Dan Lifshatz of 98.5 says C's gaining traction on large trade

[TheSundanceKid]

This should be easy to guess. He says every Celtics fan will like him. That rules out almost every player past present or future. Clearly it's Anthony Davis. Anyone not like him? Come on, own up..

I don't like him.

Guess it must be Towns.

There's always one.. 

Towns it is. Unless... Anyone not a fan of Towns?

[Denis998]

At this point only 2 players make sense. Cousins and Westbrook...
Even though I think both are longshots Cousins is on a team that can not win so they can ask for the Celtics treasure of picks.. Westbrook is even a longer shot because he will be a FA next season..

Now I think many more possibilities will be available the trade deadline ... The Dantoni project will ultimately fail and look for Harden to hit the market as well as the situation in Chicago which will likely put Butler back on the market..

Those who think Griffin, there is no shot .. LAC are gunning for a championship run every year and rebuilding with picks isnt happening..

Overall its easy to call this bluff but the only name that makes sense with all total hype would be Boogie...

I just don't think Boogie is as available as some people want him to be. Sacramento just hired Joerger to coach, Ken Catanella to be assistant GM, and they signed a couple of vets (Afflalo, Barnes, Tolliver, Tmple) to short term deals. By the moves, I think they'll make one last push to build around Demarcus and revisit a trade next offseason since Afflalo, Tolliver, and Barnes' contracts aren't guaranteed beyond this season.

Its best to assume that the Kings front office is being led by a chicken with its head cut off. At that point, anything goes.

[walker834]

Crowder, Brown, KO and 2 picks for Cousins gets it done I bet. That's a lot. Substitute Jerebko or Brown.    I fear they are going to want Smart. It may come down to that. Maybe we keep KO and send them Mickey and they get Smart and we keep Brown. But eh.

Isaiah, Rozier
Bradley, Hunter
Jerebko, Smart
Horford, Yabusele
Cousins, Amir, Mickey

[RJ87]

At this point only 2 players make sense. Cousins and Westbrook...
Even though I think both are longshots Cousins is on a team that can not win so they can ask for the Celtics treasure of picks.. Westbrook is even a longer shot because he will be a FA next season..

Now I think many more possibilities will be available the trade deadline ... The Dantoni project will ultimately fail and look for Harden to hit the market as well as the situation in Chicago which will likely put Butler back on the market..

Those who think Griffin, there is no shot .. LAC are gunning for a championship run every year and rebuilding with picks isnt happening..

Overall its easy to call this bluff but the only name that makes sense with all total hype would be Boogie...

I just don't think Boogie is as available as some people want him to be. Sacramento just hired Joerger to coach, Ken Catanella to be assistant GM, and they signed a couple of vets (Afflalo, Barnes, Tolliver, Tmple) to short term deals. By the moves, I think they'll make one last push to build around Demarcus and revisit a trade next offseason since Afflalo, Tolliver, and Barnes' contracts aren't guaranteed beyond this season.

Its best to assume that the Kings front office is being led by a chicken with its head cut off. At that point, anything goes.

Catanella and Joerger easily give them the best leadership they've had in years. Divac isn't a bad GM, but he needs more assistance and a better understanding of the CBA. That's where I think the Catanella hire is really underrated.

[hwangjini_1]

This should be easy to guess. He says every Celtics fan will like him. That rules out almost every player past present or future. Clearly it's Anthony Davis. Anyone not like him? Come on, own up..

I don't like him.

Guess it must be Towns.

There's always one.. 

Towns it is. Unless... Anyone not a fan of Towns?

it isnt celtics blog unless at least one poster disagrees with whatever it is being discussed, "world peace = good thing" included.

i hate towns. too tall so my neck would hurt looking up at him.

besides, can he make the celtics world champions for a decade all by himself?

besides, he has a hyphenated first name! who has that? it makes it harder for me to type his name.

besides, ainge sucks and screwed up by not trading draft picks with minnesota 7 years ago so the celtics could have chosen him. now the celtics have to pay to get someone they should have had. ainge probably would have screwed that up anyway.

towns sucks. 

[meangreenmachine]

If Anthony Davis is quietly (yet understandably) upset and demanding a trade to a contender, it would be amazing to land him. I would give up anyone and anything, including Thomas. I would say there is a 0.1% chance of it being Davis, though. New Orleans owns him on that contract and he is THE guy under 25 (or perhaps Towns) you build a team around if you can pick anyone in the NBA today.

Griffin? I highly suspect the Clippers are all-in for a championship this year, so 0.1% chance again.

Butler? It seems obvious that he is going nowhere as the Bulls have just added Rondo and Wade, so they are looking to contend rather than rebuild. 1% chance since perhaps they are satisfied with replacing Butler with Bradley (I suspect Rondo and Wade think highly of Bradley).

Hayward? Utah has done a lot to make themselves contenders this year, so I would be surprised to see them ship him. 1% chance since he is on an expiring contract (and has possibly already made it clear that he is not likely to resign next year).

Cousins? I think he wants a trade. I think he is praying to get out of there and Sacramento has drafted enough centers the past two years. I think he is the most likely candidate, and he is certainly the one I am hoping for. 10% chance he is traded soon.

A couple other guys I would be thrilled with at the right price (I expect one or both to be all-stars in the near-future): Jusuf Nurkic or, preferably but quite unlikely, Nikola Jokic.

Khris Middleton would be nice at the right price (for example, Bradley and a non-Brooklyn pick).

[saltlover]

This should be easy to guess. He says every Celtics fan will like him. That rules out almost every player past present or future. Clearly it's Anthony Davis. Anyone not like him? Come on, own up..

I don't like him.

Guess it must be Towns.

There's always one.. 

Towns it is. Unless... Anyone not a fan of Towns?

I don't like Towns.  Must be Simmons.

[manl_lui]

Crowder, Brown, KO and 2 picks for Cousins gets it done I bet. That's a lot. Substitute Jerebko or Brown. 

Isaiah, Rozier
Bradley, Hunter
Jerebko, Smart
Horford, Yabusele
Cousins, Amir, Mickey

I'd pull that trigger in a heartbeat, but I don't want to send both Brown and Crowder, they play the same position so it'll be nice to keep either one. This is my train of thought

if we want to win asap, we keep Crowder, because of chemistry and experience
if we are not in much of a hurry and want to develop and continue to have high hopes for Brown, then we keep him, throw him in the fire. If he has the potential that some people have for him, he should be able to "get it" soon. He'll probably frustrate players at times, but the hope is he will catch on sooner rather than later.

[walker834]

Crowder, Brown, KO and 2 picks for Cousins gets it done I bet. That's a lot. Substitute Jerebko or Brown. 

Isaiah, Rozier
Bradley, Hunter
Jerebko, Smart
Horford, Yabusele
Cousins, Amir, Mickey

I'd pull that trigger in a heartbeat, but I don't want to send both Brown and Crowder, they play the same position so it'll be nice to keep either one. This is my train of thought

if we want to win asap, we keep Crowder, because of chemistry and experience
if we are not in much of a hurry and want to develop and continue to have high hopes for Brown, then we keep him, throw him in the fire. If he has the potential that some people have for him, he should be able to "get it" soon. He'll probably frustrate players at times, but the hope is he will catch on sooner rather than later.

 Sac wanted Smart years ago when we were making that pick.  They also wanted Rondo. I'd rather keep Smart for his versatility over Brown I think.  We are probably going to have to give up one or the other.  If Ainge pulls it off where we send them Jerebko instead i will be happy.

[Geo123]

Crowder, Brown, KO and 2 picks for Cousins gets it done I bet. That's a lot. Substitute Jerebko or Brown.  I fear they are going to want Smart. IT may come down to that. Maybe we keep KO and send them Mickey and they get Smart and we keep Brown. But eh.

Isaiah, Rozier
Bradley, Hunter
Jerebko, Smart
Horford, Yabusele
Cousins, Amir, Mickey

I don't see them getting rid of Crowder and Brown in a trade plus there's no way Smart is a SF at 6-3.  Substitute Smart for one of them maybe.

[manl_lui]

Crowder, Brown, KO and 2 picks for Cousins gets it done I bet. That's a lot. Substitute Jerebko or Brown. 

Isaiah, Rozier
Bradley, Hunter
Jerebko, Smart
Horford, Yabusele
Cousins, Amir, Mickey

I'd pull that trigger in a heartbeat, but I don't want to send both Brown and Crowder, they play the same position so it'll be nice to keep either one. This is my train of thought

if we want to win asap, we keep Crowder, because of chemistry and experience
if we are not in much of a hurry and want to develop and continue to have high hopes for Brown, then we keep him, throw him in the fire. If he has the potential that some people have for him, he should be able to "get it" soon. He'll probably frustrate players at times, but the hope is he will catch on sooner rather than later.

 Sac wanted Smart years ago when we were making that pick.  They also wanted Rondo. I'd rather keep Smart for his versatility over Brown I think.  We are probably going to have to give up one or the other.

I think that's fair, I think we should not give up players that play the same position as we leave a hole going forward

something I would not do

Smart/Bradley
Brown/Crowder

I'll trade either or

[fairweatherfan]

Assuming it's accurate (which is always more fun even though of course they're usually not), it sounds like Cousins to me.  Adding to the speculation, wonder if we're working on a 3-way with Philly where Sacramento could get Okafor and their swap rights with Philly back (among other things) so they can have a replacement young C and tank this year.

[dannyboy35]

I predict it's either Hayward or Gasol. I don't love either for different reasons but I think the casual Boston sports fan would. Fans would be ticked at cousins or even Blake because some view him as a thug for one bad incident.

[RJ87]

Assuming it's accurate (which is always more fun even though of course they're usually not), it sounds like Cousins to me.  Adding to the speculation, wonder if we're working on a 3-way with Philly where Sacramento could get Okafor and their swap rights with Philly back (among other things) so they can have a replacement young C and tank this year.

Kind of have a hard time believing they'll deal one high maintenance center for another high maintenance center.

[saltlover]

I predict it's either Hayward or Gasol. I don't love either for different reasons but I think the casual Boston sports fan would. Fans would be ticked at cousins or even Blake because some view him as a thug for one bad incident.

There was also that time barely a year earlier where he was charged with assault at a Vegas night club.  It seemed out of nowhere at the time, but given his incident in Toronto it seems a lot more plausible.

So I'd call it two bad incidents.