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2016-17 NBA PLAYOFFS THREAD

I have no idea why you are so dismissive on Horford. I dont think you watch him.

And again, the Lakers are in the West, an they dont have a strong case at all. Their coach isnt as good as Stevens and they dont have as many future assets to build with and are in the harder conference.

They would get Jimmy Butler, who is ions better than IT. So is Hayward. They would be subtracting one overrated 5'9 PG for two 6'8 All-Stars (plus w/e they get out of IT)

They have pretty much come out and said they aren't trading Fultz. To do so for Butler, they'd still have to send a bunch of salary back, which means losing players they'd want to keep.

And now with the Cavs whooping on them like nobody's business, I think it's really doubtful Ainge goes all in on winning now. If I'm Hayward, I'd be a lot more tempted if they were willing to go all in now, instead of building for when Lebron slows down, which almost seems a certainty at this point.

Even though Utah got swept by GS, they looked better injured than Boston has looked against the cavs while healthy.
 
Sure. Call me on it when it happens. Their cap space this offseason is predicated on IT's current $7M/year deal and using his Bird rights to extend him. They'll have to unload Bradley or Crowder along with IT to trade for Butler. They'll need to throw in next year's BK pick at a minimum to sweeten that deal. (Chicago doesn't need an undersized PG approaching 30 years-old, or Avery Bradley for that matter.)

https://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=l7abcgz

Now the Celtics have Hayward, Butler and Horford as their Big 3 (all maxed), plus whoever's left between Bradley and Crowder, Smart, plus a few rookie-scale players. At that point, their cap space is gone. They still can't rebound or defend, and they're not likely to beat the Cavs because they're not well put together. Olynyk isn't extended. Bradley is gone the following year.

Three years from now, Horford turns 33 and his deal expires, Butler has a player option and likely will be seeking a max extension. Thus ends the window of this supposed dynasty. You'd better hope that Fultz and Brown turn into impact players in a hurry. The Celts will have spent their last BK pick (assuming Chicago will take the 2018 pick in the first place).

The minute the Cs decide to trade IT, they turn their most efficient asset into a liability. Hayward/Butler/Horford and 20 year-olds is more likely to be the Toronto Raptors than a real contender.

This is a really good assessment of Boston's situation.

They really needed to show they were close to competing with the Cavs in order for them to be making win now moves. Instead, they have looked light years away. They've already said they pretty much aren't dealing their 1st this year, and now I'd almost guarantee Ainge will decide against dealing next year's Brooklyn pick as well.

No point in trading away the future to win now when your team is nowhere close to contending. Jazz fans should feel a whole lot better about Hayward than they did a few days ago. Such a shame Rondo got injured, or I really think this celtics team could have been swept by an 8th seed.
 
The argument the Cs would make to Hayward is that they have a window to compete now with IT, Horford, Butler and Hayward. They do have the ability to assemble this team if they'll trade a Brooklyn pick and some salary for Butler and then extend IT. They shouldn't trade IT if they want to win now.

If the Celtics don't commit to assembling All Stars, then they have a mix of vets and youth, including Fultz, Brown and next year's BK pick, but that team will compete four years from now against the Sixers and the Bucks.

It's just awfully hard to build a real contender. You have to do everything right, and you have to have a legit top-5 player on your roster.
 
The argument the Cs would make to Hayward is that they have a window to compete now with IT, Horford, Butler and Hayward. They do have the ability to assemble this team if they'll trade a Brooklyn pick and some salary for Butler and then extend IT. They shouldn't trade IT if they want to win now.

If the Celtics don't commit to assembling All Stars, then they have a mix of vets and youth, including Fultz, Brown and next year's BK pick, but that team will compete four years from now against the Sixers and the Bucks.

It's just awfully hard to build a real contender. You have to do everything right, and you have to have a legit top-5 player on your roster.

Their was an interview with their owner talking about the value of these picks compared to trading for someone on a big contact, and I'm to the point I think they are committed to keeping those Brooklyn picks. They may try to sell FAs on the idea they'd be willing to trade them, but I don't think there's going to be a move for Butler/George with a Nets pick involved.
 
With how this Cavs series is going I wonder if the Celts are considering starting over...

Trade away IT, Bradley, Smart, Crowder and Horford (or whoever else brings in good picks), keep Jaylen Brown and build around him Fultz and whoever they get next year. This would mean their 'rebuilt' side should be reaching its peak 5 years from now and would be ready to strike when Lebron isn't at the peak of his powers.
 
Both these conference finals might turn out to be sweeps.

I don't see the Cavs losing.

I do see San Antonio maybe winning 1 game if Kawhi comes back. If not, both will be sweeps.

Kawhi is ruled out for game 3. So the Warriors are about to go up 0-3. At this point, maybe it's best for the Spurs to just shut down their franchise player
 
I'd be surprised if Adam Silver had watched every minutes of these Conference Finals this year and not think 'something needs to be done'.



I really hope the TV ratings take a plummeting this year and got the League really concerned.
 
Cavs and Dubs will both be 12-0 heading into the finals. Helps when the other team is missing their best players.
 
I'd be surprised if Adam Silver had watched every minutes of these Conference Finals this year and not think 'something needs to be done'.



I really hope the TV ratings take a plummeting this year and got the League really concerned.

The current system is fine. We have 2 elite teams, and a few second tier contenders. The East kind of sucks, but that's incidental. In the West, The Jazz could have competed had they been as healthy as GSW. It wouldn't have been a cakewalk. Same with Spurs and Kawhi.

It's always been this way. One or two teams clearly better than everyone else, and a few dark horse teams that are capable of winning it all if everything goes right. The system has its downsides, but they're less soul-sucking than enforced-parity.
 
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