The Brooklyn picks are untradable

[oldtype]

The greatest strength of the Danny Ainge rebuilding project is that the Celtics are flexible. With the Horford signing, we have two very good paths to rebuilding, any one of which would be the envy of teams across the league

Plan A: obtain two more superstars, one through free agency and one through trading away our assets. (We must do this by the offseason of 2017, because once 2018 comes around the cap holds for IT and AB's expiring contracts will keep us from having max space.)

- or -

Plan B: run with this team centered around IT/Crowder/Horford. Win 55 games and make the ECF every year. Then just wait until Smart/Brown/whoever we draft with our Brooklyn picks turns into stars. In short, tank; but without actually losing.

As of today, Plan A is no longer a thing. The pool of potential stars available from now until 2017 is as follows (and I'm being very liberal with these lists):

Trade
Russell Westbrook
Jimmy Butler
Demarcus Cousins
James Harden
Lamarcus Aldridge
Paul George
Anthony Davis
Kevin Love

FA
Russell Westbrook
Blake Griffin
Gordon Haywayrd
Paul Milsap
Chris Paul
Kyle Lowry

Okay, here's the fun part. Mix and and match any of those guys from each column and assume you can get them to play for us. Which two would make us better than Golden State? James Harden and Blake Griffin? Paul George and Russell Westbrook? Here's the real answer: there aren't any. We are now in a position where not only will fireworks not make us a realistic title contender, even double fireworks won't be enough.

For a team like Cleveland which is constructed to win now with very little flexibility, this situation is a complete disaster. Their fate is most likely to be Golden State's designated whipping boys until Lebron finally starts becoming mortal. But thankfully for the Celtics, we still have Plan B. We are the only team in the NBA that can draft multiple elite prospects in preparation for the post-Warriors era, but still nurture them in a competitive, winning culture.

So here's my take (and I accept that Danny Ainge's take may differ. He probably knows better than I do): the Brooklyn picks are now untradable. They represent this organization's only realistic shot of winning a title in the near future. This is not to say we should tank: this team is fun and I look forward watching them contend in the Eastern Conference for at least the next couple of years.

But our long-term focus should now be on hording our draft picks and using them as a basis to form the next superteam once the Warriors start losing a step. That means not using these picks to trade for Jimmy Butler. That means considering trading away IT and AB for assets before we have to pay them max or near-max money.

If the Celtics really are a team with a "Championship or Bust" mindset, the Brooklyn picks are now untradable.

[danglertx]

Signed!

[max215]

TP, oldtype. I'm in on this plan as well.

[Monkhouse]

A team of Westbrook or Chris Paul, Paul George, and DMC would probably give the GSW the toughest matchup possible.

[celticinorlando]

I think many are overvaluing those picks. The days of slowly building through the draft and watching a team mature until they win is over. The NBA now is about hired guns. You have to go out and get high level FA to win.

The Nets' picks just offer assets that will be used to go get bigger names. Don't see Jaylen Brown as a true impact player. Next year could be the same.

[oldtype]

A team of Westbrook or Chris Paul, Paul George, and DMC would probably give the GSW the toughest matchup possible.

We're only capable of getting two of them though. Three would be impossible due to lack of cap space/assets.

[max215]

A team of Westbrook or Chris Paul, Paul George, and DMC would probably give the GSW the toughest matchup possible.

Realistically, we could build something like:

CP
Bradley
Crowder
Horford
Cousins

They probably wouldn't be competitive with Golden State.

[BleedGreen1989]

GS's core is around 26 years old.

They're not "losing a step" for several, several years.

[jpotter33]

A team of Westbrook or Chris Paul, Paul George, and DMC would probably give the GSW the toughest matchup possible.

Realistically, we could build something like:

CP
Bradley
Crowder
Horford
Cousins

They probably wouldn't be competitive with Golden State.

People are seriously overrating a team of six players with no rim protection and serious questions about fit right now lol

[MBunge]

I don't think it is hopeless.  If nothing else, the arrogance Golden State showed this year is only going metasticize.  And it should certainly increase the value of all our firsts, even the ones from Memphis and the Clippers.  I mean, the Kings are pretty stupid but even they can't believe they're going to build a title contender around Cousins now, and there's almost certainly going to be more all out tanking.

But I generally agree that Ainge is going to be even more particular about sacrificing future assets for immediate improvement.

Mike

[Rondo2287]

I think many are overvaluing those picks. The days of slowly building through the draft and watching a team mature until they win is over. The NBA now is about hired guns. You have to go out and get high level FA to win.

The Nets' picks just offer assets that will be used to go get bigger names. Don't see Jaylen Brown as a true impact player. Next year could be the same.

The one thing I Will say is that right now with FA's getting paid so much, having rookie wage scale guys on your bench that can contribute will be a huge advantage

That said I would throw a max at gasol right now . 

If we go huge while everybody else is spacing and going small while playing good d we might. Win the east

[knuckleballer]

I think many are overvaluing those picks. The days of slowly building through the draft and watching a team mature until they win is over. The NBA now is about hired guns. You have to go out and get high level FA to win.

The Nets' picks just offer assets that will be used to go get bigger names. Don't see Jaylen Brown as a true impact player. Next year could be the same.

The Warriors just won a title and 73 games by building through the draft.

[celticinorlando]

Still think they need to get Jimmy Butler.

[celticinorlando]

I think many are overvaluing those picks. The days of slowly building through the draft and watching a team mature until they win is over. The NBA now is about hired guns. You have to go out and get high level FA to win.

The Nets' picks just offer assets that will be used to go get bigger names. Don't see Jaylen Brown as a true impact player. Next year could be the same.

And had to go get a hired gun in Durant. And honestly..Boston has not drafted as well as GS...

[oldtype]

Still think they need to get Jimmy Butler.

This is the worst possible move. We would become good enough to maybe beat the Cavs, barely good enough to take a game off the Warriors, and we would lose all of our assets.