Players I hope the Celtics go for in free agency.

[danglertx]

I am going to go with the assumption we look at Durant and kick the tires on Cousins and the rest of the usual suspects and decide the price is too high or we just get rejected by them or the rest of the NBA. 

If we strike out on the superstars, these are some guys I think address our needs and are free agents, restricted free agents we could possibly pry loose or guys who are underutilized we could maybe trade to get.

Our needs are, in my opinion and in this order, shooting, rebounding (especially if we let Sully walk, which I think we should), and rim protection.

The free agent god of shot blocking and rebounding is obviously Hassan Whiteside.  His blocks per 48 (6.1) practically laps the field with Jordan 2nd at (3.3.)  There are however some surprising other players who are high in blks per 48 and are free agents also.  Pau Gasol as 4th in the league in blks per 48 at 3.1.  He also rebounds at about the same clip as Dwight Howard.  Meanwhile he actually hits free throws at barely under 80% and has a decent post up and face up game.  He even gets almost 7 assists per 48.  He seems like the guy I'd call first at midnight like Danny did with IT.  Durant's phone will be busy so why not try for Pau on a one year good money deal?

Also, 5th in blks per 48, Jerami Grant.  His rebounding stats are putrid though but maybe Okafor and Noel were gobbling up the easy defensive rebounds.  Grant does show up on the offensive boards.

Al Horford also shocked me showing up at 13th in blks per 48.  In fact, looking at his overall stats, I was astounded by how little credit I gave him for being good  to very good at... well pretty much everything.  His rebounding numbers are low but to me you have to look at his defensive rebounding instead of combined because he isn't a guy who plays on offense in the paint.  He was 32nd in defensive rebs per 48 last year.   

As for shooting.  Chandler Parsons and Omri Casspi, 9th and 12th respectively in 3pt%.  Both tall, reasonably athletic, can switch to cover bigs, but decent enough to cover smaller guys and can really space the floor at the 3 and 4.  If out there with Olynyk, IT could have another all star year driving and kicking it out to 9th, 12th, 14th (Olynyk), and 57 (Bradley.)  Add Murray or Hield at the 2 instead of Bradley and it could be a great year.  Al Horford was actually a better 3pt% shooter than Jae Crowder last year, 34.4% to 33.6%.  Incidentally, Parsons also has a really good adjusted rebounding percentage which basically doesn't count off for balls that aren't near you or you defer to a teammate.  That might raise his value more than maybe you'd think. 

In summary, I think Horford and Parsons might hold the most value.  Whiteside is great at blocking shots yet his dfg% isn't really high.  That stat seems pretty iffy though and team defense might impact it as much as the individual.  Horford rebounds well as does Parsons, so a combo of Horford, Olynyk, Parsons, and Crowder could offer some defense, rebounding, shooting, and overall be a pretty serviceable front line.  Maybe Casspi could offer additional shooting and a trade for someone I wanted last year in Withey could offer a bit stiffer defense as his dfg% was outstanding.  He just needs some playing time he isn't getting behind Gobert and Favors. 

If Horford isn't available, or if he is and we are letting Amir go, Pau would be a great off the bench or limited minutes option at what would at least be a shorter contract if not a lesser money one.

[PaulP34]

Any of these guys stats could change in a Celtics uniform and being coached by Brad Stevens. Whiteside, Butler, George, Horford. Look what Isaiah did with Brad. He wasn't throwing those #'s up at his previous stop. Crowders #'s went up in Boston. David Lees #'s went down because he slacked and Boston made sure he got lost. Made an example of. Any of these guys #'s will sky rocket in Boston. Even Jahlil Okafors #'s will sky rocket. You gotta stop looking at their past #'s and take into consideration that the system they played in just doesn't work. Brads system works he just has to have that player to play in it.

[danglertx]

Any of these guys stats could change in a Celtics uniform and being coached by Brad Stevens. Whiteside, Butler, George, Horford. Look what Isaiah did with Brad. He wasn't throwing those #'s up at his previous stop. Crowders #'s went up in Boston. David Lees #'s went down because he slacked and Boston made sure he got lost. Made an example of. Any of these guys #'s will sky rocket in Boston. Even Jahlil Okafors #'s will sky rocket. You gotta stop looking at their past #'s and take into consideration that the system they played in just doesn't work. Brads system works he just has to have that player to play in it.

Well that post was baffling.  What exactly is IT doing better here than elsewhere?  3pt%?  I doubt it but don't have time to look it up right now.  I didn't mention points per game at all.  I think rebounding and 3pt shooting are consistent wherever you go.  And actually, I used per 48 stats for blocks and adjusted rebounding % to account for players being on teams with other good rebounders.

Shooters can shoot no matter what system they are in and who they are playing with.

[jacigar]

My choice for FA signing is Festus Ezeli GS. 6-11 1/2 264 7'5 3/4" wingspan. Golden State probably
couldn't match a good offer as they have other signing problems. Native of Nigeria he came to USA in 2004 . Couldn't play in HS at that time. Drafted #30 in 2011, averaged 3.4 blk in senior year. Injured in 2013/2014. Knee cleaned out in Feb 2016. Returned Apr 3. Last 4 playoff games avg 11.1 mpg. If he can stay healthy, he could be the post defender we need. Also i would draft at least 2 more bigs to stash in Europe. Zarbac and Zizic would be good choices. Check out Ezeli 48 minute stats. With C's he could probably give us 16/24mpg. Big upgrade compared to Zeller/Kelly

[Lucky17]

I hope Ainge uses cap space to make trades, instead of to sign free agents.

More control, likely better bang for the buck. In free agency, you usually have to overpay.

[Eddie20]

Al Horford also shocked me showing up at 13th in blks per 48.  In fact, looking at his overall stats, I was astounded by how little credit I gave him for being good  to very good at... well pretty much everything.  His rebounding numbers are low but to me you have to look at his defensive rebounding instead of combined because he isn't a guy who plays on offense in the paint.  He was 32nd in defensive rebs per 48 last year.   

Just to add a bit on this. The rebounding numbers have to do with the Hawks defense system/principles. They try to contest all 3's, even from their bigs, which causes Horford to often be outside of his area. Even their bigs are required to switch and contest. This is why teams that can really shoot, like the Cavs last series, can cause so much problems for them. A good shooting team causes them to spread out way too much and their D becomes very vulnerable as a result.

[Ogaju]

Any of these guys stats could change in a Celtics uniform and being coached by Brad Stevens. Whiteside, Butler, George, Horford. Look what Isaiah did with Brad. He wasn't throwing those #'s up at his previous stop. Crowders #'s went up in Boston. David Lees #'s went down because he slacked and Boston made sure he got lost. Made an example of. Any of these guys #'s will sky rocket in Boston. Even Jahlil Okafors #'s will sky rocket. You gotta stop looking at their past #'s and take into consideration that the system they played in just doesn't work. Brads system works he just has to have that player to play in it.

This

[86MaxwellSmart]

Mozgov and Pau...let Sully walk.

[TheFlex]

Mozgov and Pau...let Sully walk.

Mozgov is not a good NBA player. He is arguably less impactful than Zeller, as Zeller at least has a reliable midrange J.

Pau would be nice. But I see him signing elsewhere.

[Future Celtics Owner]

This guy is a RFA from Portland but I would still love to bid for Allen Crabbe.
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Allen-Crabbe-6477/

Crabbe looks like a player that is about to jump another level in his game and for a few seasons. He reminds me of the players like Jimmy Butler and Cj Mcallum, guys that played most/all of college and took a few years to progress; but progress they did. His defense has gotten so much better and this year he started to be known for his D, which I think will get better.

Crabbe is 24. He is 6'5.25'' w/o shoes and almost 6'7'' w/shoes. He has a 6'11.25'' wingspan, and 8'7'' standing reach. 2013 Combine he had a 31'' no-step vertical and a 36'' max. He can defend position 1-3 and can shoot from mid-range, 3, and take it to the rim/finish with finesse.

His shooting stroke, which has been picture-perfect since he entered the league, reached elite levels this season, as he was one of only nine players in the NBA to shoot 45% from the field, 39% from 3 and 85% from the line. At 23, he was the youngest member of that club beating out two all-stars in Kawhi Leonard and Klay Thompson.

"Additionally, Crabbe provided the Blazers with terrific defense as he was often tasked with guarding the opposing teams best perimeter player. While many players get more glory as defenders due to flashy stats like steals, Crabbe was more often than not called upon to shadow and face guard top opposing players in order to get the ball out of their hands. While Crabbe is capable of swiping the ball from opponents, his defense is more predicated on fundamentals, taking very few chances while staying in front of his opponent at all times."
- Haven Miner

He is looking at getting offers from 10mil-15mil a year. Because he did not produce in other categories and his low PER, I am hoping that teams/ the Blazers will let him go if the price gets to $15mil+. I personally have a gut feeling that this kid is only going to get better, and this year was his coming out party.



If we trade for Cousins or even make a decision to part from Smart or Avery or both( in a trade), Crabbe would be able to step right in at sg and IMO elevate the play at the position and continue to get better. IMO Crabbe is both a better long-term and short-term solution to AB, AB could have a hard time keeping his defense at the level he is capable of, especially after his contract is up.

#3 and Smart should be enough to get the Cousins deal done, but #3, Smart, and AB would be more than enough. As I see it the Kings know Cousins' attitude problems better than anyone and with only 2 years left on his deal, no RR coming back, no legit FA coming, the possibility that he could flame out with us or bounce after 2 years, and postponing a rebuild will all prove to be in our favor during negotiations. If Cousins requests a trade then the cost should go down or the Kings get more and more enamoured with the draft the closer it comes.....all GM's get draft fever

IT
Crabbe
Crowder......or possibly Durant
KO/vet FA/Amir
Cousins

Or we could always sign Evan Fournier(only 23 years old) for cheap and Eric Gordon for cheap...take advantage of EF up and down season and Gordon's injury history. Fournier has the skill and is only 23 but if we signed him on the cheap and he got more consistent, then that would be a home-run.

[Future Celtics Owner]

Al Horford also shocked me showing up at 13th in blks per 48.  In fact, looking at his overall stats, I was astounded by how little credit I gave him for being good  to very good at... well pretty much everything.  His rebounding numbers are low but to me you have to look at his defensive rebounding instead of combined because he isn't a guy who plays on offense in the paint.  He was 32nd in defensive rebs per 48 last year.   

Just to add a bit on this. The rebounding numbers have to do with the Hawks defense system/principles. They try to contest all 3's, even from their bigs, which causes Horford to often be outside of his area. Even their bigs are required to switch and contest. This is why teams that can really shoot, like the Cavs last series, can cause so much problems for them. A good shooting team causes them to spread out way too much and their D becomes very vulnerable as a result.

If your into blocks and someone who puts up great numbers per48 the look no further than JOHN HENSON. I'd like him if we lose out on Cousins. He makes 11m a year and his contract is for at least another 4 years, though idk exactly how much the Bucks value him...if even at all.

[danglertx]

Al Horford also shocked me showing up at 13th in blks per 48.  In fact, looking at his overall stats, I was astounded by how little credit I gave him for being good  to very good at... well pretty much everything.  His rebounding numbers are low but to me you have to look at his defensive rebounding instead of combined because he isn't a guy who plays on offense in the paint.  He was 32nd in defensive rebs per 48 last year.   

Just to add a bit on this. The rebounding numbers have to do with the Hawks defense system/principles. They try to contest all 3's, even from their bigs, which causes Horford to often be outside of his area. Even their bigs are required to switch and contest. This is why teams that can really shoot, like the Cavs last series, can cause so much problems for them. A good shooting team causes them to spread out way too much and their D becomes very vulnerable as a result.

Which is why I used adjusted rebounding %.  It goes off of the rebounds you get on balls within 3.5ft of you and doesn't count off for allowing a teammate to get the ball. 

That seems like the best stat to get an idea of how good a rebounder someone is.  I guess you can have someone who is exceptionally good or poor at getting within the 3.5ft of the rebound so they actually aren't a good rebounder but for the most part this seemed like the most accurate stat for figuring out rebounding potential.

[danglertx]

Al Horford also shocked me showing up at 13th in blks per 48.  In fact, looking at his overall stats, I was astounded by how little credit I gave him for being good  to very good at... well pretty much everything.  His rebounding numbers are low but to me you have to look at his defensive rebounding instead of combined because he isn't a guy who plays on offense in the paint.  He was 32nd in defensive rebs per 48 last year.   

Just to add a bit on this. The rebounding numbers have to do with the Hawks defense system/principles. They try to contest all 3's, even from their bigs, which causes Horford to often be outside of his area. Even their bigs are required to switch and contest. This is why teams that can really shoot, like the Cavs last series, can cause so much problems for them. A good shooting team causes them to spread out way too much and their D becomes very vulnerable as a result.

If your into blocks and someone who puts up great numbers per48 the look no further than JOHN HENSON. I'd like him if we lose out on Cousins. He makes 11m a year and his contract is for at least another 4 years, though idk exactly how much the Bucks value him...if even at all.

I personally don't think blocks are all that important but it is something we are lacking.  I put it behind our two biggest needs, rebounding and shooting.  I didn't see Henson on the list but I didn't list people who were under contracts, rather free agents, restricted or otherwise.  There are tons of players we can trade to get but those cost assets.

[walker834]

We should make a run at a guy like Parsons.   I wouldn't mind overpaying for a player like that in the interm as Bender develops. It would get us out of the 1st round of the playoffs and give us another option after isaiah.

[PaulP34]

We should make a run at a guy like Parsons.   I wouldn't mind overpaying for a player like that in the interm as Bender develops. It would get us out of the 1st round of the playoffs and give us another option after isaiah.

Buddy, drafting Bender is going against everything Danny Ainge wants to do. U got a roster with your core in the 24-27 range. Danny is not gonna draft Bender. If anything, if Danny can't trade the pick, he's gonna draft Buddy Heild who would upgrade the #1 weakness the Celtics have (shooting) if Dragon Bender is what comes out of the #3 overall pick, Danny Ainge just collapsed that giant hole he had open and would be considered around the league as the biggest mistake in Celtics history and would completely become the worse case scenario. You guys gotta stop the Bender thoughts. As much as you guys want him to be drafted, be assured, its not happening