Get really crazy and put these two rumors together:
#3 for Okafor and Noel
#16/#23 for Middleton and Monroe
Then the "other Players" back to MIL could be Amir and Okafor (Plus maybe Jerebko).
So the net deal is something like:
#3, #16, #23, Amir, Jerebko
for
Noel, Monroe, Middleton
Do you do that deal?
I wouldn't think twice. You can't ask for a much better deal. Middleton is the scorer we need (and a cap friendly extension), Monroe is who he is, and also is not at a break the bank contract under the new CBA.
Noel has some major upside still, and really establishes this team as one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, in the back and front court.
The scorer that we need should be good for more than 18 points per 36 minutes. That's the type of production that we're getting from Bradley and Crowder.
Id do it in a heartbeat.
Youre talking about trading three first round picks and filler for three <25 year old starting caliber players.
You really think you're getting three starting caliber guys from #3, #16 and #23 if you keep the pics??
Dont mean to put words in his mouth but you can like the trade and disagree with Middleton being "the scorer we need"
Middleton averaged 18 PPG this year and shot 40% from three. Hes increased his scoring every year so far, so youre looking at a guy with 20 PPG potential.
We alreafy have thomas as our go to scorer - we mainly need a secondary to take pressure off Thomas, middleton would do that.
We also need a rebounder and rim protector, and Noel gives us that.
Monroe gives us an offesive presence down low and a top notch rebounder - basically replaces Sully, whi likely wont return.
All three guys help fill obvious needs.
^^^^
This is basically what I was implying. Is Middleton the BEST possible scoring option in the league? Or even for the Celtics? No. But do we have the assets to get the Jimmy Butler (who Middleton scores about 85 cents on the dollar on anyway), or should we be holding our breath for a Kevin Durant autograph on a Boston contract? I'm not.
Based on everything I'm reading....the information and "information" that's out there, if we were able to simultaneously land Middleton AND Monroe, and then also swing a separate trade that gets us one of Okafor or Noel, and it's only costing us our 2016 draft stock, maybe one player we want to keep, and salary filler......it's kind of a no-brainer.
The salary implications alone make it worth it. To have the consistency of Monroe and Middleton on longer deals, will end up being the bargain that, come next years FA, we will still have cap space to offer a max deal to a true All-Star.
We would be setting ourselves up this season to be a top-3 Eastern Conference team, and likely have another top 5 pick on deck.
Why would any FA looking to win, wouldn't consider Boston at that point, is beyond me.