Wow.
It’s a simple word often used to display shock we use every day. Today, however, I use it as a sign of disappointment and disbelief.
This team, who I predicted could ultimately fight their way to the eastern conference finals, has fallen to an Atlanta team that had no business being in the fight for a championship. Don’t get me wrong, these Hawks are a good team, but the thought and general consensus around the league was that the Celtics were a team that was hungry for more than just a fun series. We were supposed to go farther than this, and losing at home has to hurt.
But let’s move the ball to the different side of the court. According to an article by Yahoo Sports, the Celtics are said to be expecting to get a meeting with coveted Free Agent Kevin Durant.
Yes, that Kevin Durant.
Of course a meeting is essentially nothing unless you have the right pieces to entice the player to actually sign, and the Celtics are not yet up to the standards Durant will command if he is to sign in Boston.
The plan seems to be simple in theory, but strenuous in practice: Sign a free agent that, when paired with Isaiah Thomas, could produce some serious interest from Durant’s camp. Some obvious options come to mind, and one of the most realistic ones could be Jimmy Butler from the Chicago Bulls.
The man has raised his status to superstar, posting career numbers across the board and declaring himself one of the best players out there right now. And the best part is that he is in a place that seems to undervalue what he brings to the table in the Chicago Bulls. Butler is much more than just a scoring guard, and he knows it. He’s a leader, a fighter, and a gym rat. And he is probably not too happy with his current situation. (Cue Danny Ainge Drooling)
The trade could be made if the Celtics find the right combination of picks, and we may have to give up Jae Crowder in the process. If the Celtics find a way to trade for Butler, however, I would much rather trade a guy like Smart or Bradley, who offset each other’s defensive powers while not giving up the potential Crowder has on the offensive end. Plus imagine the Celtics starting Butler at the 2, Crowder at the 3, and Durant at the 4. Excited yet
That should be priority number one for the Celtics, and if Butler is a realistic option we could see some activity early in the draft process, as Boston has multiple picks in the first round, plus one that should fall in the Top 3 if the Draft gods allow it.
The second step might be just as, if not slightly more, difficult: The luring of the second star in Al Horford.
And here is where the groans grow louder, for we have seen what Al Horford brings to the table on a daily basis while we watched his team beat us in the first round of the playoffs. He’s a better version of Jared Sullinger, consistently putting up good rebounding numbers and scoring well in the low post. But the problem is that many people don’t view him as a star, let alone a superstar. But hear me out, because this is a much bigger part of the puzzle than it seems.
As was reported before by CelticsLife.com, one of the people Durant would love to play with would be Al Horford, making him a much more intriguing free agent for the Celtics because of their hot pursuit for the bigger fish in Durant.
The other problem is the issue with the salary, as paying all three of these guys a max contract is not just realistic, it’s impossible. The Celtics would need to find a way to keep all three guys happy money wise if they hope they get all three of them in a green uniform
Presenting Durant with two superstars, the commodity of playing in the east, and coaching greatness in Stevens would make it hard for any free agent to say no to Boston. For Durant, the biggest thing seems to be winning, and Boston knows a thing or two about that.
What we as fans should expect from the Celtics is nothing short of fireworks.
