Is Blake Considering the Celtics?

[mef730]

I'd love to get him but don't think we have much of a chance. He seems to like the west coast. But as the great educator S. Skinner once said, "Prove me wrong, Blake. Prove me wrong."

Mike

[mef730]

I've been pushing the sign Griffin and trade for George angle for awhile on here.

TP.

It's the only way to immediate contention. We should really explore this opportunity.

Is there a way to do it under the cap?

Mike

[crimson_stallion]

Not interested, personally.

Between his injury history and his tenancy to do bonehead things (like injure your hand in a fist fight while your team is in the playoffs)  im just not interested in blowing max money on that guy,   no matter how talented he is.

[Evantime34]

If we don't get Hayward he has to be our #1 option. Since we can't carry over our cap space to next year it's very important we add someone in FA this offseason.

Blake is a great fit in our offensive. We run a lot of our offense through our bigs via the dribble hand off, Blake is an excellent passer. He doesn't really get to showcase it in Doc's offense but his passing would really be unlocked in our offense.

I'm a believer that Blake can be a prolific rebounder if he's not playing next to DeAndre Jordan.

He's become a good positional defender, and is an improving 3 point shooter.

Injuries are the biggest question, but I think that can be mitigated by giving him a shorter deal, ideally a 3 year max.

[Moranis]

I've been pushing the sign Griffin and trade for George angle for awhile on here.

TP.

It's the only way to immediate contention. We should really explore this opportunity.

Is there a way to do it under the cap?

Mike

Depending on what the cap is at the end of the day, the Celtics could realistically create the room to sign Griffin by waiving all free agents and trading Rozier for no salary next season (i.e. a future draft pick or a draft and stash).  Then to acquire George (and Seraphin for roster purposes), Boston would need to trade Fultz, Smart, and Crowder (You could swap Bradley for those guys, but if it is Fultz it probably means BKN 18 and I'd rather not do that and I'd rather have Bradley than Smart or Crowder).

Those moves leave a starting 5 of Thomas, Bradley, George, Griffin, Horford, with basically just Brown, Zizic, Nader, 37, and Seraphin on the bench (with Yabusele still stashed).  Boston then signs some vets and young guys to minimum to fill in the bench.  I think Amir might come back at the minimum.  Green might also be a possibility as well though I would expect him to get more than that elsewhere.  Heck to keep a bit more continuity I'd bring Zeller back at the minimum if he couldn't do better elsewhere (if it is Boston or somewhere else for not much cost or PT difference, why not just stay in Boston). 

Depth is a clear a problem, but that starting 5 would not only be a threat to the Cavs, but the Warriors as well.

[jpotter33]

Absolutely he's considering us. I remember saying after that Pierce send-off game when there were rumors that the Clippers players were really impressed with the fans that this would be huge for us this summer. It seems pretty obvious that the guy Smith was talking about in the article was Griffin, so he's clearly considering the C's.

I think Boston is the most likely landing spot for both Hayward and Griffin if either one should leave their respective teams. The question is this: which free agent would they choose if they had their pick?

When healthy, which is a concern, Griffin is clearly the better player and is a much, much better fit for us right now than Hayward, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least if they chose Hayward over Griffin due to his history with Brad and the injury concerns.

Ultimately, I'd gamble and go with Griffin. He just fits what we need so much better right now, and just adding him (plus Fultz) would make us a legit Finals contender who has the chance to knock off Cleveland in the East, while still keeping all of our major assets for the future. By getting Hayward, you'd still have a major hole at the 4 to fill, which isn't easy, and at this point with Griffin we're playing with house money.

Imagine our lineup we could have next year:

PG: IT, Fultz
SG: Brown, Smart
SF: Crowder, Green
PF: Griffin, O'Quinn, Yab?
C: Horford, Zizic

If we trade AB for future picks for cap space for Griffin and then do something like Rozier and Jackson for O'Quinn in New York, that's a championship-level roster right there!

[crimson_stallion]

If we don't get Hayward he has to be our #1 option. Since we can't carry over our cap space to next year it's very important we add someone in FA this offseason.

Blake is a great fit in our offensive. We run a lot of our offense through our bigs via the dribble hand off, Blake is an excellent passer. He doesn't really get to showcase it in Doc's offense but his passing would really be unlocked in our offense.

I'm a believer that Blake can be a prolific rebounder if he's not playing next to DeAndre Jordan.

He's become a good positional defender, and is an improving 3 point shooter.

Injuries are the biggest question, but I think that can be mitigated by giving him a shorter deal, ideally a 3 year max.

Why woukd he take a 3 year max x  when some team will almost certainly offer him a full max?

[crimson_stallion]

I round certainly course Hayward over Griffin.

He's younger I believe,  and while I can live with some injury risk...Blake's is really,  really significant - his untimely playoff injuries have almost single handedly cost the Clippers any shot at playoff success.

So out of those two I think I'd have to take Hayward.

[jpotter33]

If we don't get Hayward he has to be our #1 option. Since we can't carry over our cap space to next year it's very important we add someone in FA this offseason.

Blake is a great fit in our offensive. We run a lot of our offense through our bigs via the dribble hand off, Blake is an excellent passer. He doesn't really get to showcase it in Doc's offense but his passing would really be unlocked in our offense.

I'm a believer that Blake can be a prolific rebounder if he's not playing next to DeAndre Jordan.

He's become a good positional defender, and is an improving 3 point shooter.

Injuries are the biggest question, but I think that can be mitigated by giving him a shorter deal, ideally a 3 year max.

These are things people don't appreciate with Griffin. He's a perfect fit for our system and needs right now.

I think he'll also thrive as a secondary scorer behind IT, too. He's long been playing as a 1 option in that Clippers system, but I think he's more of a natural secondary scorer.

[Big333223]

Does a core of Griffin, Hayward, Horford, IT4, and Fultz/Bradley - backed up by perhaps the best bench in basketball: (Smart, Olynyk, Crowder, Fultz/Bradley/Jaylen Brown/T. Zeller) beat Cleveland?

Definitely but there's no way for the C's to get both Hayward and Griffin. They wouldn't even be able to get one of them without dumping Olynyk, Zeller, and maybe someone else.

I think you are referencing this article: http://www.celticshub.com/2017/05/26/looking-forward-celtics-future/

Would you sign and trade IT4 for Griffin? If Paul goes to the Spurs, the Clips will need someone to keep the fans in their seats. ...as I understand that article, the bigger issue is the future, not the present, no? So long as we sign Hayward first.

I wasn't referencing a specific article. The reality of the salary cap is that the Celtics don't have room to sign both players and to sign even one of them, the C's would have to let all of their free agents go.

As for a sign-and-trade for Griffin, the salaries don't come close to matching so if the C's have already signed Hayward, IT could not be traded for Griffin straight up.

On top of that I think the sign-and-trade rules have changed so if the Clippers resign Griffin, they are kind of handcuffed in trading him anyway. But that, I'm not clear on.

[hodgy03038]

How did we arrive at the conclusion that he is considering the Celtics? Because he was impressed by the ovation to PP34? Anybody can be impressed but doesn't mean they are considering coming here. I have NEVER once heard that rumor until this post. I have heard the re-signing with the Clips or returning home to OKC but never heard that HE had interest in coming here. That being said, the post should be labeled "Are we considering making a ruin at Blake Griffin?" I would say probably not.

[Big333223]

If we don't get Hayward he has to be our #1 option. Since we can't carry over our cap space to next year it's very important we add someone in FA this offseason.

Blake is a great fit in our offensive. We run a lot of our offense through our bigs via the dribble hand off, Blake is an excellent passer. He doesn't really get to showcase it in Doc's offense but his passing would really be unlocked in our offense.

I'm a believer that Blake can be a prolific rebounder if he's not playing next to DeAndre Jordan.

He's become a good positional defender, and is an improving 3 point shooter.

Injuries are the biggest question, but I think that can be mitigated by giving him a shorter deal, ideally a 3 year max.

These are things people don't appreciate with Griffin. He's a perfect fit for our system and needs right now.

I think he'll also thrive as a secondary scorer behind IT, too. He's long been playing as a 1 option in that Clippers system, but I think he's more of a natural secondary scorer.

When CP3 has been injured, though, Griffin has excelled as the #1 ballhandler and scorer (again, when healthy). I think you're right that he can work either way but the special thing about him is his passing ability that would make him ideal for Stevens.

[tarheelsxxiii]

I don't see him considering any team outside of LA.  Seems more interested in his brand than basketball, and even less about winning.

[screwedupmaniac]

Who has the better shot at stopping LeBron on the defensive side: Blake or Hayward?  If healthy, I will take Blake, as he would be a great defensive matchup against LeBron.  I also agree with previous posts about the importance of Jaylen Brown and Fultz getting minutes to blossom with.

[hodgy03038]

I don't see him considering any team outside of LA.  Seems more interested in his brand than basketball, and even less about winning.

I totally agree with this.