Trade/Free Agency Thread 2023-24, part 10 and Counting . . .

[Hal14]

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Garuba's long term upside defensively is really good - I'll give him that.

I just think he's kind of a long term project and he needs minutes to develop. He won't get enough minutes here.

Pelicans could use a backup big man. I think he could be a good fit there. He could potentially get some good mins there..and New Orleans seems to be decent at developing guys too.

[GoCeltics123]

After the acquisition, the Celtics still have one more available roster spot plus further flexibility with Banton’s deal only partially guaranteed and Luke Kornet on a non-guaranteed contract. They are still considering veterans for the final spot, a team source indicated.

https://theathletic.com/4824005/2023/09/01/celtics-sign-svi-mykhailiuk/

Does the article explicitly say if Svi's contract is fully guaranteed? Don't see it reported on Twitter.

I think B Robb said it was? I haven't heard anything definitive but it seems like it is

[31to6]

https://theathletic.com/4824005/2023/09/01/celtics-sign-svi-mykhailiuk/

Does the article explicitly say if Svi's contract is fully guaranteed? Don't see it reported on Twitter.

I think B Robb said it was? I haven't heard anything definitive but it seems like it is

I think the assumption is that it is if he took the Cs offer over the Greek one, but that's an assumption until reported.

If Svi is guaranteed I think it puts Banton in the crosshairs a bit.

[Hal14]

The case for signing Blake to the last roster spot..

-We need another guy to bring that toughness, that physicality, a badass, a bruiser, a guy who will do the dirty work - taking charges, diving on the floor for loose balls, taking a headbutt from Giannis' brother and then laughing in his face.

With Grant and Smart gone, we could use another guy who can be an instigator. But at the same time an intelligent instigator, meaning he will instigate but do it at the right times - not get in the face of Jimmy Butler and give Butler the extra motivation to beat the crap out of us in the 4th quarter of a playoff game. And not talk smack to Donovan Mitchell and then miss 2 FTs to lose us the game haha.

-Smart and Grant are gone. Everyone on the team LOVED grant. The coaches loved him, the Boston media loves him. The media loves Smart too. Tatum was especially close with Grant. Tatum and Brown were both very close with Smart. We need to keep spirits/morale high with this team. We can't be losing too many guys off the team who were so well liked by the other guys on the team - especially guys who were very well liked by Tatum and Brown. Blake is very well liked by the Jays, he was at Hauser's wedding having a blast. And it's also well documented that Blake and Pritchard are close buddies. Pritchard was already asking for a trade last year - if his buddy Blake is gone, then he might not be in such good spirits in order to play his best out there. Laugh if you want, but this stuff matters. These guys aren't robots - this isn't a video game. They're real people with relationships and emotions. You bring in Garuba, Wenyen Gabriel, Biyombo or JaMychal Green, they might do ok but there's also a chance they wouldn't be as good a locker room fit as Blake has proven to be.

-Teams who win titles are typically older, veteran groups with a few guys in their 30's and multiple guys who are older than 32. People complain about how our team has played inconsistent these past few years. Well guess what? The younger the player is, the less NBA experience they have, the more inconsistent they play. This is just logic. Blake is a pro. You know what you're gonna get from him each time he goes in the game. You have less certainty about that with some of the younger, less experienced guys we've added like Walsh, banton, Brissett and Svi. There's also less certainty and likely less consistency you would get form someone like Gabriel or Garuba. Blake is 34. We could use another guy who's in his 30's. Right now, the only guys we have in their 30's are Al at 37 and Brogdon who's 30. That's it. Pretty much everyone else is 26 or younger. A locker room with more older guys in it is a locker room that is more focused on winning a title. When you're younger - like in your 20's, you're typically more focused on your stats and your next contract. But guys in their 30's have already gotten their stats and already made plenty of money. Now they just want to win. Clearly, based on his actions and what he has said in interview, Blake just wants to help us win.

-Continuity is important. You look at the teams who win titles. They don't typically change over half their roster from the previous season. They keep most of the same guys together. We've already turned over our roster quite a bit since last season. Smart and Grant are gone - so is Muscala, Gallo and Champagnie. We added KP, Walsh, Brissett, Banton and Svi. That's quite a bit of turnover. 5 guys gone and 5 new guys added. Let's not have more turnover than that. Bring back Blake.

We add Blake and this would be a really good, deep roster, 1 through 15. All 15 guys healthy, no one who is out for the whole season with a torn ACL. And a balanced roster with guards, wings and bigs. There's enough offense, enough defense, plenty of size, enough shooting. Enough veteran experience. I like it.

[Celts17Pride]

Lamar Stevens is the guy the Celtics should be signing for the last spot. A tough defensive 3/4 that can play the PF spot next to R Williams, Horford, Porzingis or Kornet. Stevens is the best option in my opinion.

Enough of focusing on feel good stories and start concentrating on getting players that can fill a real role and get you closer to winning a championship.

[bigfoot_cryptozoology]

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[Hal14]

Lamar Stevens is the guy the Celtics should be signing for the last spot. A tough defensive 3/4 that can play the PF spot next to R Williams, Horford, Porzingis or Kornet. Stevens is the best option in my opinion.

Enough of focusing on feel good stories and start concentrating on getting players that can fill a real role and get you closer to winning a championship.

I wouldn't hate it if we signed Lamar. I was a big advocate for signing him before the Svi signing. And you do make some valid points for signing him.

But he's essentially a wing. And with Svi onboard, I don't really think we need another wing. I think another big is a bigger need.

And signing Blake isn't just some feel good story. You make it seem like he's a Make a Wish kid. The guy can still play - he's arguably the best FA big left on the market. He gave us good, valuable minutes last season. He gave us hustle, energy, he can still shoot. He sets screens, he had good advanced stats, impacted winning in a positive way when he was on the floor.

We already know that Blake can help this team both on the court and off - we saw it last season. Lamar is a good player but we don't know how he would fit here on the court or off the court. Blake gives us more size and more shooting and gives us more of a veteran presence.

Like I mentioned, continuity matters. Teams who win titles don't typically change over half their roster from the previous season. They keep most of the same guys together. We've already turned over our roster quite a bit since last season. Smart and Grant are gone - so is Muscala, Gallo and Champagnie. We added KP, Walsh, Brissett, Banton and Svi. That's quite a bit of turnover. 5 guys gone and 5 new guys added. Let's not have more turnover than that.

And you might not think so, but stuff like off court chemistry matters. The vibes in the locker room matter. Having guys who get along well together, who have fun together, who have a bond with each other matters. Guys on the team need to feel motivated, they need to feel pumped up and ready to go to war, they need to WANT to really give it their all consistently. If 2 really close friends (Smart, Grant) are gone and then we don't bring back another one of their close friends (Griffin) will our guys have the same level of motivation to go to war together and give it their all every night? Tatum is very close to Griffin and so is Pritchard. All the guys really like Griffin - he fit in here like a glove - on the court and off.

Again, you might not think so, but the interpersonal stuff, the psychological stuff matters, imo. These guys aren't robots and this isn't a video game - they're human beings. Especially when we're talking about a team that just got eliminated in the ECF and after the series, Heat player Gabe Vincent said in an interview how the Heat players could sense that something was off internally with the Celtics. Now more than ever, we need to see that this stuff matters.

[zoyathedestroya]

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[ryan in Maine]

-Smart and Grant are gone. Everyone on the team LOVED grant. The coaches loved him, the Boston media loves him. The media loves Smart too. Tatum was especially close with Grant. Tatum and Brown were both very close with Smart. We need to keep spirits/morale high with this team. We can't be losing too many guys off the team who were so well liked by the other guys on the team - especially guys who were very well liked by Tatum and Brown.

So, I'm not an insider, so you get what you pay for...

The Celtics organization largely viewed Smart and Grant as immature and easily tuned out. Nobody in a Celtics jersey felt any accountability. Closest we got was Ime.

Source: Cribbage game in Unity.

[31to6]

Lamar Stevens is the guy the Celtics should be signing for the last spot. A tough defensive 3/4 that can play the PF spot next to R Williams, Horford, Porzingis or Kornet. Stevens is the best option in my opinion.

Enough of focusing on feel good stories and start concentrating on getting players that can fill a real role and get you closer to winning a championship.

I think you're describing Brissett's role -- IF he can up his defensive impact. per bballref O'shae has spent 70% of his career minutes at PF, compared to 40% for Stevens.

[31to6]

[These guys aren't robots and this isn't a video game - they're human beings.

then WHY when I'm watching on my phone, and I rotate my phone around, do they keep running instead of falling down?

[MeanGeraldGreen]

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[ryan in Maine]

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Right after the reports of JT recruiting Lillard lol

[Celts17Pride]

Lamar Stevens is the guy the Celtics should be signing for the last spot. A tough defensive 3/4 that can play the PF spot next to R Williams, Horford, Porzingis or Kornet. Stevens is the best option in my opinion.

Enough of focusing on feel good stories and start concentrating on getting players that can fill a real role and get you closer to winning a championship.

I think you're describing Brissett's role -- IF he can up his defensive impact. per bballref O'shae has spent 70% of his career minutes at PF, compared to 40% for Stevens.

Why not both?

[bigfoot_cryptozoology]

If Harry Giles had anything left,
you would think the Celtics would have signed him,
if only to keep Tatum happy...

[Hal14]

Not gonna lie, I'm a little surprised Giles got signed before Garuba.

[GoGreen]

-Smart and Grant are gone. Everyone on the team LOVED grant. The coaches loved him, the Boston media loves him. The media loves Smart too. Tatum was especially close with Grant. Tatum and Brown were both very close with Smart. We need to keep spirits/morale high with this team. We can't be losing too many guys off the team who were so well liked by the other guys on the team - especially guys who were very well liked by Tatum and Brown.

So, I'm not an insider, so you get what you pay for...

The Celtics organization largely viewed Smart and Grant as immature and easily tuned out. Nobody in a Celtics jersey felt any accountability. Closest we got was Ime.

Source: Cribbage game in Unity.

This is the vibe I got too. Took too long to get rid if Marcus imo, and I don't think Joe was the right guy to replace Ime.

I just hope the assistants call these guys out on their bs and the Jays wake up. Marcus is gone, you are the guys now.

[bigfoot_cryptozoology]

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[165bows]

-Smart and Grant are gone. Everyone on the team LOVED grant. The coaches loved him, the Boston media loves him. The media loves Smart too. Tatum was especially close with Grant. Tatum and Brown were both very close with Smart. We need to keep spirits/morale high with this team. We can't be losing too many guys off the team who were so well liked by the other guys on the team - especially guys who were very well liked by Tatum and Brown.

So, I'm not an insider, so you get what you pay for...

The Celtics organization largely viewed Smart and Grant as immature and easily tuned out. Nobody in a Celtics jersey felt any accountability. Closest we got was Ime.

Source: Cribbage game in Unity.

This is the vibe I got too. Took too long to get rid if Marcus imo, and I don't think Joe was the right guy to replace Ime.

I just hope the assistants call these guys out on their bs and the Jays wake up. Marcus is gone, you are the guys now.

100% I can buy the above as well. Stories like “team was slacking in practice during POs” in retrospect I think have a bit more insight at this point.

[Shak_Celts]

I don't know for sure but I think Brad is going with the approach of not letting players dictate who he signs even if it's a minimum guy. If he lets them do it once, what stops them from doing it for someone who costs the team in a negative way?

I feel this way because Tatum has basically advocated for bringing in Giles and Green multiple times on IG/Twit. Also, Brad when speaking about the Smart trade, said he didn't get the other guys opinion and essentially said he doesn't want to put that burden on them.

I never thought we'd sign Giles even though I would have given him an end spot many times, partially for Tatum and trying to find a steal who needed the right environment. Same for Garuba and many other nba guys hanging on the fringe (instead of Korny for example).