Since the news about the AD trade broke out, I feel kinda torn about it and his possible reunion with Ky in the Celtics.
First of all let me say that AD is a TOP 5 player in a league. Period. He’s young (26), big versatile player who can do about everything on the floor, on the elite level. He can score, rebound, pass, run, has an outside and inside game, a rim protector. He can p’n’r and p’n’p. Play center or can play alongside to one (seems like he prefers PF). Seems like a good likeable dude, a true professional… He is what you need if you are trying to win. He can be a No.1 player on a championship team (btw, before the start of the season I had him winning MPV, I thought he would give Pelicans one last try to win, and if things would go south, then he would go out with his trade demand. Obviously, I was wrong, so we are having this kind of a weird situation).
What can I say about Jayson Tatum? I mean, the guy is everything we could ask for. Paul Pierce is probably the most popular Celtic of all time, along with Larry and Bill. He was everything Celtic fans could ask for. Jayson Tatum could be the next Paul Pierce. He could play for the Celtics next 15 years. He is only 21. He is a long forward, a swingman, who can do pretty much everything on the floor. He can score on the elite level, he can rebound, he can play inside and outside, he can pass, he plays defense, he runs the floor, he is clutch. Seem s like a low maintenance kind of person, very likeable, great teammate, professional, and probably a future TOP 15-20 player in the league. Everything about this guy screams success. His demeanour, his childhood and parenting by a single mother taught him well. Even the trade with the Philly was awesome, considered as the one in a hundred. This is his second season with the Celtics, says all the right things, wants to stay in Boston and that should be enough. Most importantly, I consider this an organic growth of the franchise and the team and we should stick with that.
Here is why I think Danny should keep Tatum off the table in any conversations regarding Davis trade.
Besides all the above mentioned basketball reasons, do we really, really want to spend our next idk 5-7 years in fear of a health issues with both AD and Kyrie on our team? Do we really want to do that? Because of his athletic abilities and his ultra-extreme changes of directions, Kyrie is having his knee issues. Which is in a way understandable, because this is not normal for any player for how he moves quickly. It has to take its toll on the body, and Kyrie is feeling it already for some time. He is in his prime. The same thing is with AD. He plays the game the same way, with his heart, goes hard every game, and he is fragile, just like Kyrie.
I really like Kyrie and with these 12 deep Celtics team, we can tolerate his annual absence of 15 or even 20 games per season. You got enough guards and enough scorers to cover that. The Playoffs are different animal, we saw it last season. You do not go anywhere without healthy Kyrie. Period.
Now, if we sell our farm to get AD, we do not have enough strength if any of these two are out. Ok, this is not a primary reason I am against this trade proposal because if you are including JT in a trade you are not selling the whole farm (probably), and there is always a solid portion of veterans that can help. The main reason I am against this trade proposal is you have this bright young man, a future star in the league, potential Celtics great, that you are trading for a pretty solid dose of uncertainty.
I don’t know about the rest of you guys but I do not want to spend the next 5-7 years in constant fear of the next Kyrie and AD season ending injury (KG’s knee was enough!). Ofc there is no guarantee that JT will be healthy but you already have this history of number of injuries of Ky and AD based on what you do risk assessment. I can tolerate Ky being out 15-20 games per season, but I am afraid going forward with both AD and Kyrie without JT.
I am down with any trade for AD that involves picks (idk give em 5-6 picks), any of our young players (Semmy, Bob Williams, Yabu), give them Morris and Rozier (I know they are expiring contracts), and give them Brown and Hayward. Take back one of their bad contracts. Whatever, but do not give them Tatum. Or Smarty. These two are the pillars of our future.
If this means Kyrie leaves, fine. We did not lose that trade anyway so why compromise our future. Build with Tatum, Hayward, Horford, Brown, Rozier and others, along with Brad at the helm.
If we are not able to get AD without giving up JT, and Kyrie still signs the extension, Danny should try to keep Big Al while restructuring his next contract giving him less money but with a no trade clause (for a 3 yrs). Al seems that kind of a guy who value championship more than he cares about money (he earned big bucks already).
No need to say that a team build around a core of Kyrie, AD, Tatum, Smart and Big Al is definitely a big contender. If no AD, keep current players, try to resign Kyrie, bring another young big alongside Al, wait Gordon to come back to full strengths, and go all out with our young core. The team structured like this is no slouch and we should not trade our future for the uncertainty surrounding AD (including whole Klutch sports mess).
My proposal would be Hayward, Brown, Rozier, Williams, Morris (if needed), plus picks (4-6 1st round picks) for AD and Hill (I hope this works in Trade machine, if not send fillers). I do not know that the Lakers offer trumps that. Really. If this is not enough, go away and keep the team with one-two upgrades.
My two cents. Go Celtics, finish the season strong.
Nik