibility to play offensive players around him.
Marcus Smart has the highest trade value for Boston. Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images


Most trade value

1. Marcus Smart
The Celtics still haven't seen enough of Smart to know what he's going to become, but he'd be a building block for a club looking to hit reset.

2. Kelly Olynyk
Olynyk has emerged as a dangerous stretch option at the big-man positions. He holds up well enough on defense that he'd slot perfectly next to an elite, rim-protecting center and, best of all, he's still on his rookie contract.

3. Isaiah Thomas
Thomas could play a Vinnie Johnson-like role on a title contender. Boston depends on his shot creation but long term, you'd like more of a two-way player at his position.

4. Jae Crowder
Never have 3-and-D players been more valuable, and truly impactful producers of that type are really hard to find. Crowder is the prototype for the job.

5. Jonas Jerebko
A bit underutilized in Boston, Jerebko has struggled offensively this season except when it comes to shooting the 3-ball. He also sports a positive defensive RPM and has a team-friendly contract. This is your fallback when you want Ryan Anderson but can't get him.

6. R.J. Hunter
Hunter's playing time as a rookie has been sporadic and we've only gotten glimpses of the perimeter-scoring ability that stirred Boston to nab him in the first round last June. If Boston trades him or frees up more playing time for him, we might see him on the floor later this season.

7. Amir Johnson
Even in today's climate of a rising salary cap, Johnson's $12 million price tag is a bit unwieldy. But if you need a rim runner and shot blocker, he's a good one and the year left on his deal after this season is non-guaranteed.


Most valuable draft pick

Brooklyn's 2016 first-rounder
Boston has benefited in numerous ways from Ainge's 2013 trade that sent Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Nets. But this could be the biggest payoff yet -- a bona fide shot at consensus No. 1 pick Ben Simmons or the almost-equally-coveted Brandon Ingram. Hard to see Ainge using this one as trade bait before the lottery.


Toughest contract to trade

David Lee
Lee's skillset could make him attractive for a contender that has a corresponding piece to send back or gets the help of a third team using cap space to gather draft picks (ahem, Sixers). Lee would boost the Clippers' bench, for example. But fits for a $15.5 million rental player are few and far between.


Player most likely to be traded

Evan Turner
Turner's versatility might have value on a team with such a need. His deal is expiring, so you'd expect a similarly expiring deal in return.

[oldtype]

All of that seems wrong

[slamtheking]

interesting take that Sully, AB, Zeller, Rozier and Mickey aren't on this list.

[Who]

(1) Jerebko shouldn't be on the list.
(2) No Avery Bradley on the list. I'd slot Avery in alongside Isaiah Thomas.
(3) I think Rozier has as much trade value as RJ Hunter.

[obnoxiousmime]

Yeah I was really surprised Smart was first. I would think Isaiah and Crowder are 1-2 and Smart is third. Olynyk isn't bad and you could argue that right now he's producing more than Smart, but he's also three years older and has less upside. Of course, each team would rank them differently based on their needs.

Now that I think about it Crowder might be #1 because he's on a cheap contract for 4 more years. Thomas only has 2 years left after this one. Crowder also plays a position that isn't as deep as Isaiah's. On most good teams Isaiah would be a sixth man, but I can see Crowder starting for one because he doesn't need the ball in his hands to score. Good teams already have better guys who dominate the ball and they just need rebounding, defense, and spot-up 3s, all of which Crowder excels at.

[Big333223]

Seems about right, to me. As good as Avery has been for the C's he's still undersized for his position, can't create his own shot, can't create for others, can't rebound, and other teams looking at his defense have to look beyond conventional stats because he doesn't get a lot of blocks or steals. So I believe that his value leaguewide is lower than those of us who have seen him for a while.

[Boris Badenov]

I'm trying to picture another GM saying "Avery Bradley? Nah, not interested but if you substitute Jonas Jerebko I'm ready to deal!"

[LarBrd33]

They point out something in this article that I totally agree with... Olynyk would slot in perfectly next to an elite rim protecting center...  I'd love to see us trade for Noel and stick him next to Olynyk in the starting lineup. 

[Quetzalcoatl]

This dude doesn't understand that contracts have an end.  Amir becomes a waivable $12 million after this season and D-Leegue will only get paid $15.5 m for this season, then he's a free agent.  He's important for salary matching and it's not like you have to have him for 3 years like Gerald Wallace.  Amir is way higher on our trade value list, because he's both good and can be waived, or conversely locked in at a fair price.  It's up to the team that trades with you.  D-Leegue will only stink up your bench for a couple of months, which is fine to a team like the Kings that aren't going to sniff the playoffs anyways.

[max215]

Frankly, this list is just wrong.

[The Oracle]

They point out something in this article that I totally agree with... Olynyk would slot in perfectly next to an elite rim protecting center...  I'd love to see us trade for Noel and stick him next to Olynyk in the starting lineup. 

This is what the masses have been missing when looking at K.O. for a long time.  Other than Draymond Green there is nobody in the league I would rather slot next to an elite center.  He is a top notch floor spacer, is wholly unselfish, does not hurt you defensively, can shoot the 3 very well and is an excellent passer.  He can also be used as a center against bench units which should also be an effective role for him.  I believe the Celtics have had no intention of trading him for a long time and will try and extend him this off season at whatever price tag they can get him for.  Not sure i'm sold on Noel being the guy to slot next to him though.

[TheFlex]

This list is worthless. I get the value of Jerebko's non-guaranteed salary, but worth more than AB, Hunter, Rozier, Young... I don't think so. I'd even throw Sully on there despite his RFA status.

edit: agreed on Olynyk though. Not even necessarily an elite protector. You could put Thaddeus Young next to Olynyk and they'd be a really good frontcourt.

[guava_wrench]

interesting take that Sully, AB, Zeller, Rozier and Mickey aren't on this list.

AB is the only one of those 4 that is surprising to me. Mickey needs a chance first to prove that he should be more than salary matching and Rozier is far from showing he is worthy of a 1st rounder contract.

Rozier was a reach at his draft position and has done nothing to prove common perceptions wrong.

[Lucky17]

This list is worthless. I get the value of Jerebko's non-guaranteed salary, but worth more than AB, Hunter, Rozier, Young... I don't think so. I'd even throw Sully on there despite his RFA status.

edit: agreed on Olynyk though. Not even necessarily an elite protector. You could put Thaddeus Young next to Olynyk and they'd be a really good frontcourt.

How about Andre Drummond? Or is Olynyk too slow to play perimeter D? Maybe i just answered my own question.

[More Banners]

Is it just me, or could we make a great offer for BLake Griffin in a fair trade?