Getting a max Free Agent is now much more difficult

[saltlover]

I will never turn down the first overall pick, but getting a max free agent (of the Hayward and Griffin vintage) just became much more difficult.

If we let all the free agents/non-guaranteed guys go, dump Jackson, and convince Yab to stay overseas another year, we're at $28.8 million cap space, $1.5 million short of a max.  Even also moving Rozier would not create enough room.

If we instead keep Olynyk and trade Bradley (along with everyone else described above), they're at $29.9 million cap room, still about $400k short.  Moving Rozier in addition would work, but if you want a max player, get ready for some sort of significant trade.

[D Dub]

TP for keeping us all sharp.  Trade machine might crash tonight

[CelticsElite]

Whoever wants to come win a chip needs to take a 1.5 mill paycut. If they're that much of a diva over 1 mill, id rather run it back with the klynk

[D Dub]

Seems like Fultz has potential to bring the shooting we all covet about Hayward, so I'm good with passing on him. 

Is Blake still a max talent player?  I feel like that could be a regrettable deal in a year or two.     

[Jvalin]

I will never turn down the first overall pick, but getting a max free agent (of the Hayward and Griffin vintage) just became much more difficult.

If we let all the free agents/non-guaranteed guys go, dump Jackson, and convince Yab to stay overseas another year, we're at $28.8 million cap space, $1.5 million short of a max.  Even also moving Rozier would not create enough room.

If we instead keep Olynyk and trade Bradley (along with everyone else described above), they're at $29.9 million cap room, still about $400k short.  Moving Rozier in addition would work, but if you want a max player, get ready for some sort of significant trade.

Any ideas for possible trades? Assuming Hayward isn't selected for the All-NBA teams and agrees to sign with us for the 4-year max, whom would you trade away in order to create the necessary cap space?

[action781]

I'm with CelticsElite.  If a FA wants to come here, it's presumably to join a winning team.  I can't imagine they'd force a winning team to gut its depth over $29 million v. $28 million per year.  I think they'd either take the minor pay cut or they are a player that doesn't want to come here for the right reasons and I'm ok passing on them and sticking to #TheProcess.

[jade88]

What if we move the pick, renounce our guys, and add a Crowder and Smart for George. Would that make room for Blake?

[RJ87]

I'm with CelticsElite.  If a FA wants to come here, it's presumably to join a winning team.  I can't imagine they'd force a winning team to gut its depth over $29 million v. $28 million per year.  I think they'd either take the minor pay cut or they are a player that doesn't want to come here for the right reasons and I'm ok passing on them and sticking to #TheProcess.

That's not how the nba works. Golden State didn't pitch that to Durant, they did what they needed to do to create the max slot.

I'm of the belief that players should earn whatever their max value is. We can't allow franchises to trade beloved players under the guise of "this is a business" then turn around and ask players to leave money on the table.

[droopdog7]

What if we move the pick, denounce our guys, and add a Crowder and Smart for George. Would that make room for Blake?

LOL.  Denounce not equal renounce.

[LatterDayCelticsfan]

Imagining a scenario where we pick Fultz and his game makes him a contender for both ROY and 6MOY awards.

Also imagining us using either this year's no. 1 or next years Brooklyn pick and filler as a means to trade or S&T for another all star level player. (Personally I would love to see us rolling out Horford, Davis, Klynyk, and one other as our bigs rotation next season)

[CelticsElite]

I'm with CelticsElite.  If a FA wants to come here, it's presumably to join a winning team.  I can't imagine they'd force a winning team to gut its depth over $29 million v. $28 million per year.  I think they'd either take the minor pay cut or they are a player that doesn't want to come here for the right reasons and I'm ok passing on them and sticking to #TheProcess.

That's not how the nba works. Golden State didn't pitch that to Durant, they did what they needed to do to create the max slot.

I'm of the belief that players should earn whatever their max value is. We can't allow franchises to trade beloved players under the guise of "this is a business" then turn around and ask players to leave money on the table.

Durant is the 2nd best player in the league. Difference between that and Hayward who has question marks.

[max215]

Dumping Bradley or Crowder for negligible/no salary and renouncing Olynyk would work, right?

[saltlover]

I will never turn down the first overall pick, but getting a max free agent (of the Hayward and Griffin vintage) just became much more difficult.

If we let all the free agents/non-guaranteed guys go, dump Jackson, and convince Yab to stay overseas another year, we're at $28.8 million cap space, $1.5 million short of a max.  Even also moving Rozier would not create enough room.

If we instead keep Olynyk and trade Bradley (along with everyone else described above), they're at $29.9 million cap room, still about $400k short.  Moving Rozier in addition would work, but if you want a max player, get ready for some sort of significant trade.

Any ideas for possible trades? Assuming Hayward isn't selected for the All-NBA teams and agrees to sign with us for the 4-year max, whom would you trade away in order to create the necessary cap space?

Not really.  Essentially the Celtics will need to either let Olynyk walk and move someone else who makes more than Rozier for additional room, or move Bradley and Rozier (and Jackson and Yabusele) for picks in future drafts (keeping in mind that we already have 5 1st rounders the next two years).

I've been on the Hayward bandwagon all year, but I'm beginning to question how it all works, given how well the current team has played.  There's a path this offseason that could have the Celtics eschew free agency and instead sign all of IT, Bradley, Olynyk, and Smart to long-term deals that keep the team from going unaffordably over the salary cap in the future.  Signing Hayward this summer could cost Bradley and Rozier this summer, and maybe Smart next summer when they max IT. 

On the other hand, if we have Fultz, do we need to keep any of those other guards?  It's tough to say.  I really do think the team has special chemistry, and that Bradley and Smart are key parts of that chemistry.  Trading them for picks and/or letting them walk could limit the benefits of signing a max fee agent.

[saltlover]

Dumping Bradley or Crowder for negligible/no salary and renouncing Olynyk would work, right?

Sure, if you want to move on from two of our top 6 players.

[ETNCeltics]

Bradley is a role player. You don't let a guy like him impede progress and keeping him and giving him a big deal does just that. If you add Fultz, give Brown more minutes, and sign Hayward, there's no room for AB.

As fans are going to see in the next week, our core is nowhere near good enough. Keeping all or most of our current roster isn't enough. Way too flawed. Keeping guys like KO and AB is suicide.

Some fans won't like it, but AB will likely have to go. Same with Olynyk. They simply aren't good enough. Drafting a guy like Fultz and trying to get a guy like Hayward are, in the long run, huge upgrades over what we have.