# Going forward



## Rick2583 (Mar 17, 2014)

There's a shit load of questions going into next season. Right now as it stands we have about 7 players locked in....

Rondo, Wallace, Green, Bass, Olynyk, Sully & Bradley. Approx 45M.

Can we hang onto Rondo without securing a big name to compliment him. or is he trade bait?

Humphries earned 12M in this his FINAL season. He's a walking double double if he gets the minutes & in all honestly has done a nice job this season BUT.....is he worth the money to keep him or maybe try & resign him for less?

We have a shit load of picks, do we use them for trade bait to pick up perhaps someone like a Greg Monroe from the Pistons a 6'11 bruiser who could give you 15/10 playing the middle?

There's certainly a lot of empty roster spots to fill. With the solid play of both Humphries & Sully we've improved the rebounding but our offense totally sucks as we sit near the bottom in both PPG & FG%

Its certainly going to be a VERY interesting off season. Thoughts....


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Which player are you hoping falls to Boston in the draft?


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

Rick2583 said:


> Can we hang onto Rondo without securing a big name to compliment him. or is he trade bait?


It really depends on what you mean by a "big name". Kevin Love and Carmelo Anthony are the only two top-10ish players in the league that are likely to move in the next year (unless you think the Heat break up this summer), but it's possible that neither one wants to play in Boston at all. I have no doubt that Boston could go out and get some mixture of Josh Smith, Larry Sanders, or Omer Asik on draft night without much difficulty. I just don't know that guys like that, even if you did get Wiggins or Parker to put with them, would do enough to keep Rondo from teaming up with Anthony in New York.


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## Rick2583 (Mar 17, 2014)

Basel said:


> Which player are you hoping falls to Boston in the draft?



I really like this kid McDermont from Creighton. 6'7 225 who can shoot the hell out of the ball. 45% from the 3 & 52% over all. To go along with 87% from the line. Reminds me of a mini-Bird. Also has a strong inside game considering his size. Is averaging almost 27 PPG & 7 RPG. But, I also had similar feeling about Adam Morrison & we all know how that turned out.

Joel Embiid the 7 footer out of Kansas is an excellent inside defender & shot blocker who's an automatic double double. But as someone who's had multiple back surgeries over the years, this kids back injury concerns me.

Jabari Parker out of Duke IMO is going to go 1st & with good reason
Julius Randle of Kentucky would be another great pick.

Wiggins I think due to his recent shooting woes could drop in the draft & may be available to us.

Well that's my post Christmas list.


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## Marcus13 (Jul 17, 2002)

Does Boston have CAP Space for a Melo/Bron?? That's the first I've heard that. I'm surprised Melo wouldn't be interested in a close relocation to play for a historic franchise with one of the best point guards in the league


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

Rick2583 said:


> I really like this kid McDermont from Creighton. 6'7 225 who can shoot the hell out of the ball. 45% from the 3 & 52% over all. To go along with 87% from the line. Reminds me of a mini-Bird. Also has a strong inside game considering his size. Is averaging almost 27 PPG & 7 RPG. But, I also had similar feeling about Adam Morrison & we all know how that turned out.
> 
> Joel Embiid the 7 footer out of Kansas is an excellent inside defender & shot blocker who's an automatic double double. But as someone who's had multiple back surgeries over the years, this kids back injury concerns me.
> 
> ...


I would have no problem getting McDermott with Brooklyn's pick, but I really hope he doesn't wind up being the guy Ainge takes with Boston's pick. He looks like a nice complementary player, but I'd be surprised if he becomes an all-star.



Marcus13 said:


> Does Boston have CAP Space for a Melo/Bron?? That's the first I've heard that. I'm surprised Melo wouldn't be interested in a close relocation to play for a historic franchise with one of the best point guards in the league


They don't have the cap space, but Melo's actively recruiting Rondo and may not be willing to sit through another season of this before NY's books clear. Boston has enough spare picks and contracts that they could put together a trade package more attractive than just letting Carmelo walk somewhere like LA or Houston. Of course, this all depends on Carmelo willing to accept a sign and trade to Boston, which is far from certain.


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## Marcus13 (Jul 17, 2002)

Bogg said:


> They don't have the cap space, but Melo's actively recruiting Rondo and may not be willing to sit through another season of this before NY's books clear. Boston has enough spare picks and contracts that they could put together a trade package more attractive than just letting Carmelo walk somewhere like LA or Houston. Of course, this all depends on Carmelo willing to accept a sign and trade to Boston, which is far from certain.


oooh - makes perfect sense. I love it. That's my new favorite Melo option - I think Rondo/Melo would be an insanely entertaining combo


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## Rick2583 (Mar 17, 2014)

Marcus13 said:


> oooh - makes perfect sense. I love it. That's my new favorite Melo option - I think Rondo/Melo would be an insanely entertaining combo



That's probably got more of a chance happening in New York then it does Boston.


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

Rick2583 said:


> That's probably got more of a chance happening in New York then it does Boston.


True, but if Melo's impatient enough that he'd be willing to leave for Houston this summer, Ainge may be able to pull it off. It's really Boston's only leverage, to be honest - losing Carmelo for nothing would be far worse than trading him for several firsts.


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## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

Rick2583 said:


> We have a shit load of picks, do we use them for trade bait to pick up perhaps someone like a Greg Monroe from the Pistons a 6'11 bruiser who could give you 15/10 playing the middle?


Calling Greg Monroe a "bruiser" is a bit like calling Shawn Bradley a "dunker". Sure he can do it, but he's much more likely to have it done to him than he is to do it to somebody else.


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## Rick2583 (Mar 17, 2014)

RollWithEm said:


> Calling Greg Monroe a "bruiser" is a bit like calling Shawn Bradley a "dunker". Sure he can do it, but he's much more likely to have it done to him than he is to do it to somebody else.


Okay so Maybe bruiser is the wrong word for a 6'11 250 lb man.


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## Floods (Oct 25, 2005)

Rondo and Carmelo on the Celtics... I might actually vomit.


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

Floods said:


> Rondo and Carmelo on the Celtics... I might actually vomit.


There's an outside chance that Josh Smith winds up there as well. Those three might be the most unlikable team in basketball for anyone outside New England.


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## Floods (Oct 25, 2005)

I think a team has to have a ceiling higher than 46 wins and a possible 2nd round sweep before they can attain league-wide unlikeable status.


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

Floods said:


> I think a team has to have a ceiling higher than 46 wins and a possible 2nd round sweep before they can attain league-wide unlikeable status.


With the right role-players that squad would be much better than that.


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

http://espn.go.com/blog/marc-stein/post/_/id/2251/summer-scoop-now-what-for-rockets



> It's inevitable that Rockets general manager Daryl Morey will likewise check in his with his old boss Danny Ainge in Boston -- as he did before the trade deadline in February -– just to make sure Rajon Rondo isn’t suddenly available.
> 
> ...
> 
> Parsons is the Rocket every rival team tries to steal. Boston would insist on Parsons if Rondo-to-Houston talks ever got serious.


With the Rockets making an early exit there's some speculation they could look to make one or more big moves, which would only serve to give Boston more options this summer. The Rondo-to-Houston rumors are bound to pop up, and Parsons is an interesting player, although I think he's going to be viewed in a much less favorable light once he's on his second contract. 

However, between the Pierce trade exception and the Bogans/Pressey/Babb/Johnson non-guaranteed contracts Ainge also has the ability to take both of the Lin/Asik contracts off of Morey's hands without Houston taking on any money in return. I'd love to see Ainge pick up a late first-rounder in exchange for eating Lin's contract in order to facilitate Houston pursuing Carmelo, only to then spin that increased pressure on the Knicks into naming whatever he wants in a Rondo trade to keep Carmelo in town.


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## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

So there is no way for the Rockets to get Rondo without giving up Parsons?

Just curious.


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

Wilt_The_Stilt said:


> So there is no way for the Rockets to get Rondo without giving up Parsons?
> 
> Just curious.


Parsons is the only really attractive trade chip that Houston has. Ainge wants Asik, but only if Rondo's still around and the team is trying to win now. Houston simply doesn't have many high-upside young guys outside of Parsons unless one of the foreign guys the Rockets have the rights to (and I'm not sure who they are anymore) have a breakout year.


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## Diable (Apr 26, 2005)

I have a hard time seeing how Rondo and Harden would work. The thing that makes Harden effective is P&R basketball and there's not much way he and Rondo can both have the ball enough.


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## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

Diable said:


> I have a hard time seeing how Rondo and Harden would work. The thing that makes Harden effective is P&R basketball and there's not much way he and Rondo can both have the ball enough.


Also, Rondo's not a good enough defender still at this point in his career to do what Beverly does.


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

Diable said:


> I have a hard time seeing how Rondo and Harden would work. The thing that makes Harden effective is P&R basketball and there's not much way he and Rondo can both have the ball enough.


See, I disagree - Harden's a very good shooter, and Rondo's at his best when he's making life easier for shooters and finishers. "Harden *needs* the ball in his hands to be effective" is born of him playing with Lin and Beverly as his point guards - give him a top setup man, which Rondo still is, and he'll do just fine. Guys like Tyreke Evans are the ones that need the ball in their hands.


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## Diable (Apr 26, 2005)

Yeah, that's why Boston has always had such a great offense isn't it?

Now I would be in favor of Rondo playing defense with the Rockets. It would be totally epic to see what teams like the Clippers and Thunder would do to them if they replaced their best defender with Rondo. I mean the Clippers already light them up, you could be talking about pinball type scores.


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

Diable said:


> Yeah, that's why Boston has always had such a great offense isn't it?


Given the way the top 3 scorers from the team that nearly won the East in 2012 looked immediately upon leaving Boston, Rondo was propping up the aging jump-shooters in Boston just as much as they were making him look good by converting the open looks he got them. 

You aren't really going to try to make the argument that Rondo's a poor distributor, are you?


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## Diable (Apr 26, 2005)

Rondo creates shots that the defense wants you to take. He's anathema to the type of ball that Houston plays. Their entire system is based on not taking those sorts of midrange shots because all of the evidence suggests that it results in a highly inefficient offense, exactly like the one Boston has had in the Rondo era.


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## E.H. Munro (Jun 22, 2004)

Diable said:


> Yeah, that's why Boston has always had such a great offense isn't it?


In fairness this past year he was passing the ball to chumps.


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

Diable said:


> Rondo creates shots that the defense wants you to take. He's anathema to the type of ball that Houston plays. Their entire system is based on not taking those sorts of midrange shots because all of the evidence suggests that it results in a highly inefficient offense, exactly like the one Boston has had in the Rondo era.


How much Rondo have you really watched? He finds guys open at the three-point line as well as anyone.


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## E.H. Munro (Jun 22, 2004)

Chad Ford has been talking up Noah Vonleh as making this draft a big five and I've increasingly accepted the fact that Boston's only chance to move up to four will come if Wiggins is the one that floats to #4 or if Philly somehow talks themself into Noah Vonleh (meaning that Parker and Wiggins are left on the board at #4 ).

Right now the way I see this draft shaking out:


*Cleveland*- Joel Embiid. It's a shame that Chris Grant got the gas because if he were still here you could pencil them in for Doug McDermott, or a trade down so that they could tab him. But I expect Griffen to go big to help plug the defensive leakage.
*Milwaukee-* Dante Exum. This is destiny. Exum and Giannis Antetokounmpo are going to be Milwaukees's wing alignment and Brandon Knight will get to do what it is that he can do, score the ball.
*Philadelphia*- If they were #1 they'd be making plans for a new age twin towers, at #3 they're the one team I could see talking themselves into someone like Vonleh or Randle. I'm praying they draft Parker. First rumours swirling that they're willing to move MCW for high first this year. They're probably talking to the Magic in an attempt to turn a late lottery pick into a top four one, not sure that Orlando (or anyone else for that matter) falls for it. 
*Orlando*- If Exum's gone this pick is likely available. Unfortunately for Boston if Parker's the one on the board it's likely that Utah attempts to ruin any pick swap (much like Portland demoed the Houston/Minnesota trade for Roy back in '06). Boston can outbid Utah by simply including Rondo, but from the Orlando end this would likely be part of a push for Love and/or Anthony, because Utah would jump in and grab Smart if Rondo weren't part of the deal just to force Orlando to trade whomever to them.
*Utah*- Assuming there's no way for them to get Parker, they're probably going for Matrix Jr. (Aaron Gordon) to be a swing forward. If Orlando drafts Parker look for Utah to gamble and grab Smart to force the Magic to deal with them.

That leaves Boston (barring a deal) choosing from Smart or Vonleh. If it's Smart then the Rondo era is finally coming to an end. If it's Vonleh or Randle then expect Boston to not sign either of them and hope to trade one of them for Love this summer.


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

E.H. Munro said:


> First rumours swirling that they're willing to move MCW for high first this year. They're probably talking to the Magic in an attempt to turn a late lottery pick into a top four one, not sure that Orlando (or anyone else for that matter) falls for it..


I don't know, Orlando badly needs a point guard and Wiggins/Parker aren't fantastic fits for them (feel free to bump this in five years when one of them is starting the all-star game and Toby Harris is on his fourth team) so I could see them trading down to 10 and picking up Carter-Williams for their trouble. 

Interesting theoretical: What if Orlando pulled off that MCW/10 for 4 trade and then packaged 12 and 10 to needing-perimeter-scoring Utah for 5 to take the power forward of their choice?


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## Diable (Apr 26, 2005)

If you were going to trade that pick it seems to me like you could get more for it tbh. MCW is a good player, but not relative to the strength of the PG position and he probably does not have a tremendous upside either. Plus the Magic are already picking #12 , which makes #10 less attractive.


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## E.H. Munro (Jun 22, 2004)

Bogg said:


> I don't know, Orlando badly needs a point guard and Wiggins/Parker aren't fantastic fits for them (feel free to bump this in five years when one of them is starting the all-star game and Toby Harris is on his fourth team) so I could see them trading down to 10 and picking up Carter-Williams for their trouble.
> 
> Interesting theoretical: What if Orlando pulled off that MCW/10 for 4 trade and then packaged 12 and 10 to needing-perimeter-scoring Utah for 5 to take the power forward of their choice?


Well, like I said, if Orlando really wants to make the heavy push, dealing #4 /whatever for Rondo/#6 with a sign & trade for Anthony over the summer makes them an immediate EC contender.


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

Diable said:


> If you were going to trade that pick it seems to me like you could get more for it tbh. MCW is a good player, but not relative to the strength of the PG position and he probably does not have a tremendous upside either. Plus the Magic are already picking #12 , which makes #10 less attractive.


Which is why I proposed packaging 10 and 12 in a trade. Orlando doesn't need to stockpile any more youth, but picking up a legitimate point guard while getting another tradable asset to either move back up into the high single-digits or trade for an established player could make some sense. 

Hell, they could use 10 and 12 to take both Nurkic and Saric with no fear of them not coming over right away (although the Fran Vazquez saga could scare them off) and just sit on their draft rights as trade chips. 

Or, like Munro said, make a play for Rondo (or Kyrie Irving) and Carmelo. Orlando's a team with options.


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## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

E.H. Munro said:


> Chad Ford has been talking up Noah Vonleh as making this draft a big five and I've increasingly accepted the fact that Boston's only chance to move up to four will come if Wiggins is the one that floats to #4 or if Philly somehow talks themself into Noah Vonleh (meaning that Parker and Wiggins are left on the board at #4 ).
> 
> Right now the way I see this draft shaking out:
> 
> ...


I'm not sure how high the odds of the Bucks taking Exum are. But if they do, it would make things interesting. 

In your scenario I can't see the Sixers passing on Wiggins. That leaves Orlando with Parker, who as you mention is coveted by Utah. Assuming they don't want Parker and someone like Ennis at 12, they can swap with the Jazz and take Smart.

It depends on how bad they are trying to make that playoffs. They could trade with Utah, then send the #5 and Nelson for Rondo. If you believe the rumors about David Lee, they could trade for him or another big and still have the #12 and #23 . That's probably a playoff team in the East.

On the other hand, the Magic have said there is no rushing the process, and they could trade Afflalo and maybe Nelson to the Kings or Bobcats for their picks which would leave them with a crazy stockpile of picks and cap space for next year, which might suit them better.


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