Assuming We Whiff On Hayward, What's The "Best" Fallback Option?

[Darío SpanishFan]

I think if we fail to land Hayward, and with Griffin/Millsap out of reach, we only have two paths.

1. Improve via trade. Carmelo, Chandler, Monroe, Drummond, etc. We have some good options and assets to get a couple of guys to balance the team, especially in the paint. Also, some FAs left (for example, Pau Gasol or even Gerald Green or look at Europe) can be coveted.

2. Go young in the hardest way. Trade IT and Crowder for picks or rookie-scaled players. I wouldn't trade Horford because that would kill our credibility for future FAs until next summer and also because of the salary floor. Also, I'd keep Bradley as team captain and carrier of the Celtic tradition. Let's see if Mickey or Demetrius develop with playing time while keeping cap space and collecting picks.

My head prefers path number 2. If we can't compete with the Cavaliers or Warriors, do whatever you can to win in 2020 and build a dynasty. My heart prefers path #1, I want to win as much games as we can.

[celticinorlando]

They needed to spend money this year. Not getting Hayward would hurt that and basically force them into going young. Actually think they resign both Thomas and Bradley

[Surferdad]

Like DaroSpanishFan said, there is a salary floor.  If you trade Horford, IT, Bradley you will be forced to either (1) take back some salary you don't want and/or (2) sign some bloated FA contracts and/or (3) re-sign guys like KO/Smart to bigger contracts than they deserve.  I don't think any of those 3 possibilities or combinations gets you into full-tank mode or make 2020 any more likely to be closer to a championship.

[Celtics4ever]

A lot of guys on this poll are already gone.

[nebist]

Question: Can someone refresh me on the extension rules using cap space?  Are all three of Thomas, Bradley, and Smart eligible for that type of extension?  I think getting 1-2 of those guys done in a manner that makes their future salary more reasonable under the cap would be a viable backup plan if we strike out with Hayward.

[Jvalin]

I think if we fail to land Hayward, and with Griffin/Millsap out of reach, we only have two paths.

1. Improve via trade. Carmelo, Chandler, Monroe, Drummond, etc. We have some good options and assets to get a couple of guys to balance the team, especially in the paint. Also, some FAs left (for example, Pau Gasol or even Gerald Green or look at Europe) can be coveted.

2. Go young in the hardest way. Trade IT and Crowder for picks or rookie-scaled players. I wouldn't trade Horford because that would kill our credibility for future FAs until next summer and also because of the salary floor. Also, I'd keep Bradley as team captain and carrier of the Celtic tradition. Let's see if Mickey or Demetrius develop with playing time while keeping cap space and collecting picks.

My head prefers path number 2. If we can't compete with the Cavaliers or Warriors, do whatever you can to win in 2020 and build a dynasty. My heart prefers path #1, I want to win as much games as we can.

That's what I 'd do as well (path #2). My only objection is I would keep Crowder. Having said that, I 'm pretty confident we are gonna sign Hayward.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Best fall back option is probably make an extension for Thomas.

[Phantom255x]

A lot of guys on this poll are already gone.

LOL GG. 

[OldSchoolDude]

I liked Alex Lin and Shabazz Muhammad a lot coming out of college.  It looks like they will both be available now.

The Wolves pulled their qualifying offer to Shabazz Muhammad, making him an unrestricted free agent, according to ESPN. Muhammad, a 6-foot-6 wing, spent the past four seasons in Minnesota and averaged 9.9 points last season. (Updated Sunday, July 2 at 10:02 p.m. ET)

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/2017-nba-free-agency-trades-rumors-hill-meeting-with-lakers-hayward-in-no-hurry/

The Suns now have $10M in cap space after the Leandro Barbosa waiver and can create up to $25M. Phoenix however would have to let restricted free agent Alex Len go in order to create such room.

http://hoopshype.com/storyline/alex-len-free-agency/

I'd like it if we mad a run at these guys especially if we end up trading away Bradley and can't find a quality big, which seems likely. 

[mctyson]

I think many people are forgetting that the Celtics' "fallback" is to resign IT, AB, and Marcus into the cap space.

[celticinorlando]

I think they resign KO and get Smart and IT resigned. From there I guess they try to add spare parts to fill out the roster. Going to need to get a big ASAP

[Celtics18]

If we miss on Hayward, let's just blow it up.

Seriously. We never used our assets to help IT and Horford to get a team that can win now, and Hayward should be that piece (whether he's enough or not is another story, but we can agree that he's the help coming in). If we miss out on him, there's no other marquee Free Agent available.

And our cap space won't be there next year with our pending extensions, unless we don't extend anyone.

If we miss out on him, hand the reigns to the young guys. Keep hoarding assets by trading Al and IT. Play the youth. Invest in the draft. Better than that trying to plug in guys just for the sake of using our cap space, something we passed on trading Butler and Boogie for just to have. We had the chance to have a championship contending team and we passed on it. If we whiff this, let's just go back to tanking.

Build thru the draft, right? Then let's freaking do it.

We are building thru the draft.  We have three top five draft picks from the last four drafts on the roster, plus another couple of lottery picks next year, all without having to tank.

This is such an amazing thing Danny is building.  We are already the second best team in the East.  I seriously doubt there was anything we could do this off-season to make us first.  This team, led by Thomas, Horford, and Stevens, is going to give it a good effort, though. 

Plus, we have a juicy outlook for the future.  From my perspective, things are sunny in Celtic land .

[Surferdad]

If we miss on Hayward, let's just blow it up.

Seriously. We never used our assets to help IT and Horford to get a team that can win now, and Hayward should be that piece (whether he's enough or not is another story, but we can agree that he's the help coming in). If we miss out on him, there's no other marquee Free Agent available.

And our cap space won't be there next year with our pending extensions, unless we don't extend anyone.

If we miss out on him, hand the reigns to the young guys. Keep hoarding assets by trading Al and IT. Play the youth. Invest in the draft. Better than that trying to plug in guys just for the sake of using our cap space, something we passed on trading Butler and Boogie for just to have. We had the chance to have a championship contending team and we passed on it. If we whiff this, let's just go back to tanking.

Build thru the draft, right? Then let's freaking do it.

We are building thru the draft.  We have three top five draft picks from the last four drafts on the roster, plus another couple of lottery picks next year, all without having to tank.

This is such an amazing thing Danny is building.  We are already the second best team in the East.  I seriously doubt there was anything we could do this off-season to make us first.  This team, led by Thomas, Horford, and Stevens, is going to give it a good effort, though. 

Plus, we have a juicy outlook for the future.  From my perspective, things are sunny in Celtic land .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lOL2h8F3aA
Couldn't resist.   

[celticinorlando]

People are just impatient. Want them do get there now. Thing is the Cavs are about done and they need to wait out GS.

Danny's peak needs to be about 2020...from there Boston should have these young lottery picks developed

[Dino Pitino]

If we blew it up and got rid of every player over 25, as long as we traded Isaiah and Horford to the West, we'd probably still make the playoffs in the East. Not a joke.