The Official Off-Season Thread, part I of many

[canman1971]

Starting to think the best play is trading the 3 for Love. If Cleveland loses in the finals, they'll have to admit they're done. Do it immediately- Amir/Jerebko/3 for Love. The 3 gives them a chance to add Dunn, Jaylen Brown or Jamal Murray, or even Bender (they'd probably take Hield), or work the trade market for themselves with a lotto pick.

But Love is wasted there, he bogs everything down, they're never going to rebuild the offense with him in a primary role. Kyrie/Lebron is enough scoring, Tristan is enough rebounding, they can add a sharp-shooting 2 like Murray as a third option, or a poor man's Wiggins, or try to trade the pick for a center that fits their system.

We're gambling Love is redeemable, both psychologically and offensively- his defense was improving this year, he's still a young guy. Thinking about how long it took Pierce to fill the holes in his game, learn offensive discipline, up his shooting percentages, cut down on turnovers. Let Love do his thing on his side of the floor, work with him to get more versatile offensively over time, work on his defense.

See if you can trade Olynyk for a center like Nerlens, but if not, we're going into free agency with major momentum, either to sign Durant outright and work around the margins for more help (you can re-up Sullinger in that case and trade him later), to max Whiteside, or to gamble on Harrison Barnes.

IT/Rozier
Bradley/Smart
Crowder/Turner/Young
Love/Sullinger/Mickey
Zeller/Olynyk

is the worst case scenario, plus we have picks at 16, 23, 31, 35.

Starting to make the most sense. Cleveland has to admit they made a mistake and move on before it gets worse. We can play around with projecting Jaylen Brown's upside and Okafor's upside, or we can add a guy who can be 20-12 off the leash immediately, bring him into form on both sides of the ball, and add major talent around him.

Maybe you are right, but I have a odd feeling that Love would not work out here. I have nothing to back it up with, but I just don't see him fitting in, at least for that price. The Cs have had a pick this high very few times. This is something you need a home run on. I am not sure Love is. Double, sure but not a HR.

[Jingles]

Starting to think the best play is trading the 3 for Love. If Cleveland loses in the finals, they'll have to admit they're done. Do it immediately- Amir/Jerebko/3 for Love. The 3 gives them a chance to add Dunn, Jaylen Brown or Jamal Murray, or even Bender (they'd probably take Hield), or work the trade market for themselves with a lotto pick.

But Love is wasted there, he bogs everything down, they're never going to rebuild the offense with him in a primary role. Kyrie/Lebron is enough scoring, Tristan is enough rebounding, they can add a sharp-shooting 2 like Murray as a third option, or a poor man's Wiggins, or try to trade the pick for a center that fits their system.

We're gambling Love is redeemable, both psychologically and offensively- his defense was improving this year, he's still a young guy. Thinking about how long it took Pierce to fill the holes in his game, learn offensive discipline, up his shooting percentages, cut down on turnovers. Let Love do his thing on his side of the floor, work with him to get more versatile offensively over time, work on his defense.

See if you can trade Olynyk for a center like Nerlens, but if not, we're going into free agency with major momentum, either to sign Durant outright and work around the margins for more help (you can re-up Sullinger in that case and trade him later), to max Whiteside, or to gamble on Harrison Barnes.

IT/Rozier
Bradley/Smart
Crowder/Turner/Young
Love/Sullinger/Mickey
Zeller/Olynyk

is the worst case scenario, plus we have picks at 16, 23, 31, 35.

Starting to make the most sense. Cleveland has to admit they made a mistake and move on before it gets worse. We can play around with projecting Jaylen Brown's upside and Okafor's upside, or we can add a guy who can be 20-12 off the leash immediately, bring him into form on both sides of the ball, and add major talent around him.

Maybe you are right, but I have a odd feeling that Love would not work out here. I have nothing to back it up with, but I just don't see him fitting in, at least for that price. The Cs have had a pick this high very few times. This is something you need a home run on. I am not sure Love is. Double, sure but not a HR.

I'd back it up with Love's team being terrible when it was built around him and Love himself being terrible when asked to fit in with a good team.

Moot anyway because GM Lebron has no interest in a rookie.

[Andrew McCeltic]

Whiteside would be an interesting day 1 max offer. He's so flawed, though.

Also, Bradley+Amir/23 for Love after the finals is an interesting thought experiment. I feel like Love is being Boshed and Hibberted at the same time, though. It's his psyche I worry about.

I don't get the Love craze. From the 3 pick to Bradley.. I don't think he makes us a significantly better team. Big name sure. But not a big upgrade.

I've changed my thoughts on Bradley, ddb said he's friends with Durant. Love is, too. Add Durant, and we end up with enough left over to keep tinkering with the roster, finding a defensive center. Maybe that Nerlens trade.

And even if 3 for Love is the only move, he ends up combining the strengths of Olynyk and Sullinger into one player.

The worst-case is that Love is on the Dwight Howard path, he's a little older, he's damaged by his time in Cleveland, gives us 17-10 with nagging injuries, slows down the offense. And that there's something else we could've done with the pick- Bender is the next Bird, or Okafor blossoms into a star.

[165bows]

Starting to think the best play is trading the 3 for Love. If Cleveland loses in the finals, they'll have to admit they're done. Do it immediately- Amir/Jerebko/3 for Love. The 3 gives them a chance to add Dunn, Jaylen Brown or Jamal Murray, or even Bender (they'd probably take Hield), or work the trade market for themselves with a lotto pick.

But Love is wasted there, he bogs everything down, they're never going to rebuild the offense with him in a primary role. Kyrie/Lebron is enough scoring, Tristan is enough rebounding, they can add a sharp-shooting 2 like Murray as a third option, or a poor man's Wiggins, or try to trade the pick for a center that fits their system.

We're gambling Love is redeemable, both psychologically and offensively- his defense was improving this year, he's still a young guy. Thinking about how long it took Pierce to fill the holes in his game, learn offensive discipline, up his shooting percentages, cut down on turnovers. Let Love do his thing on his side of the floor, work with him to get more versatile offensively over time, work on his defense.

See if you can trade Olynyk for a center like Nerlens, but if not, we're going into free agency with major momentum, either to sign Durant outright and work around the margins for more help (you can re-up Sullinger in that case and trade him later), to max Whiteside, or to gamble on Harrison Barnes.

IT/Rozier
Bradley/Smart
Crowder/Turner/Young
Love/Sullinger/Mickey
Zeller/Olynyk

is the worst case scenario, plus we have picks at 16, 23, 31, 35.

Starting to make the most sense. Cleveland has to admit they made a mistake and move on before it gets worse. We can play around with projecting Jaylen Brown's upside and Okafor's upside, or we can add a guy who can be 20-12 off the leash immediately, bring him into form on both sides of the ball, and add major talent around him.

Maybe you are right, but I have a odd feeling that Love would not work out here. I have nothing to back it up with, but I just don't see him fitting in, at least for that price. The Cs have had a pick this high very few times. This is something you need a home run on. I am not sure Love is. Double, sure but not a HR.

Found these:

Stop asking me if Kevin Love can play next to player X, Y or Z. I've already given my opinion, its 2 maybe 3 players in lg max @haralabob

Below is responding if Love fits next to Amir:

Having IT on the perimeter and Love at the 4 would be real bad. Even with Smart, Bradley and Crowder on roster.

Already mentioned, he needs a 5 like Gobert or DJ. @haralabob

[Andrew McCeltic]

The Wolves weren't terrible with Love, they were around .500 in a brutal conference despite having tons of injuries. He wanted a trade, remember, they didn't deal him for basketball reasons.

[Marley2Hendrix]

Starting to think the best play is trading the 3 for Love. If Cleveland loses in the finals, they'll have to admit they're done. Do it immediately- Amir/Jerebko/3 for Love. The 3 gives them a chance to add Dunn, Jaylen Brown or Jamal Murray, or even Bender (they'd probably take Hield), or work the trade market for themselves with a lotto pick.

But Love is wasted there, he bogs everything down, they're never going to rebuild the offense with him in a primary role. Kyrie/Lebron is enough scoring, Tristan is enough rebounding, they can add a sharp-shooting 2 like Murray as a third option, or a poor man's Wiggins, or try to trade the pick for a center that fits their system.

We're gambling Love is redeemable, both psychologically and offensively- his defense was improving this year, he's still a young guy. Thinking about how long it took Pierce to fill the holes in his game, learn offensive discipline, up his shooting percentages, cut down on turnovers. Let Love do his thing on his side of the floor, work with him to get more versatile offensively over time, work on his defense.

See if you can trade Olynyk for a center like Nerlens, but if not, we're going into free agency with major momentum, either to sign Durant outright and work around the margins for more help (you can re-up Sullinger in that case and trade him later), to max Whiteside, or to gamble on Harrison Barnes.

IT/Rozier
Bradley/Smart
Crowder/Turner/Young
Love/Sullinger/Mickey
Zeller/Olynyk

is the worst case scenario, plus we have picks at 16, 23, 31, 35.

Starting to make the most sense. Cleveland has to admit they made a mistake and move on before it gets worse. We can play around with projecting Jaylen Brown's upside and Okafor's upside, or we can add a guy who can be 20-12 off the leash immediately, bring him into form on both sides of the ball, and add major talent around him.

Maybe you are right, but I have a odd feeling that Love would not work out here. I have nothing to back it up with, but I just don't see him fitting in, at least for that price. The Cs have had a pick this high very few times. This is something you need a home run on. I am not sure Love is. Double, sure but not a HR.

Found these:

Stop asking me if Kevin Love can play next to player X, Y or Z. I've already given my opinion, its 2 maybe 3 players in lg max @haralabob

Below is responding if Love fits next to Amir:

Having IT on the perimeter and Love at the 4 would be real bad. Even with Smart, Bradley and Crowder on roster.

Already mentioned, he needs a 5 like Gobert or DJ. @haralabob

That's what I'm wrestling with. I think the most I would do for love is 16/23/amir. Then pray the #3 for DAJ rumor was true.

Next year roll with

IT/Rozier
Bradley/Smart
Crowder/Smart
Love/KO
DAJ/Mickey

and then we are putting a heck of a lot of faith that the BKN 17 can get us the final piece to push us into championship contention. I honestly think Stevens could sneak the above team into the Finals with some luck (i.e., we are injury free, the competition, not so much), though I think it's a ways off from winning a title, and that final hump would be massive.

Love limits us considerably financially and with regard to how the team needs to be constructed (particularly to avoid the love/irving dynamic with love/IT). Accordingly, I hope the value that we would give up for him reflects that. If CLE doesn't accept that, I'm not losing sleep, and I'm eager to see what better offer they drum up.

[Jingles]

The Wolves weren't terrible with Love, they were around .500 in a brutal conference despite having tons of injuries. He wanted a trade, remember, they didn't deal him for basketball reasons.

They won 40 games once, terrible all other years.

At the end of the day I don't really care about that anyway. I care that he would make the Celtics worse without significant additions on top of it. At the very least a +++defensive big. If you have to jump through so many hoops to make it work with a guy, it probably isn't going to.

[Andrew McCeltic]

Found these:

Stop asking me if Kevin Love can play next to player X, Y or Z. I've already given my opinion, its 2 maybe 3 players in lg max @haralabob

Below is responding if Love fits next to Amir:

Having IT on the perimeter and Love at the 4 would be real bad. Even with Smart, Bradley and Crowder on roster.

Already mentioned, he needs a 5 like Gobert or DJ. @haralabob

If you get Love and Durant, you can move IT or Crowder or Olynyk for a mobile shot-blocker.. Crowder/Olynyk might get you DJ.

Or there's Noel..

Also, let's not start a myth that Love is like Greg Monroe and there are two people in the league you can play him with to get a weak 17&10. There's a lot more to his game, and his defensive potential.

[165bows]

Got to admit I still like the idea of trading for Jimmy Butler if they can do #3 and ancillary pieces. Start him at the 3 spot any give him all of ETs minutes and that is a huge upgrade. And his salary is still low enough that it doesn't preclude FA over the next year.

[Jingles]

Found these:

Stop asking me if Kevin Love can play next to player X, Y or Z. I've already given my opinion, its 2 maybe 3 players in lg max @haralabob

Below is responding if Love fits next to Amir:

Having IT on the perimeter and Love at the 4 would be real bad. Even with Smart, Bradley and Crowder on roster.

Already mentioned, he needs a 5 like Gobert or DJ. @haralabob

If you get Love and Durant, you can move IT or Crowder or Olynyk for a mobile shot-blocker.. Crowder/Olynyk might get you DJ.

Or there's Noel..

Also, let's not start a myth that Love is like Greg Monroe and there are two people in the league you can play him with to get a weak 17&10. There's a lot more to his game, and his defensive potential.

He's 28 in September and has been in the league 8 years, what potential can a guy have at that point when his main issue is a physical one--in this case no lateral quickness?

[Smog]

Cleveland made a bad mistake unloading the top pick for Love, and that was a team in clear win-now mode. The Celtics aren't going to be contending with Love. The worst thing they can do is trade a shot at a young star for a physically limited player who seems to be breaking down. Unless he's bringing Durant with him, it's an awful idea to give up major assets, particularly the Nets picks.

[EddieS2010]

What about Jared Dudley? He went on Celtics Beat and talked about his fit in Boston. He adds some vet leadership, is a career 40% 3-point shooter, and is adjusting to playing the stretch four.

http://clnsradio.com/boston-celtics-news/item/13932-jared-dudley-i-d-be-good-fit-for-boston-celtics

[BakersDozen]

Id love to have Dudley off the bench.


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[bucknersrevenge]

Got to admit I still like the idea of trading for Jimmy Butler if they can do #3 and ancillary pieces. Start him at the 3 spot any give him all of ETs minutes and that is a huge upgrade. And his salary is still low enough that it doesn't preclude FA over the next year.

Right now this is my definitive #1 choice. #3, Smart and maybe a combo of lesser draft picks and/or players like Rozier, and KO.Then go hard after Whiteside. Then develop the best team defense in the league.

IT/AB/Jimmy/JJ/Whiteside

RJ, Bae, Mickey plus whomever we drafted. That would be my ideal going into next year.

[Drax]

What about Jared Dudley?

He's my #1 target for the bench wing/tweaner forward position, unless of course we get KD and Jae moves to the bench.

[Homerclease]

What about Jared Dudley? He went on Celtics Beat and talked about his fit in Boston. He adds some vet leadership, is a career 40% 3-point shooter, and is adjusting to playing the stretch four.

http://clnsradio.com/boston-celtics-news/item/13932-jared-dudley-i-d-be-good-fit-for-boston-celtics

Like Dudley, would rather give minutes to someone younger though

[mbsnmisc]

That is all.

[CelticFaninLBC]

Smart, Johnson, #23 and 31 to NYK
Melo & #16 to CLE
Love to Boston

10 man Roster
Love
Crowder
Bradley
Thomas
#3 Pick
Olynyk
Mickey
Young
Hunter
Rozier

[brackdan70]

Smart, Johnson, #23 and 31 to NYK
Melo & #16 to CLE
Love to Boston

10 man Roster
Love
Crowder
Bradley
Thomas
#3 Pick
Olynyk
Mickey
Young
Hunter
Rozier

too much to give up to become worse. Love will not help us much IMO. that said ,the Value is fair, but i don't like it.

[darrendaye]

Personally, I'll be very interested to see if Ainge can get trade value for James Young. With Hunter, Rozier and likely another wing drafted, there is no spot for another guy on the fence.