Here are the playoff-level teams who could take on Morris pretty easily without sending back salary, and have non-lottery picks ahead of us:

Indiana (cap room) — #23
Minnesota (would have to find a third team to take on Cole Aldrich’s $2 million guaranteed for next season by 6/20, but that’s probably doable) — #20
Portland (Crabbe trade exception) — #24
Utah (Sefalosha non-guaranteed, but I’m admittedly not 100% positive how trading a contract that’s non-guaranteed next year works if you trade it in June — I think it’s legit, but could be wrong) — #21

I don’t think I’d be willing to give up Morris just to move up to Indiana or Portland’s spot.  I could be talked into #20 or #21, but even that feels like poor value, and I’d probably want a 2nd back as well.

If we got up to #20, I’d love to get Keita Bates-Diop if he’s still available.  He seems like someone ready to be a Day 1 contributor.  He also took a huge step forward in his game this year after a coaching change Ohio State, which makes me think there could be an above-average amount of growth left in his game for a 4-year college player.  I think in year 2 he’d be about ready to give us near what we got from Morris this year and expect from him next year.  At 6’8” with a 7’3” wingspan he can play multiple positions in the frontcourt.  Not a starter on the Celtics, but we need cheap reserves to afford a Kyrie-Hayward-Brown-Tatum-Horford core for the next several years, and Bates-Diop could give us multiple years of that.

Here are the playoff-level teams who could take on Morris pretty easily without sending back salary, and have non-lottery picks ahead of us:

Indiana (cap room) — #23
Minnesota (would have to find a third team to take on Cole Aldrich’s $2 million guaranteed for next season by 6/20, but that’s probably doable) — #20
Portland (Crabbe trade exception) — #24
Utah (Sefalosha non-guaranteed, but I’m admittedly not 100% positive how trading a contract that’s non-guaranteed next year works if you trade it in June — I think it’s legit, but could be wrong) — #21

I don’t think I’d be willing to give up Morris just to move up to Indiana or Portland’s spot.  I could be talked into #20 or #21, but even that feels like poor value, and I’d probably want a 2nd back as well.

If we got up to #20, I’d love to get Keita Bates-Diop if he’s still available.  He seems like someone ready to be a Day 1 contributor.  He also took a huge step forward in his game this year after a coaching change Ohio State, which makes me think there could be an above-average amount of growth left in his game for a 4-year college player.  I think in year 2 he’d be about ready to give us near what we got from Morris this year and expect from him next year.  At 6’8” with a 7’3” wingspan he can play multiple positions in the frontcourt.  Not a starter on the Celtics, but we need cheap reserves to afford a Kyrie-Hayward-Brown-Tatum-Horford core for the next several years, and Bates-Diop could give us multiple years of that.

Agree with all this. Snagging Bates-Diop would be an awesome pickup for us, especially in the wake of losing Morris. Not sure how many teams would be willing to absorb Morris though

Morris and 27 won’t get you in the teens.  Not even close.

That's where I'm at, and I don't want to trade him away to move up about 5 spots. I'm not the biggest Morris fan around, but his role next year should be perfect for the team, albeit not so much for Team Morris. If he has it going you give him a good amount of run. However, on the day he's off, we will have the depth to give him a quick hook and not have him shoot us out of the game.

Morris is a useful player on a good contract.  So we should trade him to move up a few slots in the draft to take a player that may not end up being any better than the player we could have picked in the first place?

I don't see it.

Quote from: Vermont Green on June 10, 2018, 09:35:54 PM

Morris is a useful player on a good contract.  So we should trade him to move up a few slots in the draft to take a player that may not end up being any better than the player we could have picked in the first place?

I don't see it.

A couple of rationales.

1) He has hinted at displeasure with his role next year, which happens to be his walk year.  That could create tension, and with a Morris, potential dysfunction.

2) If you want to keep Smart, as the Celtics probably do, then a little extra room beneath the tax will help scare off teams from giving him an offer sheet, which gives the team more leverage in contract negotiations.  Sending off an expiring Morris could essentially give the team a much better chance of keeping Smart for 4-5 seasons.  If you’re someone who wants Smart gone no matter what, the. You’ll hate that, but that’s not likely the prevailing view in the Celtics’ front office, nor most any front office in the league.

3) To get to 23-24 I agree with you.  To get to #20, however, brings you to a higher tier of player in this draft.  That’s useful on its own — it’s also useful in creating a package to move still higher in the draft.  My fingers will be crossed for a Morris trade to Minnesota before Aldrich’s contract guarantees and makes such a deal no longer doable.

Looks like Aldrich has to be waived by the day before the draft so I doubt Minny would do the trade.  Morris isn't good enough to miss out on the possibility of someone dropping down or a trade up. 

Morris and 27 is a start of a salary dump. Add Yabu and Nader and you trade it into BKN cap space.

Morris and 27 is a start of a salary dump. Add Yabu and Nader and you trade it into BKN cap space.

Harsh views on Morris and Yabusele...