Free Agents vs Trade

[bcgenuis]

As many of us are aware, in addition to the draft, there are 2 ways to improve the Celtics (1)  Free Agency and (2) via a trade.

Let's look at who is available as a free agent after this 2017 season (and maybe next year, 2018 as well) to decide if it make sense to trade for a cap clogging player.

Also for the sake of this discussion, let's assume the Celtics need a scorer to ease IT's burden and a interior defender/rebounder.

Do you trade for a Melo or Butler, or do you hope you can land one the pending FA's?

+ What will it take to pry KD? Would he even consider leaving? Does winning a ring factor into it?
+ S Curry? No way, right - but you never know. 
+ How would a Griffin/Horford front court look?  Or do you pursue a cheaper center like Plumlee and pursue Hayward on the wing?
+ Do you wait to see if you can land a big fish in FA and then pursue a trade?
+ Do you wait to see where the BKN pick lands and then decide continue the path the team is on to stay young, build and compete? Jaylen, 2017 BKN #1, Thomas, Horford, Smart, Crowder,

- If you land a FA, say Hayward, what becomes of Crowder and Jaylen? Do they become assets to trade for say a Center? BKN '17 + Jaylen/Crowder + Smart/Rozier/Bradley + another late 1st for Cousins?

Who is available via FA:

Scorers:
Durant - PO
Curry
Griffin - PO
Hayward - PO
Millsap

Bigs:
B Griffin - PO
Millsap - PO
Monroe - PO
Bogut
Mason Plumlee (RFA)
N Noel (RFA)
Ibaka

My 2 cents:  hold off on the trade, Butler or Melo are not winning the C's a ring this year, and they both have flaws.

The Celtics have shown this season that they are not a flash in the pan.  They might finish as the 2nd seed. This gives star players the idea that they can push the team over the top.  IT has become a premier scorer, a true all-star that other premier all-stars would want to team with. Additionally, Horford is a great fringe star player. And Stevens has an excellent reputation.  YOu are starting to see that the stars are now willing to come to Boston.

See how the draft and FA play out. The C's will be better served being patient. 

[greece66]

Free agents: cheaper but you will need some luck

Trade: expensive but you have more control over them

Personally, I prefer trades over the uncertainty of Free Agency

But we have enough flexibility to stand pat until something really good is available

[bcgenuis]

If Danny can work his magic and have a starting lineup next year of:

Cousins
Horford
Hayward
Bradley
Thomas

bench: Jaylen, Rozier, Olynyk, Jerebko, Zizic, Yabu

I think C's win 60. And can challenge the declining Cavs.

[greece66]

If Danny can work his magic and have a starting lineup next year of:

Cousins
Horford
Hayward
Bradley
Thomas

bench: Jaylen, Rozier, Olynyk, Jerebko, Zizic, Yabu

I think C's win 60. And can challenge the declining Cavs.

This one is really for saltlover.

But I really doubt we have cap space for re-signing Kelly, signing Hayward and trading for DMC.