2017 June | Hoops Rumors

2017 NBA Offseason Previews By Team

By Luke Adams | at June 22, 2017 4:12 pm

The NBA offseason is officially in full swing, and over the last several weeks, Hoops Rumors has been previewing this summer’s roster moves and decisions for each of the league’s 30 teams, asking – and attempting to answer – five key questions for every club.

Our offseason previews of this year’s NBA Finals combatants, the Warriors and Cavaliers, will be published sometime after the draft — while it’s possible both teams will be involved tonight, neither club currently has a draft pick, so their major moves are more likely to come in July.

Our previews for the NBA’s other 28 teams are below:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlantic Division

Central Division

Southeast Division

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Northwest Division

Pacific Division

Southwest Division

0 comments Five Key Offseason Questions Hoops Rumors Originals

Draft Notes: Ball, Ntilikina, Bulls, Mavericks

By Arthur Hill | at June 22, 2017 3:39 pm

The Lakers are widely expected to take Lonzo Ball with the No. 2 pick after trading D’Angelo Russell on Tuesday, but Ball tells Adam Zagoria of FanRag Sports that he hasn’t received a guarantee from the team. Ball worked out twice for L.A., with the second time reportedly at the request of the Lakers after a disappointing showing in the first session. “I think they were both fine,” he said. L.A. is still giving “real consideration” to Kentucky point guard De’Aaron Fox, tweets Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders.

There’s more news as teams lock in their draft strategies:

French point guard Frank Ntilikina held a last-minute workout for the Knicks this morning, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. Sources tell Berman that the Mavericks, who are also in the market for a point guard, talked to the Timberwolves about trading up from the ninth pick to the seventh to have a shot at Ntilikina, but talks collapsed because of Minnesota’s high asking price. The Wolves would prefer to use that pick as part of a package to get Jimmy Butler from the Bulls. Today’s workout was conducted by former Knicks player developmental coach Chris Brickley, who tutored Ntilikina last summer.
If the Bulls do move Butler, they will likely target Fox or Josh Jackson, tweets K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune.
The Celtics are also interested in the seventh pick and have spoken to the Wolves about a possible deal, tweets Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders. Boston may want an extra draft choice to sweeten its offer to the Knicks for Kristaps Porzingis.
Responding to Damian Lillard‘s request for a better supporting cast, the Trail Blazers are trying to acquire a lottery pick, tweets Mitch Lawrence of The Sporting News. Portland’s priority in any deal is getting rid of a bad contract, according to Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). The Blazers made an offer for Paul George, but it “doesn’t move the needle” for the Pacers, relays Jason Quick of CSNNW (Twitter link).
The Raptors, who hold the No. 23 pick, are gauging interest around the league and are willing to trade down, according to Scotto (Twitter link).
The Nuggets, who have the 13th selection, are another team that may try to move down, tweets Jonathan Givony of Draft Express. He notes that Denver has a history of making draft-night trades.
Several teams have expressed an interest in moving into the late part of the lottery, according to Givony (Twitter link). He lists the Lakers, Hawks, Nets, Bucks, Trail Blazers and Rockets as teams that might try to acquire a pick in the 10-14 range.

Latest On Kristaps Porzingis

By Arthur Hill | at June 22, 2017 3:23 pm

3:23pm: The Celtics and Knicks aren’t engaged in ongoing talks about a Porzingis deal, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com, who says the teams exchanged offers this morning and haven’t been back in contact. Sources familiar with the negotiations are calling Jackson’s demands “ridiculous,” McMenamin posted on ESPN Now. He adds that the Celtics are now expected to keep the No. 3 pick and not try to trade down.

2:25pm: The Celtics are making a strong pitch for Kristaps Porzingis and are trying to assemble a package that the Knicks will accept, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Boston has offered the No. 3 selection, an unidentified player and an additional lottery pick that the Celtics are confident they can trade for tonight, according to Ian Begley of ESPN.com (Twitter link). However, ESPN’s Jeff Goodman posts on ESPN Now that the sides are not close to a deal.

There’s more today on the Porzingis front:

Knicks president Phil Jackson wants the Celtics to give up tonight’s No. 3 pick, next year’s unprotected Nets pick, Jaylen Brown and Jae Crowder, relays Frank Isola of The New York Daily News. Boston believes that’s too much to ask, but is willing to do the deal if it involves just one of the draft picks, according to Isola. New York wants Kansas forward Josh Jackson, who is expected to still be on the board at No. 3. Phil Jackson is also a fan of Crowder and regrets not picking him up from Dallas in the Tyson Chandler deal three years ago. Brown, the third overall selection in 2016, has a close relationship with former Knicks president Isaiah Thomas.
Jackson’s demand was confirmed to Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald (Twitter link) by another source, who added, “[Phil Jackson] is just messing with things.“
Ramona Shelburne posts on ESPN Now that Jackson won’t settle for anything less than his demand. “He’s dug in,” a Knicks source told her. “If he doesn’t get exactly what he wants, there will be no [Porzingis] trade.”
The Celtics aren’t the only team trying to pry Porzingis away from New York, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.
One of those teams is the Suns, who have talked to the Knicks about a trade involving the No. 4 pick. TNT’s David Aldridge says the teams aren’t close to a deal, although that could always change (Twitter link).

17 comments Boston Celtics Dallas Mavericks New York Knicks Newsstand Phoenix Suns Jae Crowder Jaylen Brown Josh Jackson Kristaps Porzingis Phil Jackson

Trade Rumors: Jackson, George, Porzingis, Kanter

By Dana Gauruder | at June 22, 2017 2:38 pm

Numerous teams are trying to obtain a top-4 pick in order to select Kansas swingman Josh Jackson, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical tweets. With the Sixers having obtained the top overall pick to select Markelle Fultz, that means a blockbuster deal involving the Lakers, Celtics or Suns could be on the horizon. It also strongly suggests that the Celtics have settled on Duke forward Jayson Tatum as their preferred choice, since Jackson wouldn’t be available at No. 4 if Boston wants him.

Here are some of other trade rumors floating around as the draft approaches:

There is a growing sense that unless the Pacers get a suitable offer for Paul George today, President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard will wait until next month to re-engage talks regarding the 2018 free agent, according to Basketball Insiders’ Steve Kyler. However, the latest projected salary cap of $99MM could motivate Indiana and the Lakers to get a deal done today, as Kyler details. The Spurs and Blazers are also making a run at George, Kyler adds in another tweet.
The Knicks believe Kristaps Porzingis would have been the top selection in today’s draft and next year’s draft and desire a package of picks that reflect his value, David Aldridge of NBA.com tweets. Team President Phil Jackson confirmed Wednesday he is listening to offers for the disgruntled big man. Talks between the Knicks and Suns have not gained any traction because Phoenix is unwilling to part with shooting guard Devin Booker, Wojnarowski tweets.
The Thunder could deal center Enes Kanter as early as today, Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman speculates. The team has enough big men to take over his minutes, though Kanter is the most offensively-gifted frontcourt player they have, Carlson continues. It makes sense to obtain more shooters and veterans to help out Russell Westbrook, which makes Kanter expendable, Carlson adds. Kanter will make approximately $17.9MM next season and holds an $18.6MM player option on the final year of his contract next summer.

37 comments 2017 NBA Draft Boston Celtics Indiana Pacers Los Angeles Lakers New York Knicks Oklahoma City Thunder Phoenix Suns Portland Trail Blazers San Antonio Spurs Devin Booker Enes Freedom Josh Jackson Kristaps Porzingis Paul George

Five Key Offseason Questions: Charlotte Hornets

By Luke Adams | at June 22, 2017 2:37 pm

The Hornets continued to yo-yo back and forth under Steve Clifford‘s watch in 2016/17. Since Clifford took the reins as the team’s head coach four years ago, Charlotte has posted a pair of strong seasons, winning 43 games in Clifford’s first year and 48 in 2015/16. The Hornets have followed those impressive showings with disappointing ones, however, winning just 33 games in 2014/15 and 36 last season.

The franchise likely expects to rebound once again in 2017/18, having kicked off the offseason by acquiring eight-time All-Star Dwight Howard. While a bounce-back season is possible, there are several questions the Hornets will need to address this offseason in order to return to playoff contention. Let’s dive in…

1. Was Dwight Howard a worthwhile investment?

In the wake of this week’s trade for Howard, Clifford expressed optimism about the veteran center’s ability to regain his All-Star form. Clifford was an assistant in Orlando and then in Los Angeles when Howard was in his prime with the Magic and Lakers, so he knows him as well as anyone.

Expecting Howard to become an All-Star again may be aiming a little too high, but it’s not as if the 31-year-old was ineffective for Atlanta last season. He comfortably averaged a double-double – as he has every year since entering the league – with 13.5 PPG and 12.7 RPG, and his .633 FG% was a career best.

The Hornets also didn’t give up much to acquire Howard and to move up 10 spots in the second round of the draft, parting with Miles Plumlee and his pricey contract, plus Marco Belinelli. Belinelli is a solid, affordable rotation piece for any team, but he only has one year left on his contract, so moving him isn’t a long-term blow for Charlotte.

While it remains to be seen whether Howard can move the needle at all for the Hornets, the price to land him wasn’t exorbitant by any means, so a roll of the dice makes sense.

2. Will the Hornets be active in free agency at all?

One factor that made it easier for the Hornets to add more than $4MM in salary to their 2017/18 cap in the Howard swap was the team’s lack of projected cap room. The addition of Howard – along with the NBA’s new cap projection of $99MM – seals the deal on Charlotte being an over-the-cap team. The Hornets already have $106.5MM+ in guaranteed salaries on their books, and that’s without taking into account their first-round pick, their free agents, or Ramon Sessions‘ team option.

With no cap room to spend, the Hornets could use their mid-level exception to add a free agent or two, but the MLE is projected to start at about $8.4MM this year. The tax line is expected to come in at about $119MM, so Charlotte will have to be careful about using its entire MLE — doing so will bring the team dangerously close to going into luxury tax territory.

Without much spending power at their disposal, the Hornets figure to avoid bidding on free agents in the top two or three tiers, focusing instead on smaller pieces who could help add depth to their bench.

3. Are more trades coming?

Since free agency isn’t a real option for the Hornets to add an impact player, it’s possible that the team could return to the trade market. The team will have five players earning over $12.5MM in 2017/18, and that list doesn’t even include star point guard Kemba Walker ($12MM), so there is no shortage of contracts that could be moved to accommodate a deal.

Unfortunately for Charlotte, most of the team’s highest-paid players, such as Nicolas Batum ($22.4MM), Marvin Williams ($13.17MM), and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist ($13MM) aren’t exactly coming off outstanding years, and won’t have a ton of trade value. Those three players have overlapping skill sets, so if Charlotte could move one and perhaps pick up some backcourt help, it would make sense to do so.

The Hornets may also be able to spare a frontcourt piece if they look to deal, though it’s not clear yet how those minutes will be divided with Howard, Cody Zeller, and Frank Kaminsky all in the mix. Those three players should be able to coexist, but things could get more crowded up front if Charlotte uses its No. 11 overall pick on a big man such as Zach Collins, which would increase the odds of a trade.

4. What should the Hornets do with the 11th overall pick?

The general consensus leading up to the draft was that there was a group of 10 players atop most draft boards, with the Hornets unlikely to land one of those players at No. 11. However, in recent days, a number of rising prospects have snuck into the top 10 in various experts’ mock drafts, opening the door for an intriguing prospect to fall to the Hornets.

At ESPN, for instance, Chad Ford has Malik Monk slipping to the Hornets at No. 11. Monk is a better shooter than Donovan Mitchell and a better athlete than Luke Kennard, two other guards Charlotte figures to consider at No. 11 if they’re available. Meanwhile, Jonathan Givony’s latest mock for DraftExpress.com has French point guard Frank Ntilikina falling out of the top 10 and all the way to No. 15. If Ntilikina is available at No. 11, I expect the Hornets would seriously consider him.

5. Who will back up Kemba Walker?

Like the Wizards with John Wall, the Hornets had a hard time identifying a reliable backup for the best player on their roster last season. Ramon Sessions looked like a respectable choice, but he struggled for the Hornets, making just 38.0% of his field goals and averaging a career-low 6.2 PPG. I’d be very surprised if Charlotte exercises its $6.27MM club option on him.

The draft could actually provide the Hornets with its most logical path to a backup point guard, but guys like Ntilikina and Dennis Smith Jr. are good bets to be off the board, and may not be ready to take on a No. 2 role behind Walker anyway. Monk and Mitchell can handle the ball, but they aren’t traditional point guards, and there’s no guarantee they’ll be available either.

While a trade for a veteran backup is possible, the Hornets could save their assets by pursuing a free agent like Shaun Livingston or Darren Collison — as long as they don’t get too expensive. As noted above, Charlotte doesn’t have a whole lot of flexibility to spend, so anything above an annual salary of about $5-6MM may be out of the team’s price range.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Hornets financially:

Guaranteed Salary

Dwight Howard ($23,500,000)
Nicolas Batum ($22,434,783)
Marvin Williams ($13,168,750)
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist ($13,000,000)
Cody Zeller ($12,584,270)
Kemba Walker ($12,000,000)
Jeremy Lamb ($7,000,000)
Frank Kaminsky ($2,847,600)
Total: $106,535,403

Player Options

None

Team Options

Ramon Sessions ($6,270,000)
Total: $6,270,000

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Johnny O’Bryant ($1,524,305)¹
Briante Weber ($1,471,382)²
Treveon Graham ($1,312,611)
Total: $4,308,298

Restricted Free Agents

None

Cap Holds

No. 11 overall pick ($2,904,480)
Brian Roberts ($1,471,382)
Christian Wood ($1,471,382)
Total: $5,847,244

Trade Exceptions

Troy Daniels TPE ($1,666,470) — Expires 7/12/17

Projected Salary Cap: $99,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: –$12,886,728

The Hornets’ guaranteed salaries, plus cap holds for their first-round pick and three empty roster spots, total $111,886,728, putting the team well over the cap. So, barring a significant change in direction, Charlotte is unlikely to dip below the cap this summer.

Footnotes:

O’Bryant’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after August 1.
Weber’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after August 1.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2 comments Charlotte Hornets Five Key Offseason Questions Hoops Rumors Originals

Trade Rumors: Butler, Rubio, Cavaliers

By Arthur Hill | at June 22, 2017 2:30 pm

Jimmy Butler continues to be very much in demand, according to a post from Ian Begley on ESPN Now. Executives from other teams believe the Timberwolves are offering the seventh pick in tonight’s draft as part of a package to get the Bulls to re-open trade talks. Minnesota coach/executive Tom Thibodeau coached Butler in Chicago and is eager for a reunion. The Cavaliers made an unsuccessful offer for Butler, and sources relayed to ESPN.com’s Marc Stein that Butler’s preference is to stay with the Bulls. The Timberwolves are also talking to the Pacers about Paul George, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical tweets.

There are more trade rumors as the draft draws nearer:

The Wolves are once again trying to find takers for Ricky Rubio, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Earlier reports identified the Mavericks and Knicks as teams that might have interest in the sixth-year point guard, who still has two seasons and more than $29MM left on his contract.
The Cavaliers are in a “holding pattern” as they await progress on several proposed trades, according to Sam Amico of AmicoHoops (Twitter link). Cleveland’s problem is a shortage of tradable assets and what insiders are describing as a “flooded market” (Twitter link).
Cleveland is finding that no one wants to take on the hefty contracts of Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith or Tristan Thompson, Amico adds (Twitter link). Shumpert has two years left on his deal at a combined $21.3MM. Smith re-signed last summer and is owed more than $44MM over the next three seasons. Thompson has three years remaining at more than $52.4MM.

18 comments Chicago Bulls Cleveland Cavaliers Dallas Mavericks Indiana Pacers Minnesota Timberwolves New York Knicks Iman Shumpert J.R. Smith Jimmy Butler Paul George Ricky Rubio Tristan Thompson

Spurs Rumors: Hill, Aldridge, Jackson, Summer League

By Dana Gauruder | at June 22, 2017 12:52 pm

A reunion between unrestricted free agent point guard George Hill and the Spurs is a possibility, according to Jabari Young of the San Antonio Express-News. Hill wouldn’t mind playing once again for coach Gregg Popovich and he continues to maintain a residence in San Antonio, according to Young. Hill played for the Spurs from 2008-11 until he was traded to the Pacers in a deal that gave San Antonio the draft rights to Kawhi Leonard, among others. The Spurs are expected to make contact with Hill, who played for the Jazz last season, when free agency begins next month. However, Hill would seemingly be a fallback target for San Antonio, which is expected to make a serious run at the top point guard in free agency, Chris Paul.

In other news regarding the Spurs:

The Blazers are interested in bringing back LaMarcus Aldridge and reuniting him with point guard Damian Lillard, according to Young. That is unlikely because Portland only wants to make a deal in which it can match salaries, Young continues. The Spurs are trying to move Aldridge in a deal that would clear cap space in their pursuit of top free agents.
The Spurs’ efforts to land a Top 10 pick by moving Aldridge are hampered by Aldridge’s contract situation, Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets. Any lottery team trading for Aldridge would have to feel comfortable it can re-sign him, Stein adds. Aldridge will make $21.46MM next season but can opt out of the final year of his contract next summer if he chooses to leave $22.3MM on the table.
The Suns, who hold the No. 4 pick, could be a trade match for Aldridge, according to radio host Ric Bucher (Twitter link). Phoenix went hard after Aldridge in free agency before he chose San Antonio and the Spurs cover Kansas swingman Josh Jackson, Bucher adds.
The team has hired Dejan Radonjic of Red Star Belgrade as its associate head coach for its Summer League team, international journalist David Pick tweets.

12 comments Phoenix Suns Portland Trail Blazers San Antonio Spurs Dejan Rodonjic George Hill Josh Jackson LaMarcus Aldridge

Updated Maximum Salary Projections For 2017/18

By Luke Adams | at June 22, 2017 12:08 pm

Last month, we published maximum salary projections based on a $101MM salary cap. However, on Wednesday, the NBA informed teams that the salary cap projection for 2017/18 is now $99MM. The difference is fairly modest, but it’s enough to affect what maximum salary contracts would look like. For instance, a player like Chris Paul could earn more than $205MM on a five-year max with the Clippers with a $101MM cap. With a $99MM cap, his maximum earnings slip a little to below $201MM.

While maximum salary contracts start at the same amount no matter where a player signs, players re-signing with their own teams can get larger raises and more years than if they sign elsewhere.

Additionally, players with less than seven years of NBA experience can only get a maximum salary worth 25% of the cap, while veterans with more experience can sign deals that start at 30% or 35% of the cap. So, the figures below reflect the various salaries that players like Otto Porter (less than six years), Gordon Hayward (7-9 years), and Paul (10+ years) could get on max contracts.

You can check out our story from March for more details on maximum salary contracts. For now, here’s what new max deals will tentatively look like this summer based on a $99MM cap:

A player re-signing with his own team (8% annual raises, up to five years):

Year	6 years or less	7-9 years	10+ years
2017/18	$24,750,000	$29,700,000	$34,650,000
2018/19	$26,730,000	$32,076,000	$37,422,000
2019/20	$28,710,000	$34,452,000	$40,194,000
2020/21	$30,690,000	$36,828,000	$42,966,000
2021/22	$32,670,000	$39,204,000	$45,738,000
Total	$143,550,000	$172,260,000	$200,970,000

A player signing with a new team (5% annual raises, up to four years):

Year	6 years or less	7-9 years	10+ years
2017/18	$24,750,000	$29,700,000	$34,650,000
2018/19	$25,987,500	$31,185,000	$36,382,500
2019/20	$27,225,000	$32,670,000	$38,115,000
2021/22	$28,462,500	$34,155,000	$39,847,500
Total	$106,425,000	$127,710,000	$148,995,000

7 comments Hoops Rumors Originals Salary Cap

Draft Rumors: Giles, Sixers, Celtics, Knicks

By Dana Gauruder | at June 22, 2017 11:26 am

Duke forward Harry Giles could go as high as No. 10 overall to the Kings despite lingering concerns over his knee injury, according to ESPN.com’s Chad Ford. The Blazers, who control the No. 15 and No. 20 picks, are also intrigued by Giles, whose lone college season was marred by the injury, Ford continues. The Thunder, who pick No. 21, could also be a destination for Giles, who has been cleared medically by most doctors that have examined him, Ford adds.

In other draft-related news:

The Sixers are trying to obtain another first-rounder in the bottom third of the draft by packaging the No. 36 and No. 39 overall picks in the second round, David Aldridge of NBA.com tweets. President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo said earlier this week he was still seeking another first-round pick even after the trade with the Celtics for the No. 1 overall pick was finalized.
Celtics GM Danny Ainge has executives around the league guessing as to what he’ll do with the No. 3 pick, according to Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com. Most believe that he’ll pick Kansas swingman Josh Jackson or Duke forward Jayson Tatum, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility he’ll pull off a shocker and draft Florida State forward Jonathan Isaac or North Carolina State point guard Dennis Smith Jr. Forsberg continues. He may trade down a couple of spots to land one of the latter two players, Forsberg adds.
The Knicks are also looking to package a couple of second-rounders at No. 44 and No. 58 in order to secure a higher second-rounder, Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders tweets.

7 comments 2017 NBA Draft Boston Celtics New York Knicks Oklahoma City Thunder Philadelphia 76ers Portland Trail Blazers Sacramento Kings Harry Giles

Five Key Offseason Questions: Boston Celtics

By Luke Adams | at June 22, 2017 9:56 am

Not every Celtic fan is in love with Danny Ainge‘s patient, meticulous approach to stockpiling assets and building the team’s roster, but that strategy began to pay major dividends in 2017. The Celtics made a strong second-half push to nab the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, then took advantage of their pick swap with the Nets and some lottery luck to grab the No. 1 pick in the draft as well.

Of course, each of those accomplishments comes with a caveat. Despite their spot atop the Eastern Conference, the Celtics didn’t come anywhere close to knocking off the Cavaliers in the Conference Finals, and will need to add another impact player to their roster to help close that gap. As for the No. 1 overall pick, Boston became the first team in recent NBA history to trade that top selection in advance of the draft, sending it to Philadelphia for this year’s No. 3 pick and a future first-rounder.

Even after a 53-win season and a pair of playoff series victories, Ainge continues to turn current present-day assets into future pieces. Will that approach change at all this summer?

Here are five key questions facing the Celtics as the offseason begins:

1. What will the Celtics do with the third overall pick?

When the Celtics first completed their trade with the Sixers earlier in the week, there seemed to be two schools of thought for what Boston had in mind for its next move — the team would either select Kansas forward Josh Jackson, or use its newly-acquired picks in a trade for a star.

Several days later, it’s not clear that the Celtics will take either route. If the club keeps its pick, there’s no guarantee that Jackson will be the selection — many experts believe Boston may be leaning toward Jayson Tatum instead, and Jonathan Isaac has even been mentioned as a possibility. There have also been reports suggesting that the Celtics could trade down again, perhaps with an eye on a player like Dennis Smith Jr.

The Celtics are sitting in a great spot, and at this point there’s no real wrong answer for the club — whatever happens, Boston should come out of draft night with either a young potential star or a player who is already a star.

2. Is this the right time for the Celtics to cash in some trade chips?

Several teams are reportedly interested in moving into the top four in an effort to land Jackson, making the Celtics an ideal trade partner — there’s no guarantee Jackson would be available at No. 4, but with Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball considered strong favorites to be the first two picks, the No. 3 pick may be the spot for the former Jayhawk.

The Bulls and Knicks are said to have legit interest in Jackson, and each of those teams has been exploring trade scenarios involving its stars — Jimmy Butler in Chicago and Kristaps Porzingis in New York. Either player would be a terrific fit in Boston, though Porzingis, in particular, would be a perfect addition for the C’s. He’d be capable of providing the sort of rim protecting the club has been missing, without compromising short-term cap flexibility.

Still, if Ainge perceives the asking price for those players to be too high, he’s under no real pressure to make a move. Pundits and fans may be anxious for the Celtics to push the Cavs in 2017/18, but Ainge certainly recognizes that he has the team well-positioned for the next five or 10 years — not just the next two or three. There’s no urgency to go all-in within the next couple years, particularly with LeBron James not yet showing any signs of slowing down.

There are potential moves the Celtics could make that would improve the current roster without compromising the team’s ability to contend for the next decade, but striking a balance between those two goals will be the key.

3. What can the Celtics do in free agency?

Historically, the Celtics haven’t frequently landed impact players in free agency, but that changed last summer when the team poached Al Horford, one of the top veterans on the market, from Atlanta. A year later, Boston may try to repeat that feat, having been consistently linked to pending free agents like Gordon Hayward and Blake Griffin.

Creating enough cap room for a maximum salary offer to a player such as Hayward or Griffin will require at least one or two additional roster moves, but that shouldn’t be a significant roadblock if the Celtics are able to get a commitment from a star free agent.

Given Griffin’s injury history and the fact that he’s not an elite rim protector, Hayward looks to me like the better fit in Boston. However, if the Celtics end up landing a forward like Paul George or Jimmy Butler around the time of the draft, it’s possible they won’t pursue Hayward quite so aggressively. And even if they do go after Hayward and/or Griffin, the Celtics have no assurances — both players will be coveted by many potential suitors, and could earn more money by re-signing with their own respective 51-win teams.

4. Will 2016’s first-rounders arrive stateside for 2017/18?

When considering the Celtics’ collection of assets, their current players and future draft picks generally get most of the attention, but the team’s draft-and-stash prospects shouldn’t be overlooked. Guerschon Yabusele and Ante Zizic, last year’s 16th and 23rd overall picks, respectively, had very strong seasons overseas, and appear capable of being long-term pieces for the Celtics, assuming they’re not traded.

Both Yabusele and Zizic reportedly have interest in joining the C’s for the 2017/18 season, so Boston will have to decide whether the time is right to bring them over. Neither player will be expensive, but even their modest cap hits could compromise the Celtics’ ability to offer a maximum salary contract to a free agent, and if Boston doesn’t believe the youngsters are ready to contribute right away, it might make more sense to wait another year to start the clock on their four-year rookie contracts.

I still expect we’ll see at least one – and perhaps both – of those two draft-and-stash prospects arrive in Boston this year, but the decision is a complicated one and will require an agreement from both sides.

5. Which rotation players are keepers?

Outside of Isaiah Thomas, an MVP candidate in 2016/17, and perhaps Al Horford, the Celtics don’t have any All-Stars on their current roster. The team should be looking to increase its star power, either in the form of a current star or a young player with the potential to become one. But in order to have a shot at a great player or two, Boston may have to determine which of its “good” players are expendable.

For instance, Kelly Olynyk, a reliable piece of Boston’s frontcourt last season, is eligible for restricted free agency. If the Celtics intend to pursue an elite free agent, there’s a good chance they’ll have to renounce Olynyk’s $7.7MM+ cap hold to create the necessary room.

If the Celtics go the trade route to land a star, some combination of Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and Terry Rozier would likely be headed in the other direction. Based on their current ability to contribute, their future potential, and their contract situations, which of those players will Boston view as most expendable?

I suspect that out of that group, the Celtics will prioritize keeping Brown. But if C’s get deep into trade talks with the Bulls, Pacers, Knicks, or another team, and the inclusion of Brown is a sticking point for that club, Ainge will have a tough decision to make.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Celtics financially: