What if no marquee FA's sign with us?

[saltlover]

1) Maintain cap flexibility.   
2) Don't give large multi year guaranteed contracts to role players (e.g. KO). 
3) Don't trade Fultz, Brown or Brooklyn 18 for a star that won't make us a contender. 
4) Don't trade for Melo.  If he agrees to the trade, his no trade clause will make it difficult for us to trade him if we need to. 
5) Attempt to trade AB, IT and/or Smart for picks if they are unlikely to be re-signed next off season.
6) If IT or AB is a keeper, attempt to workout an extension now. 
7) Don't do anything that would hinder us from trading for AD if he becomes available next off season.

Aren't these two contradicting? If you sign IT and/or AB to market value, your cap space next offseason is essentially gone.

Not remotely contradicting.  Anthony Davis is under contract for several more years, and outgoing salary is what's going to bring him back, not cap space.  I don't think AD ever becomes available, but Avery Bradley's new contract will be more useful in acquiring him than cap space.

[tazzmaniac]

1) Maintain cap flexibility.   
2) Don't give large multi year guaranteed contracts to role players (e.g. KO). 
3) Don't trade Fultz, Brown or Brooklyn 18 for a star that won't make us a contender. 
4) Don't trade for Melo.  If he agrees to the trade, his no trade clause will make it difficult for us to trade him if we need to. 
5) Attempt to trade AB, IT and/or Smart for picks if they are unlikely to be re-signed next off season.
6) If IT or AB is a keeper, attempt to workout an extension now. 
7) Don't do anything that would hinder us from trading for AD if he becomes available next off season.

Aren't these two contradicting? If you sign IT and/or AB to market value, your cap space next offseason is essentially gone.

Not remotely contradicting.  Anthony Davis is under contract for several more years, and outgoing salary is what's going to bring him back, not cap space.  I don't think AD ever becomes available, but Avery Bradley's new contract will be more useful in acquiring him than cap space.

With the new designated veteran extension, you are probably right that AD won't become available but since it is NOP we've got a chance that they bungle it.  They've got over 30M tied up in Asik, Hill and Moore for the next 3 seasons.  Holliday may not resign with them and they don't have much cap space to replace him.  Pretty good chance that Cousins leaves in free agency next offseason.  They don't have any good young players and no 1st round pick in this draft. 

If AD gets frustrated and demands a trade, they are going to have to consider it.  They can get a lot more for him with 2 years on his contract than just one.  We'd probably have to offer Fultz and the 2018 Brooklyn pick at a minimum. 

[SparzWizard]

Melo as plan B has no loss. Its either Melo or running it back with scrubs and rookies. Might as well see what Carmelo still has

I always wanted Melo he plays and shoots like pierce at times.

And it's time that Carmelo sees the Conference Finals once again. He will have his best shot at it in Celtics uniform.

Great rebounder for a SF, can play the SF/PF, and can create his own shots. Would love to have multiple scoring threats than just IT4, and Melo when healthy and playing like his 2016 Olympic form will be dangerously good. Just have the number 7 jersey ready 

[mctyson]

With the season winding down, I decided to crack open NBA 2k17 and take my shot at the C's offseason. So Dubs win the championship, Pierce retires, I draft Fultz...pretty much what we expected. Next comes the interesting part:

1. I renounce all our FA's clearing up a bunch of cap room (including KO).
2. I swing for a trade and land Paul George using AB+Crowder+2018 BKN pick+C's 2019 top 3 protected pick
3. I trade Rozier and Demetrius Jackson for future picks to free up some more cap

Essentially, I now only have IT, Smart, Brown, PG, Horford, and Fultz on the team.

4. During free agency, I meet with Hayward, Blake, and Millsap who all demand the max. I just have enough and I offer each one (hoping someone will bite). Unfortunately, no one does! (EDIT: they all eventually resigned with their original teams). I even try to lure Nerlens away from the Mavs but since he's RFA, they match and that option goes kaput.


I guess what I'm saying is...what do we do if all the big time free agents sign with their respective teams? Do we just draft Fultz, make a minor signing and call it an offseason? Do we shake up the roster?

--
Just to share, in the end, I signed various guys to short term deals. Guys like Shabazz Muhammad and James Johnson. Alan Williams (a rebounding PF from the Suns) as well as reupping Amir Johnson (for cheap!). I also signed a few minimum guys to fill up the roster like Afflalo and Vinsanity. All in all, my main rotation ended up being IT/Smart/Jaylen/PG/Horford with Fultz, Alan Williams and the two Johnsons off the bench.

This was your first mistake at trying to be real.

[Surferdad]

1) Maintain cap flexibility.   
2) Don't give large multi year guaranteed contracts to role players (e.g. KO). 
3) Don't trade Fultz, Brown or Brooklyn 18 for a star that won't make us a contender. 
4) Don't trade for Melo.  If he agrees to the trade, his no trade clause will make it difficult for us to trade him if we need to.
5) Attempt to trade AB, IT and/or Smart for picks if they are unlikely to be re-signed next off season. 6) If IT or AB is a keeper, attempt to workout an extension now. 
7) Don't do anything that would hinder us from trading for AD if he becomes available next off season.

I'm not a Melo fan, but if he waives his no-trade clause, he comes to the C's without it, so he can be traded again.  There's no re-negotiation of the contract.

[No Nickname]

Melo as plan B has no loss. Its either Melo or running it back with scrubs and rookies. Might as well see what Carmelo still has

I always wanted Melo he plays and shoots like pierce at times.

And it's time that Carmelo sees the Conference Finals once again. He will have his best shot at it in Celtics uniform.

Great rebounder for a SF, can play the SF/PF, and can create his own shots. Would love to have multiple scoring threats than just IT4, and Melo when healthy and playing like his 2016 Olympic form will be dangerously good. Just have the number 7 jersey ready 

And there goes the Celtics's ball movement. He's such a ball-stopper he'd really change the style of play here. And I just can't see Melo making off-ball screens and cutting backdoor or running that weave Brad had them do in the playoffs.

[LilRip]

With the season winding down, I decided to crack open NBA 2k17 and take my shot at the C's offseason. So Dubs win the championship, Pierce retires, I draft Fultz...pretty much what we expected. Next comes the interesting part:

1. I renounce all our FA's clearing up a bunch of cap room (including KO).
2. I swing for a trade and land Paul George using AB+Crowder+2018 BKN pick+C's 2019 top 3 protected pick
3. I trade Rozier and Demetrius Jackson for future picks to free up some more cap

Essentially, I now only have IT, Smart, Brown, PG, Horford, and Fultz on the team.

4. During free agency, I meet with Hayward, Blake, and Millsap who all demand the max. I just have enough and I offer each one (hoping someone will bite). Unfortunately, no one does! (EDIT: they all eventually resigned with their original teams). I even try to lure Nerlens away from the Mavs but since he's RFA, they match and that option goes kaput.


I guess what I'm saying is...what do we do if all the big time free agents sign with their respective teams? Do we just draft Fultz, make a minor signing and call it an offseason? Do we shake up the roster?

--
Just to share, in the end, I signed various guys to short term deals. Guys like Shabazz Muhammad and James Johnson. Alan Williams (a rebounding PF from the Suns) as well as reupping Amir Johnson (for cheap!). I also signed a few minimum guys to fill up the roster like Afflalo and Vinsanity. All in all, my main rotation ended up being IT/Smart/Jaylen/PG/Horford with Fultz, Alan Williams and the two Johnsons off the bench.

This was your first mistake at trying to be real.

And yet, in game, no FA's signed here which is a distinct possibility because they chose to sign with their team, the Dubs won the championship over the Cavs in 5 which is another likely possibility, and the Mavs matched my offer sheet for Noel despite it being a lucrative offer.

This isn't your old school game with easy logic glitches that can be exploited. 2k provides a fairly realistic simulation, even in trade logic. Besides, what other significantly more realistic option is there? ESPN Trade Machine? CB trade threads? Multiple sauces? Going by Ainge's smokescreens and leverage interviews? Please enlighten me.

[SHAQATTACK]

keep Amir ?

[Phantom255x]

keep Amir ?

[PhoSita]

Joe Ingles, Taj Gibson, James Johnson.

There are a number of guys in this FA class like that who could help the Celts. I think that's the fallback option, but I'd only sign them to short term deals.

[hpantazo]

Joe Ingles, Taj Gibson, James Johnson.

There are a number of guys in this FA class like that who could help the Celts. I think that's the fallback option, but I'd only sign them to short term deals.

James Johnson would be fantastic for our team. He wouldn't be too easy to get for cheap though I'm guessing. He's still a young guy who hasn't had a huge payday and would want to capitalize on a good season he just had with the Heat

[hodgy03038]

Miami has huge money available I am pretty sure. So he obviously can get more where he is and with a team that can add a Hayward or Griffin without the manipulation to the roster like us.

[PhoSita]

Joe Ingles, Taj Gibson, James Johnson.

There are a number of guys in this FA class like that who could help the Celts. I think that's the fallback option, but I'd only sign them to short term deals.

James Johnson would be fantastic for our team. He wouldn't be too easy to get for cheap though I'm guessing. He's still a young guy who hasn't had a huge payday and would want to capitalize on a good season he just had with the Heat

Yeah, but I think you could maybe get him if you offer a 2-3 year deal for big bucks.  I would hesitate to give him more than a couple years guaranteed given that he's 30 years old.


If the Celts could somehow add Joe Ingles and James Johnson while only giving up Olynyk, Jerebko, and Amir, that would be a huge upgrade in my opinion, even if those guys are (a) not close to stars and (b) 30+.

[GreenCoffeeBean]

Hayward, Milsap, and Blake aren't getting a max from any team that is contending and none of their current teams are contending.

[KGs Knee]

Joe Ingles, Taj Gibson, James Johnson.

There are a number of guys in this FA class like that who could help the Celts. I think that's the fallback option, but I'd only sign them to short term deals.

James Johnson would be fantastic for our team. He wouldn't be too easy to get for cheap though I'm guessing. He's still a young guy who hasn't had a huge payday and would want to capitalize on a good season he just had with the Heat

Yeah, but I think you could maybe get him if you offer a 2-3 year deal for big bucks.  I would hesitate to give him more than a couple years guaranteed given that he's 30 years old.


If the Celts could somehow add Joe Ingles and James Johnson while only giving up Olynyk, Jerebko, and Amir, that would be a huge upgrade in my opinion, even if those guys are (a) not close to stars and (b) 30+.

I'm Joe Ingles biggest supporter on this forum, I can't even begin to tell you how much I would love to see him in Celtics green.

And James Johnson was my choice for MIP this past year, that dude has such a well rounded skill set.  He would be a perfect fit next to Al Horford.

But both players are likely going to require an overpay to sign, especially Ingles, who is a RFA and has stated he wants to stay in Utah.  Johnson is probably more easily attainable, but overpaying a guy who just had a career season at age 30 is somewhat risky.