Where to from here?

[Jakeopp]

Trade Brown for #1. #2 if the Mavs won't budge.

lol Nico is dumb but I don't think he's dumb enough to make that trade after Mavs fans nearly crucified him for the last trade.

[Tyakack]

I wouldn't pencil in brown being here. Tatum is the only real untouchable.

[Roger Federer]

I wouldn't pencil in brown being here. Tatum is the only real untouchable.

Tatum WAS untouchable but after this injury, if he doesn’t look the same by end of 2027 he has to be on the table because the worst thing would be holding onto a guy who may never be at a top 10 level ever again. That’s how you end up like the Bulls post Derrick Rose’s injury or the Blazers post Brandon Roy.

[ConstableGeneva]

Trade everyone and hand the keys to Baylor Scheierman.

[redslastlaugh]

Honestly, the more that I think about it, if the Celtics decide they want to keep Jaylen Brown and Derrick White.
Trading Jrue Holiday is going to require multiple firsts to turn him into a younger, better, cheaper player
And probably nobody is taking KP without incentivization. I think Brooklyn maybe would take KP into capspace but it'd be for a future 2026 or 2027 or 2031 unprotected first and then Brooklyn would try to revatilize KP and flip him again at the deadline if he regains his health.

and then probably we can flip Hauser into a MLE and return back 2 second round picks or so. and just get off that money.

All the stuff about trading Brown, White, Holiday ... I wouldn't expect it. I'd think we pay a first to Brooklyn for them to take KP. And we dump Sam for nothing. But Jrue isn't going anywhere because another team taking back $100 million will cost us multiple firsts.

[ConstableGeneva]

If they can't trade Holiday without attaching assets, then yes, would rather they just keep him. But there may be a couple of young teams that could view him as someone helpful in the postseason and have expiring vets to trade for him. C's could do that then find a way to flip those expirings before the deadline. I don't think Jrue's value demands a young prospect coming back so anything net neutral I'd do just to get off the contract.

[BillessuR6]

I think people are underestimating the coaches/GMs view of some of our players.

I believe they appreciate Jrue much more than the common fan and we will have no problems trading him for salary cap relief and some minor assets.

With Tatum out next year it is a great opportunity to not just retool but rebuild this team. Long term I do not think having two max guys on the roster is financially viable (unless they are both superstars), so I am not against trading Brown. But only for a really good package of picks and young players.

So Jrue, JB, Hauser should all be available. KP has only 1 year left, so we can just let him expire. And he his contract will actully have some value at the trade deadline next season.

White is the guy I would keep. Pritchard as well with his bargain contract.

[redslastlaugh]

Another possible avenue is to move KP in multiple step-down trades over the summer to take on guys other teams do not want but that make less than KP. And then, as the last step, use the stretch provision to spread a smaller contract over 3 yrs.

For instance you trade KP ($30) to Miami for Terry Rozier ($26)
then Terry Rozier ($26) to Charlotte for Jusuf Nurkic ($20)
and then Nurkic to Lakers for Maxi Kleber ($11), Shake Milton ($3) and Jordan Goodwin ($2.5)

So you started with KP one yr $30 million and you step down to Maxi Kleber, Goodwin and Milton.

At this point, you pay another team the Celtics 2031 2nd rnd pick for that team to take Goodwin into capspace sending nothing back.

You waive and stretch Kleber, splitting his $11 into 3 years each of $3.7 and you keep Milton for $3

And you have dropped from $223 next season payroll to $200 next season payroll with only paying a distant 2nd in draft capital.

This concept is probably tough to fully execute but could be a possibility if you can make the money work on a couple - three step down trades and you're willing to waive and stretch a smaller contract.

[djFan71]

Full reset version.

Out: JB, Jrue, KP, Hauser, Neemy, X
In: Risacher, Okongwu, #13, ATL 2029 unprotected 1st, Isaiah Stewart, Simone Fontecchio

Save $44.9M duck the tax depending on Al/Kornet $. Could offload Fontecchio into a TPE for nothing or a 2nd back, if needed.

White / PP
Mann / Baylor / Klay
Risacher / Walsh / Fontecchio
Al / Stewart
Kornet / Okongwu
Tatum
13, 28
32 we need a spot so Fontecchio gone or we package with 28 to move up???
X has to be included in one of the deals or just waived for roster spot.

Resets our frontcourt while saving a ton and adding #13 for next year.
Gives JT a tough team to come back to that's good, but not that good without him, so our 26 1st will be good.

We have tradeable salary this summer, at the deadline / next summer since most of the salaries are $15-17M/year and extend 2-3 years, so super easy to work with.


Also get future 2029 unprotected ATL pick. Conceviably one more first from ATL for JB???

Spoiler:

Trade 1 - saves $27.5M

BOS in: Risacher, Okongwu, #13, T Mann, Klay
BOS out: Brown, Jrue, Neemy

ATL in: JB, Gafford, Powell, Queta
ATL out: Risacher, Okongwu, #13, 2029 1st, T Mann

DAL in: Jrue
DAL out: Gafford, Klay, Powell


Trade 2 - saves $17.4M

BOS in: Fontecchio, Stewart
BOS out: KP, Hauser

DET in: KP, Hauser
DET out: Stewart, Fontecchio

[ThePigeon]

I wouldn't pencil in brown being here. Tatum is the only real untouchable.

If Brown is really injured and needs an operation to fix the knee it will force Brad's hand
We need to know it sooner rather than later
If he is also shut down part of next season - it is a different summer we are talking about

[exculpatory]

TOTAL RESET.
MAZZULLA GONE YESTERDAY,
BROWN TRADED FOR BEST PACKAGE POSSIBLE ASAP - FLAGG? DURANT?
ZINGER & JRU GONE GETTING THE BEST WE CAN IN RETURN.
AND IF BRAD WILL NOT, FIRE HIM ALSO.

[Larry_Russell]

Team needs somen work.

We need a frontcourt
We need a new coach.

[greenbeans]

I think the Tatum/Brown experiment is over. These two will never win another championship together. They are Harden and Westbrook if

Yeah, definitely, they're just like those other guys, aside from being anything like those other guys.

[itrsteve]

I wouldn't pencil in brown being here. Tatum is the only real untouchable.

Tatum WAS untouchable but after this injury, if he doesn’t look the same by end of 2027 he has to be on the table because the worst thing would be holding onto a guy who may never be at a top 10 level ever again. That’s how you end up like the Bulls post Derrick Rose’s injury or the Blazers post Brandon Roy.

If this is true then he's even more untouchable.

There's a season where we are going to owe him $71m far far away from now. Who's signing up for a year of rehab in addition to all that long-term uncertainty?

JT is here to stay, that's our guy. Sure he has some faults but he's one of the faces of the league, you don't trade that.

[itrsteve]

Another possible avenue is to move KP in multiple step-down trades over the summer to take on guys other teams do not want but that make less than KP. And then, as the last step, use the stretch provision to spread a smaller contract over 3 yrs.

For instance you trade KP ($30) to Miami for Terry Rozier ($26)
then Terry Rozier ($26) to Charlotte for Jusuf Nurkic ($20)
and then Nurkic to Lakers for Maxi Kleber ($11), Shake Milton ($3) and Jordan Goodwin ($2.5)

So you started with KP one yr $30 million and you step down to Maxi Kleber, Goodwin and Milton.

At this point, you pay another team the Celtics 2031 2nd rnd pick for that team to take Goodwin into capspace sending nothing back.

You waive and stretch Kleber, splitting his $11 into 3 years each of $3.7 and you keep Milton for $3

And you have dropped from $223 next season payroll to $200 next season payroll with only paying a distant 2nd in draft capital.

This concept is probably tough to fully execute but could be a possibility if you can make the money work on a couple - three step down trades and you're willing to waive and stretch a smaller contract.

I appreciate that post but god damn is that depressing to read.

Holy crap we're screwed

[Curmudgeon]

There has been something wrong with this team since December. Too many inexplicable losses, especially at home. But I'm not sure how to fix it. One approach is to clean everything out, tank for a high pick (Dybantsa is a local kid) and hope to come back strong in 2026-27. Another approach is to stay respectable and just ride it out until Tatum is healthy.

Horford should retire, Kornet is going to get paid somewhere and Porzingis has been a no show when it mattered. So they will have to retool the front court somehow.

Brown would be a favorite of mine if he always played like he did in game 5. But he doesn't, and other teams know that, so I'm not sure what his trade value would be. I won't shed any tears if they move him. If forced to choose between Brown and White I'll take White every time.

As for Mazzulla, if I had to pick between him and Cassell, I'll take Cassell. It's pretty clear that Joe was outcoached by Thibs in the first two games of this series. That's where it was lost.

[Lee Van Cleef]

I wouldn’t trade JB. I would like to see what he’s going to do as the first option, in JT’s absence. I kind of liked what I saw from him in the last 2 games.

[bobbutts]

I think the Tatum/Brown experiment is over. These two will never win another championship together. They are Harden and Westbrook if Harden and Westbrook somehow found a way to win a championship that one year they blew a 3-1 lead in the WCF on OKC. I think also like Harden and Westbrook, they won’t ever elevate a team on their own to a title. The best we can hope for is to somehow acquire an even greater generational talent than Tatum, likely needs to be a big, that actually has the clutch gene to carry whichever of Tatum/Brown is still left here by the time we find him.

It's clear that you'll fail to appreciate whatever talent we do manage to get.

[ThePigeon]

There has been something wrong with this team since December. Too many inexplicable losses, especially at home. But I'm not sure how to fix it. One approach is to clean everything out, tank for a high pick (Dybantsa is a local kid) and hope to come back strong in 2026-27. Another approach is to stay respectable and just ride it out until Tatum is healthy.

Horford should retire, Kornet is going to get paid somewhere and Porzingis has been a no show when it mattered. So they will have to retool the front court somehow.

Brown would be a favorite of mine if he always played like he did in game 5. But he doesn't, and other teams know that, so I'm not sure what his trade value would be. I won't shed any tears if they move him. If forced to choose between Brown and White I'll take White every time.

As for Mazzulla, if I had to pick between him and Cassell, I'll take Cassell. It's pretty clear that Joe was outcoached by Thibs in the first two games of this series. That's where it was lost.

Both want to come back
Kornet said he will be back for the minimum or a slight upgrade
Al can do us a favor and stay for the minimum

Joe needs to be upgraded. Stop with the gimmicks and start coaching or get out of the way

[The Corey's]

There has been something wrong with this team since December. Too many inexplicable losses, especially at home. But I'm not sure how to fix it. One approach is to clean everything out, tank for a high pick (Dybantsa is a local kid) and hope to come back strong in 2026-27. Another approach is to stay respectable and just ride it out until Tatum is healthy.

Horford should retire, Kornet is going to get paid somewhere and Porzingis has been a no show when it mattered. So they will have to retool the front court somehow.

Brown would be a favorite of mine if he always played like he did in game 5. But he doesn't, and other teams know that, so I'm not sure what his trade value would be. I won't shed any tears if they move him. If forced to choose between Brown and White I'll take White every time.

As for Mazzulla, if I had to pick between him and Cassell, I'll take Cassell. It's pretty clear that Joe was outcoached by Thibs in the first two games of this series. That's where it was lost.

Both want to come back
Kornet said he will be back for the minimum or a slight upgrade
Al can do us a favor and stay for the minimum

Joe needs to be upgraded. Stop with the gimmicks and start coaching or get out of the way

Unless they get way under the apron they can't really sign them.

Also, we have a major rebounding problem. We've had one for years. It finally caught up to them.

They need to address that issue. I keep horford because he brings value beyond the numbers, but I'm not breaking the bank for Luke.