These Good, Realistic Moves For Next Season?

[Phantom255x]

Quick Spoiler: I'm not predicting any fireworks this offseason, meaning I don't believe we will sign KD or trade for someone like PG13 or Cousins.

Draft Day:
- #3: Dragon Bender
- #16: Valentine or Sabbonis (whoever is available)
- #23: Thon Maker
- #31: Ben Bentil

(Sorry I don't know or have much knowledge about the rest of the players projected in the second round so I won't make predictions for the full Celtics second round after pick #31)

Free Agency:
1. Let go of Jared Sullinger and Tyler Zeller
2. Re-sign Evan Turner for 4 Years/40M (Team Option 4th Year)
3. Pick up the options of Amir Johnson and Jonas Jerebko
4. Sign Jared Dudley for 4 Years/26M (Player Option 4th Year)
5. Sign Hassan Whiteside for 4 Years/88M (pretty much a max contract)

PG: Isaiah-Smart-Rozier
SG: Bradley-Turner-Hunter
SF: Crowder-Dudley-Young
PF: Amir-Mickey-Jerebko
C: Whiteside-Olynyk

Also throw in a few draft picks here or there the Celtics may draft who could start on the bench next season.

Quick Analysis: So maybe not a team that wins the championship next season, but moves that push us closer. Also while people may think Whiteside is getting paid a lot, when the cap goes up another 20-30M the next few seasons, Whiteside's deal will look like a below-market one. And with Amir and Jerebko likely gone after next season the Celtics could keep some cap flexibility for future seasons as well. I'm also assuming only 2/3 of Smart/Bradley/Thomas will stay by 2018 unless Ainge is willing to give near-max or max to all of them.

The Big Plan: In 2017 Free Agency, Durant is convinced and the Celtics convince Blake Griffin as well (who decides to opt out of the final year of his deal with the Clippers) or someone else to form a BIG 3 of Isaiah/Durant/Griffin

[Grindfather]

That's too many players.

[A Future of Stevens]

Also, I think if you bring in Whiteside, it forces your hand to start olynyk. The spacing he would provide next to whiteside would be vital

[TheSundanceKid]

Swap out Whiteside for an Amir style contract with Pachulia and I'm game. Yes it isn't such a talent upgrade but it's more flexibility for 2017 and Pachulia is quite underrated. Ian Mahinmi is another. Just don't cripple the cap space for someone who isn't an A* candidate for the next few years. Wait til teams have capped themselves out and then pounce

[MBunge]

I can't see us actually keeping all four of those picks and I'd throw even more money at Ryan Anderson over Dudley, but that's a pretty good offseason as long as Whiteside lives up to his contract.

Mike

[Phantom255x]

Swap out Whiteside for an Amir style contract with Pachulia and I'm game. Yes it isn't such a talent upgrade but it's more flexibility for 2017 and Pachulia is quite underrated. Ian Mahinmi is another. Just don't cripple the cap space for someone who isn't an A* candidate for the next few years. Wait til teams have capped themselves out and then pounce

Yeah I agree.

Pau Gasol. Joakim Noah. Zaza Pachulia.

All cheaper options and also veteran presences which would help us.

I think Pau Gasol is very unlikely (sadly) but the other two are likely, especially Noah on an Amir-like deal.

[Phantom255x]

I can't see us actually keeping all four of those picks and I'd throw even more money at Ryan Anderson over Dudley, but that's a pretty good offseason as long as Whiteside lives up to his contract.

Mike

I've heard rumors and reports that Anderson wants a California team (hometown and Cali-guy) so I assume he will go to the Kings.

As for draft, I know it's a lot of players, but I honestly can't envision or think of a trade

Jahlil Okafor? The most realistic but not sure how high they are on him. #3 for Okafor and more? Or #3 + more for Okafor? No one really knows

PG13 or Cousins? Untouchable

Butler? Maybe not entirely untouchable but looks like any deal for him will require an overpay from Ainge.

Marc Gasol? Haven't heard him on the rumor mill so I don't know.

Maybe Ainge pulls off a smaller deal to stockpile future assets but I can't think of any at the moment so I assume we will draft for now.

[Ilikesports17]

I dont want to make these moves because they make it impossible to sign a KD or a Griffin.

[Phantom255x]

I dont want to make these moves because they make it impossible to sign a KD or a Griffin.

If you take out Whiteside and put in a cheaper alternative would you do them? C's still save $30M in cap space after FA and after letting Amir and JJ go after next season and the cap rising another 15-20M, they could probably afford two more max contracts.

[PhoSita]

I'm really not interested in Whiteside.  Sign a stop gap, give the minutes to a young guy, but don't give a huge long term contract to Whiteside.

[Phantom255x]

I'm really not interested in Whiteside.  Sign a stop gap, give the minutes to a young guy, but don't give a huge long term contract to Whiteside.

I wouldn't mind giving Joakim Noah an Amir Johnson-like deal. 

[CFAN38]

Not bad logic but to many players and I do not want to see whiteside on this team. Turner for four years may turn into a contract that wears out its welcome. Drafting Valentine and developing rozier really logjams the roster for turners role.

As for the draft bottom line if their are no trades the most players I see getting drafted to join the team next season is 2. The rest will have to draft and stash.

[PhoSita]

I'm really not interested in Whiteside.  Sign a stop gap, give the minutes to a young guy, but don't give a huge long term contract to Whiteside.

I wouldn't mind giving Joakim Noah an Amir Johnson-like deal.

I have a feeling there is a strong possibility of this happening.

Ryan Anderson and Joakim Noah on two year deals. Fireworks!

[slamtheking]

not keen on signing Dudley (not a player that makes us all that much better) or Whiteside (too pricey and for too many years).  other than that I could see this playing out as you've described.  I'm hoping Turner won't cost that much or that many years.  if we draft Valentine I would forecast him in Turner's role and hopefully ready to take it from him by his second or third year at the latest.

As others mentioned, I'd want to keep the cap flexibility to take a bigger dive into free agency next year and there will be several serviceable big guys available to sign for cheaper deals.

[jpotter33]

I'm really not interested in Whiteside.  Sign a stop gap, give the minutes to a young guy, but don't give a huge long term contract to Whiteside.

I wouldn't mind giving Joakim Noah an Amir Johnson-like deal.

I have a feeling there is a strong possibility of this happening.

Ryan Anderson and Joakim Noah on two year deals. Fireworks!

That honestly wouldn't be too bad of a deal for us. Anderson has always impressed me with how much of a mismatch he is offensively, and Noah would certainly help our interior defense and rebounding. However, we'd probably have to lose Amir if that happened, which would suck.