In his latest column, Grantland’s Zach Lowe lays out potential off-season scenarios for those teams recently eliminated from the playoffs. He reiterated the “overpay second tier free agents” plan we’ve heard linked to the Celtics, but also dropped Ty Lawson’s name:
The long-term course remains the same. Boston will target young free agents that fit its rebuilding timetable, and it’ll overpay second-tier guys if that’s what it takes to nab them ahead of the cap spike. Toss some interesting players atop a pile of first-round draft picks, including beauties from Brooklyn and Dallas, and Boston could cobble together an enticing offer to any team with a disgruntled star.
One aside: Boston and Denver discussed Ty Lawson deals before the deadline, and the Nuggets justifiably demanded a high return for a borderline All-Star on a friendly long-term contract. The talks fizzled, and Boston snagged Isaiah Thomas at a cheaper price. The relationship between Lawson and the Nuggets may be souring beyond repair, per the Denver Post, and the Nuggets are now faced with a thinner trade market…
But don’t count out the Celtics just because they have Thomas — a warning that should apply to lots of teams with established starting point guards. Lawson is really good, and Denver’s thinning trade market presents opportunity for a surprise suitor to strike. Denver will need a point guard if it deals Lawson,5 and the Celtics acquired Thomas in part because his cheapo contract is so easy to trade. The Hornets should absolutely gauge how much they’d have to attach to Kemba Walker in order to land Lawson — or whether they could acquire Lawson and flip Walker someplace else for extra goodies.
Lawson – owed about $25 million over the next two years – is more of a pure point guard, but his 3-point shooting dropped to 34% last season. If he comes to Boston, he comes as the starting point guard. What would that mean for Marcus Smart – a permanent back-up role for the next 2 seasons?
I don’t get the sense Denver would take Isaiah Thomas in a straight-up deal. Would Danny Ainge have to throw in a 1st round pick?
I’m lukewarm on this whole scenario. Maybe someone can convince me in the comments.
