The Boston Celtics have the pieces in place to form the NBA’s next great superteam.
One problem—they might not want to.
Danny Ainge and the Celtics just landed the third pick in the 2016 draft via the lottery. While not a bad slot, it puts the team out of the running for both Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram, meaning a guy as savvy as Ainge might just decide to up and trade the pick for a big return.
Could said big return be Jimmy Butler of the Chicago Bulls? Chris Mannix thinks so, but only if Boston is comfortable giving up a gigantic amount of assets, including the third pick:
If Boston does want to get in the mix for one of the premier players that could be available on the trade market, there is going to be a very rich price. It’s going to be that No. 3 overall pick plus a couple of extra players that are going to make it unpalatable for the Celtics to want to swallow that type of deal.
I think they’ve got enough. It just depends on how much you want to give. Do you want to give up this first-round pick plus next year’s swap rights with the Brooklyn pick? How much is too much blood to give up to get a potential franchise player? That’s the decision Danny Ainge has to make but man, it’s going to be a lot of fun watching him operate this summer.
This isn’t all too surprising, but here’s where things get interesting—Butler is the exact type of player Boston needs to lure Kevin Durant to town this summer.
Remember, Mannix is the guy who has already suggested the Celtics will meet with Durant this summer but had better make some changes to stand a chance:
Ainge will be aggressive in free agency, team sources told The Vertical, and yes, that means a run at Kevin Durant. The Celtics believe Durant will meet with them this summer, but they know that meeting won’t accomplish much unless there are significant moves leading into it.
This all sounds like something right out of NBA 2k. But Ainge has built this stockpile of assets for a long time and for good reason. He won’t be able to keep all of the many draft picks this year on a roster. Butler could be on the outs in Chicago, too, as Pau Gasol gets ready to leave and things blow up. Durant, on the other hand, could still seek a bigger market, no matter how good things look in the playoffs right now.
And what’s the worst that could happen? Boston gives up enough to get Butler and Durant doesn’t come to town. The Celtics would still have Butler, a proven superstar, who would grow with what is already a playoff core. If the Celtics want to take the next step, getting a guy like Butler as opposed to another developmental prospect is the right move.
It all comes down to how Ainge wants to build his team. Is this the offseason he turns assets into proven players to make a title push? It sure looks like a good opportunity. Stay tuned.