The reality is clear now

[KGBirdBias]

The Kings just set the market price for a superstar. So if the Bulls think they're going to hold Butler for a ransom's gold, they can thank the Kings. That was thievery.

Ainge could get Butler AND Vucevic at this point.

Ainge said he wants to get guys that are already under contract. So I think Butler and George  are more in play now.He could actually get both if he was really creative.

Why not go for it.
IT (max deal 2017)
Butler (under contract)
George (contract expires 2018)
Horford (under contract)
Bogut (FA end of 2017)

You can easily fill in around these guys but you have perimeter defense and scoring.

[Big333223]

I'll say this: I don't think Danny feels an urgency to win now. Perhaps he thinks Golden State and Cleveland are unbeatable. I appreciate that, but it makes me wonder what the next step is with an aging Horford and a bunch of rotation players looking for big pay raises in the next couple of seasons.

If Danny wanted to maximize our chances at a title over the next three years (Horford's tenure + IT's prime), he should have gambled on adding the best, most versatile center in the NBA.

Ainge probably feels like he's playing with house money right now. The two best players on the team are Thomas and Horford and he added both of those guys for a second round pick. He still has all of the assets from the Brooklyn trade (minus the James Young pick) and thus is still well positioned to develop young talent and build through the draft but he's doing it from the position of having the second seed in the Eastern conference playoffs instead of struggling around the bottom.

There's no pressure to make a move now because the team is already top 5-6 in the league and can reasonably expect to get better with the prospects in tow.

[Surferdad]

I'll say this: I don't think Danny feels an urgency to win now. Perhaps he thinks Golden State and Cleveland are unbeatable. I appreciate that, but it makes me wonder what the next step is with an aging Horford and a bunch of rotation players looking for big pay raises in the next couple of seasons.

If Danny wanted to maximize our chances at a title over the next three years (Horford's tenure + IT's prime), he should have gambled on adding the best, most versatile center in the NBA.

Realistically, we could have been looking at a team of:

Horford / Amir
Boogie / KO
Crowder / Casspi / Gerald
Bradley / Smart
Thomas  / Rozier

That assumes a deal like 2018 Nets pick, Brown, Zeller, Jerebko, Memphis pick

The craziest thing is we could have still offered a package of 2017 Nets pick + future picks + Amir + Bradley or Jae for Jimmy Butler.

Horford / KO
Boogie / Casspi
Jae / Gerald
Butler / Smart
Thomas / Rozier

That would have been very tempting.  It looks to be more balanced than either the CLE or GS rosters but obviously no guarantees that such a team could win it all.  I think that was the concern, because it's clearly a "win now" roster without any future picks or future stars, and major contract issues (resigning Boogie).

[chambers]

I don't think not trading for Cousins means we are 100% all in on the draft. Cousins is a special kind of psycho and we know that now or he would be on this team without a doubt.

I think we'll be able to answer this question with more ease after the lottery occurs, and probably not until after draft night- because that's when Butler and George will still be available-hopefully with the Pacers and Bulls bargaining with us for the best package for Butler or George and the 2017 Brooklyn pick is the prize.

The reality isn't clear just yet. One things for sure is that Ainge is going to be incredibly patient and is holding these Brooklyn picks with THE HIGHEST REGARD- whether that be their draft potential as NBA star players or their value in trading for a star.

Butler and George will both still be available when the 2018 Brooklyn pick is the #1 pick again. Maybe even for less.

I mean the part to remember with Jimmy and George is that their price is never going up from this point on. It's only going to get worse because they have less time on their contracts, and their teams have less time to convince them to stay as a free agent.

Something tells me that Danny knows the Bulls front office won't want to pay the Butler the supermax 200 million deal.

Gordon Hayward will probably take the 200 million that Utah will give him, but we'll have a shot at him anyway.

[Vermont Green]

Ainge said something the other day, along the lines of he didn't want to make a short sighted trade that helped short term but hurt long term.  If Cousins is gone after next season and we have given up even a couple of our key building block assets, it would be a step back overall.  It is a tough GM type decision that has to be made but I think that is the reality.  Ainge felt this didn't help enough sort term to warrant the long term loss.

The team will continue to be pretty good for this season and next; at that point we will have Smart (#6), Brown (#3), and two more likely very high picks plus Rozier, Zazic, and Yabusele (not to mention Horford).  That will be another bifurcation type of decision point.  Sign Thomas, trade assets (except the best of the best) or let Thomas go, trade Horford, build with the youth.  Those are two pretty good options.  I think it is going to take something really good to get Danny to trade out of that position.

[jacigar]

in july 2018 17 months, It-Butler-Boogie will all be looking for 30m/yr +. Who else could you have on team with a cap of about 110M. They will all be 30+ with 5 year contracts.If we get 2 players like
Fultz 2017 and Ayton 2018,they will be future to build around. NO already has Davis as core.

[tarheelsxxiii]

It's clear the Celts won't have an elite big for years to come now.  That ship has sailed.

[BitterJim]

I don't think not trading for Cousins means we are 100% all in on the draft. Cousins is a special kind of psycho and we know that now or he would be on this team without a doubt.

I think we'll be able to answer this question with more ease after the lottery occurs, and probably not until after draft night- because that's when Butler and George will still be available-hopefully with the Pacers and Bulls bargaining with us for the best package for Butler or George and the 2017 Brooklyn pick is the prize.

The reality isn't clear just yet. One things for sure is that Ainge is going to be incredibly patient and is holding these Brooklyn picks with THE HIGHEST REGARD- whether that be their draft potential as NBA star players or their value in trading for a star.

Butler and George will both still be available when the 2018 Brooklyn pick is the #1 pick again. Maybe even for less.

I mean the part to remember with Jimmy and George is that their price is never going up from this point on. It's only going to get worse because they have less time on their contracts, and their teams have less time to convince them to stay as a free agent.

Something tells me that Danny knows the Bulls front office won't want to pay the Butler the supermax 200 million deal.

Gordon Hayward will probably take the 200 million that Utah will give him, but we'll have a shot at him anyway.

Utah can't offer Hayward a supermax contract.  He doesn't qualify. Utah can offer him a 5/148 deal, but we can offer a 4/109 deal which works out to just ~$5 million less over four years

[Chris22]

Cousins sucks.
An ill tempered dinosaur.

[jacigar]

Why would you say Celtics will not have an elite big. Zizic might be great. And if we get top 3 in 2018,there are 2/3 very good big prospects for future. We also will have cap space for FA (Noel). The grass is always greener in the neighbors yard. No has AD for years and will have to max Boogie.

[Roy H.]

Cousins sucks.
An ill tempered dinosaur.

Lol. Are floor-stretching, ball-moving, scoring big men now "dinosaurs" just because they defend and rebound too?

Cousins is the prototype for the "pace and space" game.

[PhoSita]

Ainge is electing to build through the draft.

We could have landed Cousins for Pennies on the dollar, 2018 Brooklyn pick, Smart gets it done in comparison to what Nola gave up.. and he's a player that fixes every major hole we have right now.

There will be no fireworks. Our team is currently competitive enough to please fans.. IT is putting fans in the seats, we have an all star coach and are second in a depleted East. In theory we have the #1 pick the next two years, and a young foundation of Smart and  Jaylen to build off of.. Hopefully it pays off, the draft is a crap shoot but I think Ainge's end goal is to become the no, IT will not get max money from Boston, it just doesn't fit the formula. Yes I know Horford got the max but he'll be off the books when it's time to pay Jaylen and extend Lonzo Ball.

next Warriors, not the team that loses to them for the next 4 years..

As a season ticket holder the thought of right now always excites me. I think everyone knows nothing can be done to beat the warriors so why try? It's clear Ainge is building for for the future and not right now, and I think I'm okay with that.

Just gonna be tough to stomach if these draftees turn out to be busts and all we have then are what ifs.

So what you re saying is that the IT/Horford era is to keep fans amused and to sell tix while the real goal is building around the youth.  I'm okay with that.

It's far more likely than not that none of these picks turns into a better player than Isaiah and Horford are right now.

[No Nickname]

Utah can't offer Hayward a supermax contract.  He doesn't qualify. Utah can offer him a 5/148 deal, but we can offer a 4/109 deal which works out to just ~$5 million less over four years

A couple of things have impacted Ainge's decision on whether there will be "fireworks."  First, the Brooklyn Nets' record has given the Celtics a fairly good chance at a top 1-2 pick in the draft.  This is the best way to get a transcendent player without having to trade for them and mortgage your entire franchise.  If the Nets had possibly the 5-6th worst record in the league right now Danny may very well have traded for Boogie.  But a top two pick plus prominent young players is too valuable to give up for Cousins.  Basically the Nets' futility this year has changed the game for the Celtics.

Secondly, Danny loves the deal.  Loves getting All Star players in exchange for expiring contracts and a second round pick (ex. IT).  And the best deals ever in the NBA are free agents.  You give up nothing and get an all star in return (ex. KD, Al Horford, etc.).  And Ainge has been so patient with new contracts the past four years, and not taking on excess salary, so that for the first time in forever they can sign two "max-ish" players in free agency (Horford being one).  While nothing is guaranteed in terms of free agents signing with the Celts this summer (Blake Griffin or Gordon Hayward) Danny will sign someone and they will be at the very least a valuable player (ex. Ilyasova, JJ Redick, Patrick Patterson, Nerlens Noel, Zaza Paculia) for a few years.  Not necessarily an All Star but a potential starter or 6th/7th man.  And he will have given up nothing in return for them, keeping the potential top 1-2-3 pick in the next two drafts.

And if we have an embarrassment of riches and not enough minutes to go around?  Well then you trade some of those riches for future picks in 2019 or 2020 and expiring contracts. 

While Ainge might pull the trigger for Butler I think he knows that this wouldn't result in a championship this year, or even the next two years.  But by using that cap space to sign another high quality player this year, and developing the talent already on the roster, and drafting well for three straight years (2016, 2017, 2018) he could build a dynasty that lasts for a decade.

[tankcity!]

Ainge is electing to build through the draft.

We could have landed Cousins for Pennies on the dollar, 2018 Brooklyn pick, Smart gets it done in comparison to what Nola gave up.. and he's a player that fixes every major hole we have right now.

There will be no fireworks. Our team is currently competitive enough to please fans.. IT is putting fans in the seats, we have an all star coach and are second in a depleted East. In theory we have the #1 pick the next two years, and a young foundation of Smart and  Jaylen to build off of.. Hopefully it pays off, the draft is a crap shoot but I think Ainge's end goal is to become the no, IT will not get max money from Boston, it just doesn't fit the formula. Yes I know Horford got the max but he'll be off the books when it's time to pay Jaylen and extend Lonzo Ball.

next Warriors, not the team that loses to them for the next 4 years..

As a season ticket holder the thought of right now always excites me. I think everyone knows nothing can be done to beat the warriors so why try? It's clear Ainge is building for for the future and not right now, and I think I'm okay with that.

Just gonna be tough to stomach if these draftees turn out to be busts and all we have then are what ifs.

So what you re saying is that the IT/Horford era is to keep fans amused and to sell tix while the real goal is building around the youth.  I'm okay with that.

It's far more likely than not that none of these picks turns into a better player than Isaiah and Horford are right now.

Lol let's hope not.

[Celtics4ever]

Just gonna be tough to stomach if these draftees turn out to be busts and all we have then are what ifs

Be careful what you wish for....

I think he is going to make a trade and he was a few days to make one.  Could be a blockbuster, might not be, but I don't think he stands pat with our rebounding woes.