What could we get in return for IT?

[KGBirdBias]

Well for beginners a slap upside the head.

[Eddie20]

IT4 right now is not going anywhere

However lets say on draft night Dallas offers a top 5 pick

And Celts have a chance to draft Jackson and Fultz or Monk

You would have to think hard about this trade off

lol at age 26 and a top 3 scorer in the NBA there is absolutely, positively, ZERO chance that we would trade IT for Jackson or Monk.
IT is scoring 30 points a game in the NBA and we are 2nd in the East. He's not leaving unless we get a true All Star in return.
IT will probably be a starting All Star next year if he keeps playing like this, he ain't getting traded for Monk or Jackson. Both great players, but you don't trade guys like IT for them unless you are blowin' it up and slightly desperate.

Thomas is 28, though. With a max contract looming next summer.

[Tr1boy]

IT4 right now is not going anywhere

However lets say on draft night Dallas offers a top 5 pick

And Celts have a chance to draft Jackson and Fultz or Monk

You would have to think hard about this trade off

lol at age 26 and a top 3 scorer in the NBA there is absolutely, positively, ZERO chance that we would trade IT for Jackson or Monk.
IT is scoring 30 points a game in the NBA and we are 2nd in the East. He's not leaving unless we get a true All Star in return.
IT will probably be a starting All Star next year if he keeps playing like this, he ain't getting traded for Monk or Jackson. Both great players, but you don't trade guys like IT for them unless you are blowin' it up and slightly desperate.

He is 28 and will command max

A little scoring machine but has defensive limitations and you require a certain type of supporting cast to make his game fly.

Have you seen Monk play? He is like another IT4 but much taller and not a defensive liability

If our pick and Mavs pick = Jackson and Monk, I would pull the trigger

Easy choice then to sign Smart to a long term deal. Perhaps AB

[Darío SpanishFan]

IT4 right now is not going anywhere

However lets say on draft night Dallas offers a top 5 pick

And Celts have a chance to draft Jackson and Fultz or Monk

You would have to think hard about this trade off

lol at age 26 and a top 3 scorer in the NBA there is absolutely, positively, ZERO chance that we would trade IT for Jackson or Monk.
IT is scoring 30 points a game in the NBA and we are 2nd in the East. He's not leaving unless we get a true All Star in return.
IT will probably be a starting All Star next year if he keeps playing like this, he ain't getting traded for Monk or Jackson. Both great players, but you don't trade guys like IT for them unless you are blowin' it up and slightly desperate.

He is 28 and will command max

A little scoring machine but has defensive limitations and you require a certain type of supporting cast to make his game fly.

Have you seen Monk play? He is like another IT4 but much taller and not a defensive liability

If our pick and Mavs pick = Jackson and Monk, I would pull the trigger

Easy choice then to sign Smart to a long term deal. Perhaps AB

That is the package I have been looking for when considering a deal for IT4. Two young, cost-controlled, possible stars who let us extend our core of Olynyk, Smart and Bradley. We don't need to take more salary, given the bargain contract of Thomas, and that's crucial for us.

As I've been saying these days, I think the level of IT's play against elite guards this offseason may have a vital point in the decision of trading/extending him.

[Tr1boy]

IT4 right now is not going anywhere

However lets say on draft night Dallas offers a top 5 pick

And Celts have a chance to draft Jackson and Fultz or Monk

You would have to think hard about this trade off

lol at age 26 and a top 3 scorer in the NBA there is absolutely, positively, ZERO chance that we would trade IT for Jackson or Monk.
IT is scoring 30 points a game in the NBA and we are 2nd in the East. He's not leaving unless we get a true All Star in return.
IT will probably be a starting All Star next year if he keeps playing like this, he ain't getting traded for Monk or Jackson. Both great players, but you don't trade guys like IT for them unless you are blowin' it up and slightly desperate.

He is 28 and will command max

A little scoring machine but has defensive limitations and you require a certain type of supporting cast to make his game fly.

Have you seen Monk play? He is like another IT4 but much taller and not a defensive liability

If our pick and Mavs pick = Jackson and Monk, I would pull the trigger

Easy choice then to sign Smart to a long term deal. Perhaps AB

That is the package I have been looking for when considering a deal for IT4. Two young, cost-controlled, possible stars who let us extend our core of Olynyk, Smart and Bradley. We don't need to take more salary, given the bargain contract of Thomas, and that's crucial for us.

As I've been saying these days, I think the level of IT's play against elite guards this offseason may have a vital point in the decision of trading/extending him.

Yes and yes

Jackson and monk would be ready to step in right away and contribute also

The problem is if thr mavs can draft a smith jr or monk why would they want a soon to be FA IT4...

[kraidstar]

They could offer Lavine + Dunn + 2017 first rounder (#6 as of now).

Some of these trades read like they were constructs of a TWolves fan, not a Celtics fan.

Please, don't quit your day job and go work for the Celtics.

Don't quit yours, either.

Last summer the Bulls allegedly OK'd a deal that would have sent Jimmy Butler to Minnesota for Kris Dunn and LaVine.

http://nesn.com/2016/06/nba-trade-rumors-t-wolves-trying-to-acquire-jimmy-butler-from-bulls/

The Wolves said no.

[green_bballers13]

Is there anyway that we could do an IT and change (maybe a couple 1st rounders) for Westbrook trade?

If we're trading IT, I would like to get back a top 15 player, which is arguably what IT has become.

[aefgogreen]

I'm hoping we don't resign IT.  My guess is he's going to be looking for big bucks.  He's going to be losing his quickness in the next couple years, so unless he's willing to sign a two-year deal, I'd let him go.  I think he's more valuable to us now than what we could get in a trade, but I have no problem letting someone else overpay him.

[Tr1boy]

Is there anyway that we could do an IT and change (maybe a couple 1st rounders) for Westbrook trade?

If we're trading IT, I would like to get back a top 15 player, which is arguably what IT has become.

has he or is he in a perfect system to let him do whatever he wants?

in addition because he is a FA soon, his value dips quite a bit

don't get me wrong, I like the little guy and want to see him bring in another championship here

but Celts fans might be inflating his value more than perceived by the rest of the league

[Darío SpanishFan]

IT4 right now is not going anywhere

However lets say on draft night Dallas offers a top 5 pick

And Celts have a chance to draft Jackson and Fultz or Monk

You would have to think hard about this trade off

lol at age 26 and a top 3 scorer in the NBA there is absolutely, positively, ZERO chance that we would trade IT for Jackson or Monk.
IT is scoring 30 points a game in the NBA and we are 2nd in the East. He's not leaving unless we get a true All Star in return.
IT will probably be a starting All Star next year if he keeps playing like this, he ain't getting traded for Monk or Jackson. Both great players, but you don't trade guys like IT for them unless you are blowin' it up and slightly desperate.

He is 28 and will command max

A little scoring machine but has defensive limitations and you require a certain type of supporting cast to make his game fly.

Have you seen Monk play? He is like another IT4 but much taller and not a defensive liability

If our pick and Mavs pick = Jackson and Monk, I would pull the trigger

Easy choice then to sign Smart to a long term deal. Perhaps AB

That is the package I have been looking for when considering a deal for IT4. Two young, cost-controlled, possible stars who let us extend our core of Olynyk, Smart and Bradley. We don't need to take more salary, given the bargain contract of Thomas, and that's crucial for us.

As I've been saying these days, I think the level of IT's play against elite guards this offseason may have a vital point in the decision of trading/extending him.

Yes and yes

Jackson and monk would be ready to step in right away and contribute also

The problem is if thr mavs can draft a smith jr or monk why would they want a soon to be FA IT4...

Because they want Dirk to retire playing postseason games. They will be agressive in free agency again, I assume, and getting a scorer such as IT would be a spark for, possibly, Dirk's last year.

Also, they have no financial problem in paying the luxury tax, as you know. It makes sense.

[Rosco917]

If the C's loose in the first round, and the Celtics team was considered generally healthy at the time, and IT didn't perform at his normal all-star rate, I think you'll see this more discussed.

It also depends on how we lost. Like what did the advanced analyzed statistics show.

Until then there is little chance the C's even consider this.

If you're thinking he's of the value of Westbrook or Harden...you may be disappointed.

[Moranis]

Before Washington pulled it together I thought something like this would have made sense for all 3 teams.  I still think that is the type of trade Boston should be looking at.

BOS - Wall, Gortat, Nelson
DEN - Thomas, Johnson, Smith
WAS - Mudiay, Hernangomez, Smart, Jerekbo
minor draft picks or lesser players if need be could be included, but no major picks

Obviously with Washington turning it around, I can't see them moving on from Wall and rebuilding (which is what that trade would be for them), but that sort of framework made sense to me at the time and still does i.e. a 3 team trade where Boston upgrades at the point, one team rebuilds, and another team looks to go to the next step.

[Alleyoopster]

Interesting post....his last two teams (the Kings and the Suns) either let him go or traded him away. Both teams have since regretted the move. Would it be any different with the Celtics?  If we did trade him we would need to get a shooter back. Who shoots as well as him at the moment that isn't untouchable? 

[CoachBo]

The answer to the OP is a new general manager, because Ainge would be fired.

And he'd deserve it.

[slamtheking]

Right off the bat, please note that I'm in no rush to trade IT. However, let's say the following scenario unfolds:

- We're unable or unwilling to make any big deals before the trade deadline.

- Despite having all key pieces healthy, this team underachieves in the playoffs and loses in the first round.

- IT continues to play at an extremely high level.

- We win the draft lottery.

Given this scenario, Ainge could determine that we're still another 2-3 years away from being a legit contender, meaning there isn't enough that we can do this offseason in order to add to the current roster and make it an instant contender. Additionally, at some point, IT won't be able to continue playing at this level. That may not happen for another five years, but it could happen before we're able to surround him with a contending roster. With that in mind, does Ainge consider selling extremely high on IT?

While adding a potentially elite rookie to this roster, signing a max-level free agent and/or making a big trade over the summer are all viable options, what do you think we could get in return for IT? What would you demand in return to even consider moving him?

Trading Thomas would likely be a step back in 2017-18, but his value in this hypo may be as high as it'll ever be, and if he could net us another top-5 pick in the 2017 draft and an up-and-coming star, then that could be intriguing considering the roster we'd be adding those players to.

I'm in no rush to move IT, but if that above scenario plays out over the next few months and we get a great offer for him, I think Ainge at least considers it. What do you guys think?

I don't see us moving on from IT but building with him.  The only two motives I could see behind moving him are:
1. He demands a trade for some reason.  could be we land a top PG this draft who's spectacular and makes IT coming off the bench look like an option.
2. his contract demands for his next deal are too high to make it worth keeping him in green.

I don't see situation 1 happening by the time his next deal needs to be signed but I could see situation 2 happening.  He's a phenomenal scorer but the rest of his game is somewhat limited.  For me, whether or not to pay him the max next contract comes down to how effective he is this year in the playoffs.  if the same thing happens this year that happened the last 2 where the opposing PG abused him on offense (in the post or just plain going right over the top of him for mid-range jumpers) and renders IT ineffective, I'd consider moving him for the right player.  If he (or Brad) are able to find a way to counter opposing PGs going at him on D, I think he may be worth that contract.  for the record, I don't see a way for him/Brad to overcome that challenge but I'd love to be oh so wrong on that count.