Although the Celtics were frequently linked to Jimmy Butler and Paul George in the days and hours leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline, ESPN’s Zach Lowe hears that talks never got really “serious” with the Bulls, who didn’t seem overly motivated to trigger a rebuild by moving Butler. Meanwhile, appearing on CSNNE, Chris Mannix of The Vertical suggests that the Celtics probably weren’t close to getting George either, having drawn “a line in the sand that they weren’t going to cross.”
There were conflicting reports on whether the Celtics made one or both of their Nets picks available, but Mannix suggests that Danny Ainge was willing to discuss both the 2017 and 2018 selections, while sources tell Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald that the C’s made those picks available “separately” in trade offers. However, according to Bulpett, in their discussions with the Bulls, the Celtics wanted protections on that 2017 pick.
Mannix adds that Boston was also reluctant to package multiple players like Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown with its picks. As Lowe explains, Ainge and the Celtics weren’t able to find a package that left them feeling comfortable about both their present and its future, so they decided to hang onto their assets for now and revisit trade scenarios down the road.
Here’s more on the Celtics:
- In Bulpett’s piece (linked above), The Herald reporter notes multiple times that the ability to be a major player for a max free agent this summer seemed to be a high priority for Ainge and the Celtics as they considered potential trades.
- If Boston had the chance to acquire an impact player in a favorable deal at the deadline, the team certainly would have been willing to give up that chance at max space, but Bulpett says the team has projected a “seemingly odd confidence” about its opportunities this summer, given the inherent uncertainty in free agency and the draft. “The fact (Ainge) was so comfortable waiting for the draft and summer scares the (expletive) out of me,” one rival league executive told Bulpett.
- In a piece for The Vertical, Chris Mannix makes a case for why it was perfectly fine for the Celtics to stand pat at the deadline, while A. Sherrod Blakely lays out a similar argument in an article for CSNNE.com.
- Terrence Jones, who will be an unrestricted free agent if he clears waivers, has some interest in the Celtics, according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link).
- According to Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Ainge hinted during a radio appearance today that draft-and-stash prospect Guerschon Yabusele may join Boston’s D-League affiliate in Maine after the Chinese Basketball Association’s season ends.
Feel like Jaylen Brown, 2017 Nets pick, Bradley, and Yabusele would’ve been close to getting Butler
I mean with bulls front office maybe. But as a fan. I would say u would need to add smart and 2 second rounders at least
Butler is an All Star caliber player, no doubt, but both of those offers are an overpay in my opinion. Top two players in the draft have a chance to be borderline transcendent players, and at the very least, have Butlers ceiling. Then you add AB, who’s a first team all defensive player, with a solid jumper… Aaaaaaannnnd add Brown who looks like he has a real shot at being Jimmy Butler 2.0,but with a better jumper.. Or even a budget Butler.. Then you add Smart who is special defensively, is only 22 yrs old, with a developing jumper and who has improved every year as a ball handler, passer and p&r handler.. AAAAAAANNNND add in the fact that at Smart is better than Butler was as a 22 yr old (not to mention that they were very similar players at that age, besides the 3″ difference in height) and that my friends is giving up too much for a marginal improvement. There’s more to it than that (contracts, bench, etc.), but I’m very happy that the C’s stood pat.
I agree that the one proposed by jkbuckets seems like an overpay, but the first offer seems fair. But let’s at least wait til the draft before we start anointing college players as transcendent players. For every highly hyped player out of college that lives up to their potential, there is a highly hyped player who turns out to be a bust.
And to be fair, to compare Smart at 22 and Butler at 22 is comparing two different things. Butler was in his rookie season at 22 and was playing behind Luol Deng who at the time was when one of the better SFs in the league and a top 3 two-way player (so good mentor to play behind, but not a lot of minutes to go around). 3 years in for both of their careers, Smart has been better, but he’s also had a slightly larger role (Smart has averaged at least 27 minutes a game through his first three seasons while Butler didn’t even crack 27 MPG til his third year).
Luol Deng a top 3 two way player? I’m assuming that’s a typo lol
Back when he was actually good? That’s not off. Right now? Obviously not. But at one point, he was the only guy who could guard LeBron and could still be relied upon to help contribute offensively. Granted he wasn’t going to go off and drop 40 or something, but no other player put up a better defensive effort against LeBron than Deng while still being a big part of his team’s offense. And I’m not even a Bulls fan and I’m saying this.
Sorry boys but you weren’t getting either of those deals, not even remotely close! Celtics aren’t dealing Smart and Danny has a hard on for Brown, my guess is Danny didn’t come close to offering anywhere near either of those deals
Yea that’s as a fan and as a Celtics fan I would want Klay Thompson for the Nets pick. And I know that isn’t fair but it is our job as fans to overvalue players that play for our favorite team. And if someone wanted to trade for Thomas, let’s use the Mavs as an example would need to trade 2 firsts 2 seconds Barns Powel and more. Like I am saying it is our job as fans to overvalue our star players and that is way to much for Butler. That would be even worse of a trade then the Nets Celtics trade. And the Celtics wouldn’t screw their future for a rental
I may be out of the loop, but how is Jimmy Butler a rental? Didn’t he sign an extension within the past 2 years?
what I mean was a rental compared to the length of Brown’s contract and even though Smart will be a FA soon he will still cost less than Butler. I think the Celtics would be best off trying to sign a big man who can get rebounds. Someone like Mamadou Ndiaye the kid is only 23 years old and freaking tall, he is 7 foot 6 inches. He can get them rebounds. I mean he might not be the most gifted athlete but he has the ability to do what they are looking for, so I say forget all the blockbuster trade talk and go out and sign Mamadou Ndiaye.
If I was the Celtics I would offer their own 1st round pick a second rounder or two and someone like Amir Johnson and maybe Zeler. That seems like a fair deal for a rental
Butler isn’t a rental. And let’s be honest, Johnson/Zeller are barely valuable. Johnson is more valuable for his contract, an expiring one, than his actual play (he’s not actually worth $12 million a year, and that was before the new CBA). And Zeller barely plays for a team that has a need for a true center to play next to Horford.
Nvm that “Butler isn’t a rental.” Didn’t see your comment on your post above. But still stands, your offer is essentially a first round pick (in a future year since they can’t offer their own this year and it would also likely be a pick in the 20s), two seconds, and an expiring contract for a star. I mean IT is a star (or at worst a borderline star) who can technically walk in a year and half and you suggested 2 firsts, 2 seconds, Barnes, Powell, and more for him.
C’s fan, and while I’m slightly disappointed there weren’t any fireworks, or smaller deals for a big man (Noel or Bogut for example), I do understand why they stood pat. For the reported price being peddled for Butler and George, I’d have passed too. The Celtics are a good young team, with what is likely to be two top 4-5 picks in the next 2 drafts. While picks are risky, that could mean 2 potential allstar players on rookie deals, with long careers ahead of them. While Butler & PG are sure things, neither is sure to be here longer than their current contracts. Futher, neither is likely getting you past Cleveland, and certainly not GS. So why hedge a potentially longer term window of success with elite draft picks, for a shorter uncertain window that is unlikely to lead to a title? In the NBA there really isn’t a right way to do things, but I do get the logic behind standing pat.
I get why Boston stood pat, but I also think its a slight mistake to not move some of their assets now before they lose all their value. Going into at least this year’s draft, assuming the Celtics get a top 2 pick (which seems very likely) that’ll likely be another guard for them (can’t see them passing on Fultz or Ball if one of them is available). That means they’ll have IT, Fultz/Ball, Bradley, Smart, and Rozier in their rotation. IT, Smart, and Bradley also hit free agency in a year and a half, so I presume that at least two of them will be getting paid by Boston past next year. They can still get a lot of value for one of Smart/Bradley if they trade them in the offseason, but they should capitalize on their values before their forced to accept rental value for one of them. I don’t see them paying all three of their best guards while trying to find a way to get minutes for all of them (and Fultz/Ball).
The reason why people are offering so little is because they have so many assets, the smart thing to do is wait until the other teams stop low balling them and give them a solid offer.
Bulls fans arguing for Jimmy Butlers value blows my mind. The guy is a proven loser. How can you say no to getting two top 10 picks and Jaylen Brown. Bulls will be bad for a long long time. Also ppl need to remember the cs got those picks for 2 star players Pierce and KG.
How is Jimmy Butler a proven loser? Cause he hasn’t won a championship yet? Also, the Celtics got those picks for 2 aging veterans. Pierce and KG were hardly stars by that point. KG was a solid big at that point, but he wasn’t star quality KG. Pierce was still decent, but again, wasn’t a star. He made more of an impact for the Nets, at that point, for his clutch plays rather than his actual play.
Thought AB would have been able to play after All-Star break. Makes you wonder if injury is much more serious than announced.
Feel like Celtics should sign Terrence Jones for rest of the year. He has a big body and can score some. Cut Zeller at the same time to make room.
I’m very worried about the “in play for a max player” line, because the only player they could be remotely confident about early on would be Gordon Hayward because Stevens coached him in college. I like Ainge and think he’s doing a great job managing the assets he’s collected. Gordon Hayward is not the answer. Keep your team together, retool the bench with vets on one year deals, (Bogut, Terrence Jones instead of Amir, etc.) and just wait for the real deal to become available via trade, FA, or if Wyc doesn’t want to spend the money on a max guy and resign Thomas and Smart (I’ve just decided to assume Bradley walks), just let the draft picks develop.