Boston Celtics 2014 Offseason Thread

Most of the mocks I have seen lately elevate Vonleh to 5. He has length, can help at the rim and can spread the floor. I think the big drop-off may occur at the C's pick. Randle looks like Sullinger redux, and Smart is a small guard. Forced with this scenario, I would rather grab the great athlete in Gordon and hope to develop his shot.

espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=bostonceltics&id=4713016&city=boston

Simmons gives the Cavs the best shot at Love. There is zero chance he re-signs with them. If Love is telling the truth about going to a winning franchise, Cleveland is not an option. If Golden State is willing to offer Thompson and Lee, they can put together the best offer as far as actual players. Outside of #6 this year, we really don't have a high lottery pick in the near future.

Any rumors of who the Celtics are working out, looking at etc. ?

I like PJ Harriston. I know he has off-the-field question marks but he can score a variety of ways.

Yeah, he's been in the Boston area all weekend. Says he's just here to "check out the city." Hopefully he liked it.

Not that the Celtics would have the cap space/assets to add Carmelo anyways, but I think Jeff Green is a fine third-banana wing scorer. He doesn't have the handle to take a guy in 1 on 1 iso situations, but he's a great shooter and athlete who can attack guys trying to close out on him and get to/finish at the rim on straight-line drives. Rondo and Love are pretty ball-dominant offensive players, and they don't need that third guy to be a super high-usage player or really even a guy who can create his own shot.

This Jackie Mac article is a pretty realistic take on the situation: espn.go.com/boston/story/_/id/11033627/kevin-love-landing-boston-celtics-far-slam-dunk

I think Love is committed to forcing a trade, but the real question is whether any of the teams with potentially better trade packages (Cleveland, maybe Chicago or Phoenix or Golden State) are willing to make any of their young studs available (think the first overall pick, Butler/Gibson, Dragic or Bledsoe, Klay Thompson). I think a Boston offer of #6, Sullinger, cap relief, and two or three first-round picks is easily enough to trump anything teams like the Kings or Lakers or Rockets can offer, but the Timberwolves prefer more of a sure-thing young player. Of the above teams, I think Phoenix and Golden State are the ones to watch out for-- both those front offices are willing to take a risk and will both covet a player of Love's caliber.

if they would take Gerald Wallace. I would be interested in such a trade. Anything else probably not.

That's what I thought. Always felt like a tweener to me but I've never watched him play much (outside of those games against Boston).

Julius Randle will need surgery on his foot and be out for 2 months per Yahoo.

One week out and here is the latest (per Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler - though he's likely pulling information from others like the Herald's Steve Bulpett) on some of the Kevin Love offers out there:

Golden State - David Lee, Harrison Barnes (GS refuses to part with Klay Thompson) and future 1sts
Chicago - Taj Gibson, either Jimmy Butler or Tony Snell and possibly both 1st rounders this year (16 and 19)
Denver (1st reported by SB) - Kenneth Faried, Wilson Chandler and either the 11th pick or a player acquired using that pick like Arron Afflalo (if it's the pick, then a salary would have to be thrown in, Kyler speculates on Danilo Gallinari's involvement).

Boston, meanwhile, is offering #6, #17, 2 future 1sts (Kyler references THE pick from BRK but since they have 2 and the right to switch in a 3rd year, I'm not sure which are actually being offered) plus 1 of Sullinger and Olynyk (Boston would need to match salaries, likely involving some combinations that include Bass and/or Bogans - I doubt Green is in the discussion but that's just my opinion). EDIT: Forgot Boston's trade exception.

My uninformed gut tells me that Minnesota would want Boston to make a better offer. While Sully would appear to have a chance at being the best player offered (going forward at least), there is definitely uncertainty there (his back, his weight, etc). That being said, don't you have to walk away from this deal with a top 10 pick in this draft if your Minny? Despite better current players in the other offers, Boston's is the only one that gives you a chance at acquiring a player who can produce at the level of Kevin Love (however small, it's a better chance than the next to 0 chances of any of the other names being as productive).

So if Boston can get a 3rd team involved to get Minnesota a very good "right now" player (using 17 and a future pick?) then I would think that player + Sully + #6 + an additional 1st rounder would get it done (if you line that offer up next to the others). How possible is that and how willing is Boston remains to be seen (since they'd still need some assets to get other players over the course of the offseason and into the deadline next year).

Yeah, I just saw that. Wow!

Danny suggested that he'd trade for a star player without a guarantee for an extension. Love does best if he doesn't extend (there are comparisons of the contracts he can sign depending on whether it's an extension, new contract with his current team or new contract with a new team - in both of the last 2 cases it would be after an opt out).

Hey, maybe we don't trade for him and we just sign him as a Free Agent next year.