Woj - Horford Decision Expected Saturday Evening (ATL upping offer)

[Surferdad]

Pat Riley is always crafty to build his team.
It worked out well with Lebron, but now it won't anymore.
Players devalue, they can't reload all the time.
They were lucky enough with whiteside, but I don't believe they'll be top5 without Bosh and another year of Wade.

He just lost Deng to the Lakers too. 

[tazzmaniac]

So if Horford would tell us that he wants to go back to Atlanta, would you give up JJ and AJ to give them the cap space for Milsap? In this context needing space, he'd probably come pretty cheap for the cap space. Does any team have $21+M left that would be willing to take Milsap? I can't imagine Philly would and hinder Simmons' development. If we could trade for someone like Noel, then we could still entice Durant with an IT, Bradley, Durant, Milsap, and Noel lineup, and if he took a 1 + 1 we might legitimately have cap space to sign 3 max free agents next year with Milsap opting out, too.

I would rather have Millsap than Horford.

I'd give them those contracts and two first rounders for Millsap.

I don't think Millsap or Horford move our needle much.  I wouldn't give up any 1sts for Millsap.  His last contract year is a player option so he could end up being a 1 year rental. 

[nickagneta]

Pat Riley is always crafty to build his team.
It worked out well with Lebron, but now it won't anymore.
Players devalue, they can't reload all the time.
They were lucky enough with whiteside, but I don't believe they'll be top5 without Bosh and another year of Wade.

Also, they just lost Deng so Winslow better develop fast for them.

[cltc5]

No need to get desperate here.  We roll with a younger team basically the same crew with a chance to get these new players some pT.  we need to stop kidding ourselves that making a run at the playoffs should be the goal.  No titles are coming here for at least another 2-4 years anyway so we need to build a nice team and see where we're at then.

[nickagneta]

No need to get desperate here.  We roll with a younger team basically the same crew with a chance to get these new players some pT.  we need to stop kidding ourselves that making a run at the playoffs should be the goal.  No titles are coming here for at least another 2-4 years anyway so we need to build a nice team and see where we're at then.

I am guessing that you would want the Nets 2018 pick to be bottom 5 or 6 so as to improve our young core. The best way to do that is to ensure Brooklyn isn't helped by us being bad next season and ensuring the Nets possibly as high as a lottery pick. If we make the playoffs next year, that 2017 Nets pick will be bad and make the Nets worse in 2018 so our 2018 pick is a high lottery pick again.

So the Celtics have to be good next year and spending the year just developing youth by forcing them into playing time they aren't ready for isn't going to make them good. It could drop the C's way out of the playoffs and possibly give the Nets a very high pick in 2017 which would hurt our 2018 pick. S

[Bobshot]

When I heard Horford had played for Donovan in Florida, I saw the handwriting on the wall. Horford met with OKC first. If they can clear cap space, Danny will come up zero.

Now it's possible Durant will shock everybody and go somewhere else. That would make Horford more playable.

But right now, to me, it looks like Danny has put too much focus on KD and Horford. Maybe aimed too high. In the process, he's missed out on a guy who was more doable--Howard.

So what's plan B, Danny?  Kanter? Or somebody else a team has to unload to clear cap space?
He can outbid Toronto for Biyombo. Or maybe Ezeli. Whatever, he needs some help up front or the team will sit at 48 wins--or less.

[cltc5]

When I heard Horford had played for Donovan in Florida, I saw the handwriting on the wall. Horford met with OKC first. If they can clear cap space, Danny will come up zero.

Now it's possible Durant will shock everybody and go somewhere else. That would make Horford more playable.

But right now, to me, it looks like Danny has put too much focus on KD and Horford. Maybe aimed too high. In the process, he's missed out on a guy who was more doable--Howard.

So what's plan B, Danny?  Kanter? Or somebody else a team has to unload to clear cap space?
He can outbid Toronto for Biyombo. Or maybe Ezeli. Whatever, he needs some help up front or the team will sit at 48 wins--or less.

This is Danny ainge.  Swing for the fences for trades, bunt or hit pop fouls during the draft.  His philosophy is maddening.

[Bobshot]

Pat Riley is always crafty to build his team.
It worked out well with Lebron, but now it won't anymore.
Players devalue, they can't reload all the time.
They were lucky enough with whiteside, but I don't believe they'll be top5 without Bosh and another year of Wade.

He just lost Deng to the Lakers too. 

The Lakers are doing a far better job than the Celtics in free agency so far--by not aiming so high.

[TA9]

Pat Riley is always crafty to build his team.
It worked out well with Lebron, but now it won't anymore.
Players devalue, they can't reload all the time.
They were lucky enough with whiteside, but I don't believe they'll be top5 without Bosh and another year of Wade.

He just lost Deng to the Lakers too. 

The Lakers are doing a far better job than the Celtics in free agency so far--by not aiming so high.

What's the point in having a mediocre team. Either we win (sign big names) or die trying.

[JBcat]

Pat Riley is always crafty to build his team.
It worked out well with Lebron, but now it won't anymore.
Players devalue, they can't reload all the time.
They were lucky enough with whiteside, but I don't believe they'll be top5 without Bosh and another year of Wade.

He just lost Deng to the Lakers too. 

The Lakers are doing a far better job than the Celtics in free agency so far--by not aiming so high.

Mozgov and Deng are now on the wrong side of 30. They could be terrible contracts in 2 years if not already.  The Lakers are acting desperate.  They will still be bad a bad team next year.

[C3LTSF4N]

Pat Riley is always crafty to build his team.
It worked out well with Lebron, but now it won't anymore.
Players devalue, they can't reload all the time.
They were lucky enough with whiteside, but I don't believe they'll be top5 without Bosh and another year of Wade.

He just lost Deng to the Lakers too. 

The Lakers are doing a far better job than the Celtics in free agency so far--by not aiming so high.

Mozgov and Deng are now on the wrong side of 30. They could be terrible contracts in 2 years if not already.  The Lakers are acting desperate.  They will still be bad a bad team next year.

Agreed.  Just because we aren't picking the perceived only options in free agency doesn't mean we're doing poorly.  We have limited roster spots and don't need to overreact by signed a Mozgov or Deng.  I'm all set. 

We don't need to die trying to fill voids this second.  I'd rather look back over a 5 year period and be glad we're sitting well because we built with a plan, and didn't try to bandaid "problems" with whatever free agents were available in a given year.  Patience, we're good.

[MBunge]

Pat Riley is always crafty to build his team.
It worked out well with Lebron, but now it won't anymore.
Players devalue, they can't reload all the time.
They were lucky enough with whiteside, but I don't believe they'll be top5 without Bosh and another year of Wade.

He just lost Deng to the Lakers too. 

The Lakers are doing a far better job than the Celtics in free agency so far--by not aiming so high.

What would signing Mozgov and Deng have meant for us?  Another 48 wins and first round playoff loss?  This is the time to swing for the fences.

Mike

[Rondo2287]

Pat Riley is always crafty to build his team.
It worked out well with Lebron, but now it won't anymore.
Players devalue, they can't reload all the time.
They were lucky enough with whiteside, but I don't believe they'll be top5 without Bosh and another year of Wade.

He just lost Deng to the Lakers too. 

The Lakers are doing a far better job than the Celtics in free agency so far--by not aiming so high.

What the lakers are doing should make celtics fans very excited.  A couple of guys to help them get out of the basement and stop them from competing with the nets for the #1 pick

Zach Lowe ‏@ZachLowe_NBA  3m3 minutes ago
LAL now at point where even trading Lou and stretching Swaggy doesn't get them double-max space next summer. Even if they give 1st rd pick

[Celtics PRIDE Never Die]

Pat Riley is always crafty to build his team.
It worked out well with Lebron, but now it won't anymore.
Players devalue, they can't reload all the time.
They were lucky enough with whiteside, but I don't believe they'll be top5 without Bosh and another year of Wade.

He just lost Deng to the Lakers too. 

The Lakers are doing a far better job than the Celtics in free agency so far--by not aiming so high.

The Lakers actually putting on a clinic of what not to do.  Locked in long-term to guys who don't make a big difference.  You can forget stars going there for the next 4 years with that mediocrity locked in at big money long-term, and likely more mediocrity on the way with their remaining $17Mish.

You either land stars or you go with guys on 1 year deals and try again next year.  The fact you think that the Timofey Mozgov's and Luol Deng's get you anywhere in the NBA is hilarious.

I'll be disappointed if we don't land Horford or Durant, but I'll be p---ED if Ainge does anything like the Lakers have done.  You don't tie up your future flexibility in guys like that.  That's the one way this off-season becomes a total disaster for me.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Pat Riley is always crafty to build his team.
It worked out well with Lebron, but now it won't anymore.
Players devalue, they can't reload all the time.
They were lucky enough with whiteside, but I don't believe they'll be top5 without Bosh and another year of Wade.

He just lost Deng to the Lakers too. 

The Lakers are doing a far better job than the Celtics in free agency so far--by not aiming so high.

Free-Agency is not a competition on how many players a team can sign and how many bad contracts they can give out...

The Lakers are doing an incredible job of making bad free-agency decision.