In an effort to clear the cap room necessary to sign Gordon Hayward to his agreed-upon maximum salary contract, the Celtics have been discussing trades involving Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart, and Avery Bradley, sources tell Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. According to the ESPN duo, Boston has discussed “trade concepts” involving those players with at least six teams.
[RELATED: Gordon Hayward to sign with Celtics]
Based on the NBA’s previous salary cap projections, it appeared the Celtics would have enough cap flexibility to move a smaller contract, such as Terry Rozier‘s, in order to create maximum salary room. However, when the cap came in lower than expected, at about $99MM, it all but guaranteed that Boston would have to move one of Crowder, Smart, or Bradley to make a max deal work.
Smart and Bradley are each entering contract years, so Crowder would likely be the most valuable trade chip of the three players. Crowder is under contract for the next three years for a total of about $22MM, making him a bargain. He’s also part of a growing logjam at small forward in Boston, with Hayward joining recent top-three picks Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.
According to Jake Fischer of SI.com (Twitter link), the Celtics offered Crowder to late-lottery teams leading up to June’s draft, hoping to acquire a pick and a young player. If the team wasn’t able to land that sort of package then, it’s even less likely now, given Boston’s reduced leverage, but Crowder should still have solid value.
Per Ian Begley of ESPN.com, the Celtics reached out to the Knicks today about Smart, but New York’s level of interest is unclear.
In addition to making a trade, the Celtics will likely have to renounce all their free agents and perhaps part with Jordan Mickey and Demetrius Jackson to make room for Hayward.
If they trade one of those guys, they should look into signing Tony Allen. He’ll probably take paycut to be back in Boston on a contending team and they’ll need to replace one of Bradley, Crowder, or Smart’s defense.
So long as they are fine not playing him in actual games, that sounds like a good idea.
Why would they not play him? The man is 35 years old and just came off an All-Defensive team selection.
I’m sorry but you’ve seen him attempt a jump shot and/or blow out his knee dinking 30 sec after the whistle correct?
They need depth when they trade one of Bradley/Smart/Crowder. If Allen is willing to come back for the minimum, it’s worth the risk.
Yeah he’s not a good shooter but he’s a great defender. He would be great coming off the bench for the Celtics.
None of the guys being put on the block will be taking jumpers anyway – 4th in line at best.
Would love Smart and Crowder on the Knicks. Send them O’Quinn and some future 2nd rd. picks.
Lol they’ll probably need to send them Porzingis.
Smart, Crowder the la/kings and grizzlies and there own pick for Porzinigis maybe the C’s can toss in a few 2nd’s or some of there draft and stash players they have
DON’T TRADE AWAY BRADLEY PLEASE
I love Avery Bradley. He is such a gamer.
He’s probably walking in free agency in a year anyway. Thomas, Bradley, and Smart are all up for free agency at the end of the year. While Smart is a RFA, they’ll all likely see contracts starting around $13m AAV (on the low end). If the Celtics give Thomas anywhere close to the max, it’ll be close to impossible to keep Bradley and/or Smart without putting themselves in luxury tax hell for at least the next two years (when Horford’s contract is up, but then Brown and Tatum will be up for RFA that year and the next respectively).
I will be disappointed if the Nuggets aren’t kicking the tires here. They need a wing and a point, and they need defense.
Crowder definitely makes the most sense to deal because Boston will want to develop Brown, just drafted Tatum, and obviously signed Hayward so they have depth to deal from. Plus Crowder for sure has one of the most team friendly contracts in the sport.
Sixers will give you 6-30 Lakers pick in 2018 for Crowder.
Not a chance
Clearly, they should move Smart, of those 3. It sucks that they have to lose him, but no way I’m moving Crowder’s contract in that situation or losing Avery Bradley in a low value deal. That’s if I’m boston at least…
Exactly why their Happy your not in charge bcuz that’s dumb AF
That actually makes sense
Honestly I don’t see Boston coming out well in a trade scenario involving one of these three. Bradley and Smart are free agents at the end of the year and one of them is likely to walk at the end of the year, so in theory it makes sense to trade one of them. But, keeping Crowder now blocks some potential minutes available for Brown and Tatum. I don’t think Smart would mind coming off the bench for another year, but I’m not sure how willing Boston will be to pay him over $10m a year to come off the bench. And I doubt Bradley would be happy to accept a bench role a year away from free agency because it would hurt his earning potential (so even though he won’t be able to do anything about not starting, I’d imagine he leave to get a starting job elsewhere in a year). Teams know Boston doesn’t have a lot of leverage in these trade talks so the return for one of these three likely won’t be much unless they’re paired together in a deal. Sure, Ainge could try to work some cap magic and find a way to retain all three for this year, but again, they’ll likely lose one of Smart/Bradley to free agency and then there really isn’t enough minutes to split between Hayward/Crowder/Bradley/Smart/Brown/Tatum.
Bradley can start still. Thomas Bradley Hayward Horford (insert big or tall wing here).
Bradley can start, but Crowder made comments about the fans openly cheering for Hayward during a game last year (something along the lines of him feeling like it was the fans’ way of saying he wasn’t good enough I think). Crowder seems like a team-first guy and might be willing to come off the bench, but he probably won’t be happy doing so. That would be the ideal case scenario, if Crowder is willing to come off the bench, but who knows.
1 of Crowder or Hayward plays small ball 4
You have versatile options at the 2/3/4…I’d trade Smart, in this scenario, as Brown can take his role, try to keep Bradley at the end of the year, and let IT walk if I have to…
I’d rather take a little less on his value out than move Crowder or Bradley in a deal that I havery to take less on theirs.
If the wolves could somehow make room for crowder, that would be amazing.
Watching SLC Summer League game and Zizic makes Tyler Zeller look like an All Star. Include Zizic with Crowder, Smart, and Lakers 2018 pick for Porzingis
If Zizic is making Zeller look like an All-Star (which I assume means that Zizic is playing poorly), how is Zizic the difference maker in a KP deal? Crowder and the Lakers pick are valuable obviously, Smart would be too if it weren’t for a contract extension coming next offseason, but that value is still off for KP.
KP is not on the table. That was a weird Phil Jackson thing and there is no way NYK are thinking about letting him go. Especially not for Zizic, Crowder, Smart, and a draft pick. That’s laugh out loud funny.
What made golden state so great is they added current too the team. You can’t add Hayward and then get rid of the rest of the talent. I’d rather have those 3 players then Hayward
They aren’t getting rid of all 3 they will likely just flip Crowder for a pick or a trade involving anyone who makes like 5 mil or less but is decent plus a pick.
Would you rather have Hayward or Crowder? Hayward or Smart? You need all stars to win in the NBA.
Well it helped that Curry was signed to a bargain deal and Thompson and Green are signed to now-below max level contracts (although close to the max when they were signed). And lets not forget that the cap increased during Durant’s free agent year, making it easier for the Warriors to sign him.
Same situation Sixers were in with Embiid Okafor and Noel. Not going to get great value back, why would teams offer much
Flip Crowder back to Dallas with Smart for Dwight Powell. Numbers work on Trade Machine. Allows y’all to replace Olynick with a young athletic big, shed cap space and kick the third guard out that you won’t retain since they’d bring back Bradley over smart.
I Thomas, A Bradley, G Hayward, J Brown/J Tatum/PF, Horford.
Mavs get a back up PG and Future/backup SF. Carlisle has already said Crowder was our worst trade. He was liked here and could even work to start in the 3 if they move H Barnes to the 4 and Dirk to Sixth man.
Not a bad idea, but I’m not sure Ainge would trade 2 rotation players in one deal. Plus Dallas would likely have to send a pick or a young player/cheap rotation veteran back.
the pacers should be spinning their tires trying to get Bradley if their not…. their gm sucks!!!!!
All three players for gasol …