one lineup I am excited to see...

[blink]

if Smart doesn't get traded is:

hybrid not-so-small-small-ball
Smart, Brown, Hayward, Tatum, Horford.

Smart and Brown were good on Def a lot of the time last year, Smarts bulldog toughness and Jaylen length is a good combo.  Smart is becoming a better passer, and a good leader of the 2nd team, Jaylen is going to be more aggressive getting to the hoop.  Add three other guys that can hit the 3 and we can play inside out with Smart and Brown attacking the rim and looking for mismatch kickouts to Hayward, Tatum and Al.  We have good size across the board except that Tatum is a bit thin right now, he and Gordon could swap def assignments.

[celtics2030]

I know you are praying they keep Smart.

[blink]

I know you are praying they keep Smart.

Not really, I just hope we don't lose all of Smart, Bradley, Crowder.   but that particular lineup looks good to me.  My opinion is they should trade Crowder

[trickybilly]

I know you are praying they keep Smart.

Not really, I just hope we don't lose all of Smart, Bradley, Crowder.   but that particular lineup looks good to me.  My opinion is they should trade Crowder

Why would we do that?

Or do you mean if Utah was to throw in Favors? But even in that case we could do it with just Bradley and Crowder, or Bradley and Smart, or Crowder, Smart, and Rozier. You don't need to trade all three in order to get under the cap whilst accommodating Favors' salary..

[Androslav]

After watching bits of both summer league games, I gotta admit I am pretty high on Tatum. He scores smoothly and has a great body to help him with that.

The thing I got intrigued with, is his pairing with Jaylen. Those 2 athletic, hungry, willing and able guys will absolutely punish other teams excuses for bench wings.
Jaylen is the physical, aggressive, defensive piercing one, while Tatum is more skilled, more natural scorer type of player. That is a young bench combo made in heaven and they are all ours.

[TheSundanceKid]

I know you are praying they keep Smart.

Not really, I just hope we don't lose all of Smart, Bradley, Crowder.   but that particular lineup looks good to me.  My opinion is they should trade Crowder

Why would we do that?

Or do you mean if Utah was to throw in Favors? But even in that case we could do it with just Bradley and Crowder, or Bradley and Smart, or Crowder, Smart, and Rozier. You don't need to trade all three in order to get under the cap whilst accommodating Favors' salary..

Where has this Favors talk come from? There's zero reason for Utah to do us a favour (pun intended) and send him our way at all.

If we end up doing a sign and trade it will have Rozier or Jackson going the other way and that is it. There's absolutely no reason for Utah to send us anything else especially as they have just lost Hayward.

If there is no sign and trade I would expect Crowder to go because he is the most redundant. Bradley has a big pay day coming but I see us paying him regardless. I also think Smart will come cheaper than some imagine.

Not a chance Favors comes here though, just green goggles...

[bellerephon]

I agree that Utah has no reason to do the Celts any favors, but if they were getting Crowder they would be getting a really good player on a great contract. That would be worth something to them, and if they Celts had they chance to trade Crowder elsewhere for something, they might be willing to offer a piece. Keep in mind this is a crushing development for Utah, getting a player like Crowder would be better than nothing.

[blink]

when I said I thought we should trade Crowder, I didn't only mean Utah.  There are probably other options that we get better value out of trading him.

[blink]

I know you are praying they keep Smart.

Not really, I just hope we don't lose all of Smart, Bradley, Crowder.   but that particular lineup looks good to me.  My opinion is they should trade Crowder

Why would we do that?

Or do you mean if Utah was to throw in Favors? But even in that case we could do it with just Bradley and Crowder, or Bradley and Smart, or Crowder, Smart, and Rozier. You don't need to trade all three in order to get under the cap whilst accommodating Favors' salary..

I just feel that Crowder is the most expendable at this point.  It doesn't have to be to Utah, find another trading partner.  I would try to hang onto AB and Smart at least for the start of the season and see how IT recovers.

[Surferdad]

I know you are praying they keep Smart.

Not really, I just hope we don't lose all of Smart, Bradley, Crowder.   but that particular lineup looks good to me.  My opinion is they should trade Crowder

Why would we do that?

Or do you mean if Utah was to throw in Favors? But even in that case we could do it with just Bradley and Crowder, or Bradley and Smart, or Crowder, Smart, and Rozier. You don't need to trade all three in order to get under the cap whilst accommodating Favors' salary..

I just feel that Crowder is the most expendable at this point.  It doesn't have to be to Utah, find another trading partner.  I would try to hang onto AB and Smart at least for the start of the season and see how IT recovers.

I see it a bit differently.  What if DA can't get another decent big?  With Amir, KO and Zeller all gone, and Zizic looking like he's not ready, I have the notion to hang onto Crowder.  At least Crowder can play PF in small-ball lineup.

[blink]

I know you are praying they keep Smart.

Not really, I just hope we don't lose all of Smart, Bradley, Crowder.   but that particular lineup looks good to me.  My opinion is they should trade Crowder

Why would we do that?

Or do you mean if Utah was to throw in Favors? But even in that case we could do it with just Bradley and Crowder, or Bradley and Smart, or Crowder, Smart, and Rozier. You don't need to trade all three in order to get under the cap whilst accommodating Favors' salary..

I just feel that Crowder is the most expendable at this point.  It doesn't have to be to Utah, find another trading partner.  I would try to hang onto AB and Smart at least for the start of the season and see how IT recovers.

I see it a bit differently.  What if DA can't get another decent big?  With Amir, KO and Zeller all gone, and Zizic looking like he's not ready, I have the notion to hang onto Crowder.  At least Crowder can play PF in small-ball lineup.

That is certainly a reasonable option.  If DA can't find a good trade partner, then do the min sign and trade for rozier / parts to get GH, and just start the season not moving AB, Smart or Crowder.  Crowder starts at the 4, and hopefully the offensive + plus by adding GH is significantly better than the def drop we get by having Crowder play small ball 4.

[BitterJim]

I know you are praying they keep Smart.

Not really, I just hope we don't lose all of Smart, Bradley, Crowder.   but that particular lineup looks good to me.  My opinion is they should trade Crowder

Why would we do that?

Or do you mean if Utah was to throw in Favors? But even in that case we could do it with just Bradley and Crowder, or Bradley and Smart, or Crowder, Smart, and Rozier. You don't need to trade all three in order to get under the cap whilst accommodating Favors' salary..

Where has this Favors talk come from? There's zero reason for Utah to do us a favour (pun intended) and send him our way at all.

If we end up doing a sign and trade it will have Rozier or Jackson going the other way and that is it. There's absolutely no reason for Utah to send us anything else especially as they have just lost Hayward.

If there is no sign and trade I would expect Crowder to go because he is the most redundant. Bradley has a big pay day coming but I see us paying him regardless. I also think Smart will come cheaper than some imagine.

Not a chance Favors comes here though, just green goggles...

Favors wouldn't be a "throw in" in that case - it would essentially be trading Crowder+Bradley for Favors and doing a Hayward sign and trade (and the sign and trade part might not even be necessary)

[Tr1boy]

I like the look of this starting lineup in a year or two

Horford
Tatum (added mass)
Brown
Hayward
AB

[Chris22]

IT, Brown, Hayward, Tatum, and Horford.

[tonydelk]

I like the look of this starting lineup in a year or two

Horford
Tatum (added mass)
Brown
Hayward
AB

2018 lineup and future beast of the east
Michael Porter Jr.
Brown
Hayward
Tatum
Ayton