What the Boston Celtics' (Realistic) Dream Offseason Looks Like
A bitter first-round exit from the NBA playoffs stung the Boston Celtics, but a fruitful offseason could mend the wounds. Geared with plenty of assets, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge should swing for the fences.
Boston couldn't possibly ask for a better starting point—its core players are locked up on either rookie or below-market deals, and it also has plenty of draft picks and a ton of cap space. If Ainge plays his cards right, the feisty Celtics that won 48 games last season could immediately morph into title contenders.
If a player like Blake Griffin or DeMarcus Cousins becomes available, the Celtics would have sufficient assets to concoct an enticing package. However, Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers has already made it clear he isn't breaking up his core, as reported by the Associated Press (via ESPN.com), while Sacramento Kings general manager Vlade Divac wants to keep his star center (for next year at least), according to NBC Sports' Kurt Helin.
Boston will also chase Kevin Durant, per ESPN.com's Chris Forsberg, but so will the rest of the league, and the Oklahoma City Thunder's playoff success makes signing him a pipe dream.
The Celtics could potentially land multiple big names, but there has to be a touch of realism attached even when constructing a dream scenario. Failing to land a true superstar won't necessarily signify a failed offseason, and there are plenty of other avenues to explore.
Trade Draft Picks for Established Players
Ainge has three first-round picks in this year's draft (Nos. 3, 16 and 23) and five second-rounders (31, 35, 45, 51, 58). Many of those selections should be on the market.
Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram are the consensus top talents among draft experts. There are some intriguing guards further down the board, but Boston is set with a backcourt trio of Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley. Ainge could roll the dice on a foreign talent like Dragan Bender, but letting another team take the gamble would be preferable.
"What Boston does with that No. 3 pick now becomes the most interesting predraft question in the league," ESPN.com's Zach Lowe wrote following the draft lottery.
A potential trade target could be Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor. CSN New England's Tim Welsh (via CSN Philly's Enrico Campitelli) laid out the logistics:
"If I'm the Celtics I would get on the phone with the Colangelos in Philadelphia daily. It's well known that they love Kris Dunn. They need a great guard. Kris Dunn is going to be that. Maybe a Dwyane Wade, maybe a John Wall. Maybe not that good but I think he's going to be an All-Star guard, especially if he learns how to shoot. He's gotten better over the years. They have a plethora of bigs. They can get Simmons at No. 1 and send Okafor to Boston for No. 3 and take Dunn.
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Boston should also throw in James Young (who it may be time to give up on) or R.J. Hunter to make the deal more enticing. The internal backcourt logjam likely wouldn't have either guy contributing much next season in Boston anyway.
Okafor's defense and off-court incidents are valid concerns, but he is just 20 years old. He can already manufacture offense in the post, something the Celtics sorely lack, and there is plenty of room to grow. There is no reason he can't one day develop into a star under the guidance of head coach Brad Stevens.
With no clear-cut talent who could immediately help available at No. 3, getting a surer thing in Okafor would be terrific. He is still on his rookie contract, giving Boston three years to uncork his potential before he hits restricted free agency.
The Celtics should also auction off some of their other picks in pursuit of reliable veterans. Adding a versatile forward wouldn't hurt, and there are rebuilding teams that likely wouldn't mind moving a productive cog for future assets. The Brooklyn Nets desperately need to replenish their depleted pool of draft picks, and someone like Thaddeus Young might be worth a look.
Sign Al Horford
Once the draft is settled, the Celtics will move on to free agency, where acquiring Al Horford's services should be a priority.
The Atlanta Hawks will wrestle with the dilemma of handing an aging veteran a five-year, $150 million max contract, according to ESPN.com's Kevin Arnovitz and Brian Windhorst. Meanwhile, Boston could potentially sweep in with an enticing situation.
Despite the emotional ties to Atlanta, Horford has made it clear he wants the roster to improve. If it doesn't, it's only fair to assume he'll explore his options. The Celtics could offer the big man a four-year deal close to $111 million, starting in the vicinity of $25 million per year, as detailed by Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Horford turns 30 in June, but he'd be a terrific fit despite his age. Even with a starting frontcourt featuring Amir Johnson and Jared Sullinger, Stevens managed to craft an effective motion offense. A pairing of Okafor and Horford would be an immense upgrade.
Horford shot 34.4 percent from three-point range this year after almost exclusively living within the perimeter during his first eight seasons. He is a fantastic passer, operates effectively around the elbows and likely wouldn't have trouble adjusting to a post juggernaut in Okafor.
The question regarding this duo is defense. Horford's fast feet and high basketball IQ would help, while Okafor is agile enough and should improve with Stevens whipping some discipline into him. But neither is an elite rim protector, and acquiring a backup shot-blocker would be crucial.
Many free agents will inevitably be overpaid during the cap boom, and Horford is a lock to get the max somewhere. For the Celtics, he'd undoubtedly be worth it.
House Cleaning
Boston must make decisions on many of its own free agents early, and it's imperative to drop dead weight. The Celtics should renounce the rights to those players; otherwise their cap holds will take up precious room that could be used on free-agent acquisitions.
Johnson was a serviceable placeholder, but his $12 million nonguaranteed contract (which becomes guaranteed if not waived before July 3) is too hefty. Tyler Zeller was mediocre throughout the year, while Sullinger's poor playoff showing left a sour taste among critics and fans. The Celtics shouldn't think twice about renouncing both restricted free agents.
Evan Turner, who finished fifth in the Sixth Man of the Year voting, found his niche off the bench for the Celtics. A long-term reunion appears likely, according to Forsberg:
"Turner stressed following his exit interview with the team earlier this month that there are bigger considerations than money and suggested that coach Brad Stevens is among those hoping the team can find a way to bring him back. On Sunday, Turner hinted to Comcast SportsNet that he might even consider a bit of a discount if the two sides could find a way to extend their relationship.
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The cap boom could create a crazy market even for mid-tier free agents such as Turner. But there is no reason he can't reach a sensible middle ground with Boston, and a long-term contract in the vicinity of $10 million per year would seem fair. He can run the point, defend multiple positions and provide a scoring punch when needed. Those qualities usually come at a higher price tag, but the mutual affection should alleviate the financial blow.
Keeping Jonas Jerebko is a no-brainer as well. His contract isn't guaranteed for next year, but Boston can retain him for $5 million, which is tremendous value for a serviceable combo forward who can stretch the floor.
Dig Deep for Value
If Boston keeps Jerebko, then trades Young and the No. 3 pick for Okafor while signing Turner and Horford to the aforementioned deals, its salary bill would land somewhere around $77 million, without considering cap holds (the No. 16 and No. 23 picks would factor into the equation before free agency begins, unless traded).
That means the Celtics would have 12 players on the roster with approximately $15 million of cap space to spare.
This is a volatile figure, as Boston could easily slash more off the bill, or swing trades which reduce the wiggle room. For simplicity's sake, let's assume none of that happens so Ainge has to dig deep to round out the roster.
The Celtics could do with another big man, and Joakim Noah might be worth a look. His market value is at an all-time low after an injury-riddled campaign, but he remains a smart, hard-working, defensive-minded center.
Even with his value in the trenches, Noah should draw interest around the league, and he could even get some silly offers from teams willing to overspend for a big name. But if the market is cold and Boston can sign him to a short-term deal worth $9 million per year, it should. Horford and Noah were teammates in college, which could help convince Noah to take a pay cut.
At this point, the only thing lacking would be a competent wing. Jared Dudley or Matt Barnes could get the job done at a cheap price tag, and both would fit the Celtics' gritty style.
Here is what the hypothetical depth chart would look like:
| C | Okafor | Noah | Olynyk |
| PF | Horford | Jerebko | Mickey |
| SF | Crowder | Dudley | |
| SG | Bradley | Smart | Hunter |
| PG | Thomas | Turner | Rozier |
It's important to note that the projected depth chart doesn't include any of the Celtics' eight draft picks. Boston will likely have at least one or two rookies on the roster, but drafting international players and stashing them is also a probable scenario.
This type of roster could put the Celtics in the title picture, especially in an Eastern Conference with few elite teams. There is a ton of cross-position versatility, plenty of two-way players and sufficient depth for Stevens to fiddle with. Even if the moves don't pan out, Boston's current circumstances ensure one thing—Ainge will have endless room to get creative.
All salary data is courtesy of Spotrac or Basketball Insiders unless otherwise noted.
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