Luol Deng might be a good solution if the Celtics decide to get under the LT

[nickagneta]

I’d be all about it if we do in fact trade Morris to a team with space or a TPE. I like what Morris brings to the Cs, but his impact and Deng’s projected impact probably don’t differ all that much, if healthy. And if not healthy, well, we aren’t winning the championship. Getting under the tax remains one of my biggest concerns and I don’t even know why!! 

I think Morris' impact would be huge compared to Deng. There will be 5-6 games, some of them important ones,  where Moriis will give you 25 plus points and be the reason the Celtics win. There is no way Deng can do that anymore.

you are basing this off of one season, an injury-plagued stretch ample with minutes for forwards.  It is hardly likely Morris will see enough minutes with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown more deserving.  Insurance is one thing but too much fat can kill a man.  Makes no sense to keep him beyond a certain point if it costs the team one season in the future.

I am basing this on Morris's last 4-5 years.  He has had those types of games every one of those years. He will have them again. Tatum, Brown and Hayward won't play every game nor will they play 30 MPG every game they play in. If Morris goes in and scores a quick 10-12, which he did a bunch last year even though he missed a lot of games, Stevens will give him the chances to have a big game.

As for who will go to get under the cap, Danny will move guys at the end of the bench to do that before he moves an integral rotation player on a contending team.

He can't move the guys at the end of the bench.  They don't clear enough space without moving two guys and they still have to replace those players with minimum contracts.  If the team is going to get under they have one option.  And your prediction only makes sense if those players give up more minutes, and frankly, I would rather have Hayward and Brown and Tatum play more.

Yup, Yabu and either Wannamaker or Bird could go. And Danny wouldn't have to replace anyone. You can have as little as 13 players on your main roster. And the 2 way players can fit into slots 14 and 15 if they are needed, which if everyone is healthy, they might not be needed since only 13 players can can dress.

[bogg]

I’d be all about it if we do in fact trade Morris to a team with space or a TPE. I like what Morris brings to the Cs, but his impact and Deng’s projected impact probably don’t differ all that much, if healthy. And if not healthy, well, we aren’t winning the championship. Getting under the tax remains one of my biggest concerns and I don’t even know why!! 

I think Morris' impact would be huge compared to Deng. There will be 5-6 games, some of them important ones,  where Moriis will give you 25 plus points and be the reason the Celtics win. There is no way Deng can do that anymore.

you are basing this off of one season, an injury-plagued stretch ample with minutes for forwards.  It is hardly likely Morris will see enough minutes with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown more deserving.  Insurance is one thing but too much fat can kill a man.  Makes no sense to keep him beyond a certain point if it costs the team one season in the future.

Not for nothing, but as of right now Morris is the first 3/4 off the bench for this team. He won't play 30 minutes a night for them, but they aren't going to struggle to find time for him either.

[Hoopvortex]

I’d be all about it if we do in fact trade Morris to a team with space or a TPE. I like what Morris brings to the Cs, but his impact and Deng’s projected impact probably don’t differ all that much, if healthy. And if not healthy, well, we aren’t winning the championship. Getting under the tax remains one of my biggest concerns and I don’t even know why!! 

I think Morris' impact would be huge compared to Deng. There will be 5-6 games, some of them important ones,  where Moriis will give you 25 plus points and be the reason the Celtics win. There is no way Deng can do that anymore.

I'm skeptical about the 5-6 number, though you're certainly right about his ability to do it. He did it only three times last year, I believe, and it's not obvious where all those shots are going to come from with this year's roster. You could have said the same thing last year, though, and maybe that's the real point - he can deliver when you need it.

In any case you've got to squint pretty hard to see Deng contributing. Boston has great leadership already, and it's not clear that he could even get in a game.

[GreenEnvy]

Saw Deng in a couple highlights of that Africa vs the world game or whatever it was and he looked really old and out of shape.

Guy is finished on the elite stage. No thanks.

[GRADYCOLNON]

I guess it's really about filling a role more apt for the roster.  Morris and the Celtics will come to an end whether it's now, middle of the season, trade deadline, or end of the year.  It will happen.  There is some debate about whether he is worth moving to get under the cap.  I think it is too logical to make a deal so the team's books are under the taxes. 

The reason I'm interested in putting Deng on the table is his body of work.  As suggested, many believe he is washed out, gone and unlikely to return to form.  It's reasonable.  He keeps getting checks and fat ones at that.  But the man has talent.  He needs to get in shape.  Lest we forget he is only 33.  There are plenty of men older than him who can make an impact.  Deng surely has aged but we are talking about an iron horse that was put on a shelf for two years to rot. 

Deng doesn't need to fill the same role as Morris.  He doesn't need to be the first man off the bench.  He doesn't need to go into isolation or shoot every time or let the ball stick.  No, he is a baller who knows what his role is.  A man that can do the dirty work on defense, to hitting threes, to making the right pass.  And play the minutes that Stevens needs him to fill.  And mentor the young forwards, to teach them what real commitment and sacrifice mean if they want to be the best defenders. 

Although he is washed out, he can come back.  There is time.  The Celtics have the luxury of patience.  If he truly doesn't want to chase a ring, he won't try.  But knowing that man's body of work, the things he did in Chicago followed up by Miami, this man is still hungry. The man is worth it especially if he's cheap.

[iadera]

Saw Deng in a couple highlights of that Africa vs the world game or whatever it was and he looked really old and out of shape.

Guy is finished on the elite stage. No thanks.

[Hank Finkel]

I guess it's really about filling a role more apt for the roster.  Morris and the Celtics will come to an end whether it's now, middle of the season, trade deadline, or end of the year.  It will happen.  There is some debate about whether he is worth moving to get under the cap.  I think it is too logical to make a deal so the team's books are under the taxes. 

The reason I'm interested in putting Deng on the table is his body of work.  As suggested, many believe he is washed out, gone and unlikely to return to form.  It's reasonable.  He keeps getting checks and fat ones at that.  But the man has talent.  He needs to get in shape.  Lest we forget he is only 33.  There are plenty of men older than him who can make an impact.  Deng surely has aged but we are talking about an iron horse that was put on a shelf for two years to rot. 

Deng doesn't need to fill the same role as Morris.  He doesn't need to be the first man off the bench.  He doesn't need to go into isolation or shoot every time or let the ball stick.  No, he is a baller who knows what his role is.  A man that can do the dirty work on defense, to hitting threes, to making the right pass.  And play the minutes that Stevens needs him to fill.  And mentor the young forwards, to teach them what real commitment and sacrifice mean if they want to be the best defenders. 

Although he is washed out, he can come back.  There is time.  The Celtics have the luxury of patience.  If he truly doesn't want to chase a ring, he won't try.  But knowing that man's body of work, the things he did in Chicago followed up by Miami, this man is still hungry. The man is worth it especially if he's cheap.

Any professional athlete who lets themselves go physically can not be counted on to be successful in the long run.  The Celtics are to good and deep to want to take on a 33 year old project who doesn’t take his physical fitness seriously.  Deng is done, he will collect his money and retire in luxury.

[Celtics4ever]

Any professional athlete who lets themselves go physically can not be counted on to be successful in the long run. 

I agree, but this blog loved Sully when this was blatantly clear for a long time.

I think the Deng idea is beyond bad.   OP has to be his brother or the like because it makes zero basketball sense.

[bdm860]

Any professional athlete who lets themselves go physically can not be counted on to be successful in the long run. 

I agree, but this blog loved Sully when this was blatantly clear for a long time.

I think the Deng idea is beyond bad.   OP has to be his brother or the like because it makes zero basketball sense.

It would be pretty cool if Ajou Deng was posting on this board.  Dude was supposed to be a shot blocking version of Kevin Durant.

Sports Illustrated article:

Limited to practicing with the Huskies last season because he was only a partial academic qualifier, Deng, now 6'11" and 205 pounds, showed off his pterodactyl-sized 7'4" wingspan during an open-to-the-public practice before the semifinals. Up went teammate Ricky Moore's jump shot. Swat. Up went Jake Voskuhl's layup. Swat. "He blocks five or six shots--spectacular blocks--and everyone is oohing and aahing," says UConn coach Jim Calhoun. "I'll remember that forever." In a matter of 10 minutes Deng nearly became the first player to make the All-Final Four team without seeing a minute of time in the tournament.

Not everyone at Tropicana Field was caught by surprise that afternoon. Only days earlier a reporter had asked Huskies guard Khalid El-Amin how Deng was playing in practice. "Oh, he's the best player on the team," El-Amin replied.

You mean besides you and Richard Hamilton, right?

"I said, he's the best player on the team."

[LatterDayCelticsfan]

Any professional athlete who lets themselves go physically can not be counted on to be successful in the long run. 

I agree, but this blog loved Sully when this was blatantly clear for a long time.

I think the Deng idea is beyond bad.   OP has to be his brother or the like because it makes zero basketball sense.

Big Difference. Deng's situation is that we haven't seen him on the floor so long we don't know for sure i he can still ball. Sully was just fat


Not that I love this idea though

[Moranis]

Just a reminder Deng hated playing in Cleveland in that final season before James returned to town.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/lawrence-deng-isn-happy-traded-mess-cleveland-article-1.1598983

https://www.fearthesword.com/2014/2/2/5370192/nba-rumors-luol-deng-and-others-express-frustration-with-cleveland

bunch of other articles out there on it.  Now maybe it wasn't directly related to Kyrie, but he was at least a part of the reason that lockerroom was such a mess.

[GRADYCOLNON]

I guess it's really about filling a role more apt for the roster.  Morris and the Celtics will come to an end whether it's now, middle of the season, trade deadline, or end of the year.  It will happen.  There is some debate about whether he is worth moving to get under the cap.  I think it is too logical to make a deal so the team's books are under the taxes. 

The reason I'm interested in putting Deng on the table is his body of work.  As suggested, many believe he is washed out, gone and unlikely to return to form.  It's reasonable.  He keeps getting checks and fat ones at that.  But the man has talent.  He needs to get in shape.  Lest we forget he is only 33.  There are plenty of men older than him who can make an impact.  Deng surely has aged but we are talking about an iron horse that was put on a shelf for two years to rot. 

Deng doesn't need to fill the same role as Morris.  He doesn't need to be the first man off the bench.  He doesn't need to go into isolation or shoot every time or let the ball stick.  No, he is a baller who knows what his role is.  A man that can do the dirty work on defense, to hitting threes, to making the right pass.  And play the minutes that Stevens needs him to fill.  And mentor the young forwards, to teach them what real commitment and sacrifice mean if they want to be the best defenders. 

Although he is washed out, he can come back.  There is time.  The Celtics have the luxury of patience.  If he truly doesn't want to chase a ring, he won't try.  But knowing that man's body of work, the things he did in Chicago followed up by Miami, this man is still hungry. The man is worth it especially if he's cheap.

Any professional athlete who lets themselves go physically can not be counted on to be successful in the long run.  The Celtics are to good and deep to want to take on a 33 year old project who doesn’t take his physical fitness seriously.  Deng is done, he will collect his money and retire in luxury.

He wasn't playing because the Lakers didn't let him. To get into physical shape for the league isn't as hard for these guys as you are making it out to be.  The guy clearly thinks he is worth more than 7.5M otherwise he wouldn't have taken the buyout.  I think it is too early to say he is done if we haven't given him a shot to prove us wrong.  That doesn't mean we should sign him now, but I think he'd be a really good option as a veteran back-up if Ojeleye and Yabusele and Theis all don't make a bigger impact and if the team has to move on from Morris.  His game fits the boxes, whether he is healthy is another entire legit reason that you guys are probably correct right now.

[GRADYCOLNON]

Just a reminder Deng hated playing in Cleveland in that final season before James returned to town.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/lawrence-deng-isn-happy-traded-mess-cleveland-article-1.1598983

https://www.fearthesword.com/2014/2/2/5370192/nba-rumors-luol-deng-and-others-express-frustration-with-cleveland

bunch of other articles out there on it.  Now maybe it wasn't directly related to Kyrie, but he was at least a part of the reason that lockerroom was such a mess.

do you mean Kyrie or Deng? I can't tell because the pronoun use is difficult to follow.  I think you mean Deng but the way your grammar means Kyrie.  Either way, Kyrie is on this team and he hasn't caused problems even though he was part of the locker room problems in Cleveland.

[Celtics4ever]

Big Difference. Deng's situation is that we haven't seen him on the floor so long we don't know for sure i he can still ball. Sully was just fat

Not really Sully let himself go and so did Deng.   He has not been good for years, this was a silly idea to put it nicely.  I don't want to see what his decrepit body can do.  Ainge does not want it either, as he is out to win, not the give the old dukie a pasture before the glue factory.

[More Banners]

Are we talking about replacing Yabu and Wanamaker with Deng?

Oh my sweet lord Jesus please let at least preseason games start.