All week, my peeps here at CSN came up with a variety of trade scenarios that would potentially land the Celtics that coveted “superstar” that fans have constantly said they need.
Well, a couple of things became abundantly clear in this little social experiment of ours.
Finding consensus on who that star player should be, while putting together a package that made sense for both sides, is A LOT easier said than done.
MORE CELTICS
I hear folks complain all the time about why Danny Ainge didn’t go get (pick a player who is really good), while not really thinking much about how much it would cost Boston in terms of players and picks.
WHO'D SAY NO?
- First potential trade: New Orleans' Anthony Davis
- Second potential trade: Indiana's Paul George
- Third potential trade: Golden State's Klay Thompson
- Fourth potential trade: New York's Kristaps Porzingis
- Fifth potential trade: Three-way with Kings and 76ers for Okafor, Saric and two picks
While the pursuit of a superstar player hasn’t gone as well as folks would like, Ainge has shown an ability to acquire lots of assets that have shown promise in time.
So rather than spend today looking at more ways Boston can add that “superstar” player, my CSN colleagues have taken a previous trade scenario put out there by Bill Simmons, and tweaked it to come up with a way for Boston to do what Ainge does and that’s collect assets (and a couple of nice throw-in players along the way).
CELTICS GET
Sixers 2017 pick (3rd overall)
Dario Saric
Lakers 2018 pick (now owned by Philadelphia)
Jahlil Okafor
76ERS GET
2017 Number 1 Pick
Jae Crowder
OK, let’s pause right there.
If I’m the Celtics, I’m all over this deal. You add proven talent up front with Saric and Okafor, a nice young piece with the No. 3 pick and a future asset that will likely be a lottery selection.
But if I’m Philly . . . there’s no way in hell I would even consider doing this deal. As good as Markelle Fultz will be someday and as valuable as I believe Crowder is to winning games, the Sixers would be giving up way too much in this deal. Saric will be a top-3 vote-getter in the rookie of the Year race this season. And with Joel Embiid’s far-from-certain health status, there’s no way the Sixers would part with the one healthy big man they have who produces consistently. Okafor would be a nice addition, but he would definitely have to be part of a bigger trade package if it means parting ways with the top overall pick in this year’s draft.
Like I said, my biggest issue with this deal is has no chance of getting serious consideration by Philly because, 1) the chances of it working out for Philly are slim to none, and 2) it’s just not sellable to their fans who, frankly, deserve better than the way this organization has taken them and their loyalty for granted in recent years with their Tank-a-pa-looza approach to team building.
So after totally dumping on that scenario, I’m told that was just the first part of a bigger trade that would then rope in another struggling NBA team, the Sacramento Kings.
CELTICS GET
2017 No. 5 and 10 picks from Sacramento
KINGS GET
2017 3 pick
So according to these two trades, the Celtics would wind up with the following . . .
2017 No. 5 pick (Josh Jackson?)
2017 No. 10 pick (Dennis Smith?)
2018 Lakers pick
Dario Saric
Jahlil Okafor
For . . .
Boston Celtics
2017 first round pick
Jae Crowder
Okay, I love the creativity of this trade. And, if you think about it, its kind of what you expect Danny Ainge to pull off.
But just like my response to the first part of this trade, I don’t think the teams Boston would be dealing with are getting enough in return.
I already addressed how I see the Sixers totally getting screwed in such a deal. And the Kings don’t make out any better. For them to give up a pair of lottery picks to move up to the No. 3 spot, I just don’t see that happening unless they become absolutely convinced that Josh Jackson of Kansas, D’Aaron Fox of Kentucky or Jayson Tatum of Duke is a must-have addition for them out of this draft.
But at least one of those guys will be available for the taking at No. 5. Do the Kings roll the dice and hope their guy is there (if it’s Jackson they can forget about it), or trade up for the guy they want? And if they trade up two spots, is that player really worth a pair of lottery picks (Nos. 5 and 10th overall this year) in a top-heavy draft like this one?
It all seems way too improbable to see coming to fruition.
But would any of us be totally shocked if Ainge pulled off such a deal?