Garden Report w/ Jake Fischer: How Close Celtics Came to Jaylen Brown and Derrick White Trades

Garden Report w/ Jake Fischer: How Close Celtics Came to Jaylen Brown and Derrick White Trades

Hard hat’s all about showing up to play hard, doing what it takes to win. If you want to cement legacy, win another. He’s your third center. You don’t want to pump him up too much, but it’s hard not to. This is maybe the most I’ve ever agreed with you. Hey, Bobby Manning here. Welcome to another edition of the Garden Report from Las Vegas. And we’re inside Thomas and I haven’t recorded out here yet, but we have Jake Fischer back for his annual appearance out here coming to us from the Stein Line Substack, which definitely subscribe to giving you all the best information pretty much every day this off season. Great to have you back, man. It was a lot. Thank you, man. It’s been a it’s been a long summer, but we’re here still going. So, we’re going to talk some Celtics. Of course, they’ve done a lot already. Porzingis, Holiday, couple free agents leaving. Feels like Al Horford’s departure is inevitable now as well after what Brad Stevens said last week. What’s next for them? Is this it? A little bit over the second apron. They’re still a luxury tax team even though it doesn’t look like they’re a contender in any shape or form with where their roster’s at at this point. No. Are they done dealing or could there be more here? I don’t think they’re definitively done dealing. I think they’re definitely looking for further deals with Anthony Simons and George Nang. I think also from a second apron standpoint, the trades like I don’t think they have to be done right now either, right? Like they could get below the second apron at the at the trade deadline. So I would if you’re a Celtics fan, I’d expect Boston to be very involved in trade talk all the way through February. Like that’s kind of I think the been the goal. And the early word I got even before Drew and Kristoffs were dealt from opposing teams was they all thought that Boston was kind of thinking about a sequencing standpoint. Like they make these first moves and then maybe make more moves and then make more moves after that. Like can they keep getting younger? Can they keep getting less expensive? And still with the ultimate goal though of having a team that will be positioned to be competitive when Jason Tatum comes back for the 26 27 season. Yeah. Yeah, and I felt like they considered a lot to start the off season. Obviously, they end up trading Porzingis in a salary dump. They bring back Simons in the holiday trade there. There was so much buzz around Jaylen Brown, Derek White, teams calling them, teams trying to see if those guys could be pridefree from them. And obviously, they sent the message the whole way they would take an astronomical offer to pull those guys away from them. Did it ever get close? Were there ever any serious talks there, you think? I don’t think so. I mean, I I know that like the Toronto Raptors were calling with a number nine pick for for Drew and for Derek, but I don’t think that ever really They offered nine for Drew, huh? I think so. Yeah. I I I don’t I don’t think Boston ever really was so interested in that selection for one of those types of guys. I think um with you know Golden State definitely called for Derek White too but there’s just nothing that I know for Jaylen that got really close or for Derek too and I think ultimately like all along like we we first wrote sometime in May I think that if Boston didn’t win the title they were going to look to do all this stuff right and like truly the second Jason Tatum to his Achilles and I was at the combine in Chicago at a hotel at the hotel lobby bar and like two cap guys just immediately were like, “Are they going to duck the second apron?” It’s tearing down. And it just happened right away. So, it wasn’t such a surprise, but I think the fact that they moved Drew and Porzingis was also like expected. And I think all along there was never really a plan to move Jaylen or Derek. So, I don’t think anything got close. And I don’t think they were really like willing to move those guys either. like you would have had to really make some you have to make this trade Desmond Bane Muel Bridges type of offer for Derek White. And I think honestly for Jaylen as great as he is, I think a lot of teams look at his salary number as something that’s a little bit like why would you be paying what Boston value him at for that contract? So his his deal is not so universally, you know, viewed as like an incredible addition if you were to go out and trade for him, too. Yeah. And that’s always been the debate is whe one of those two guys has more value. And I think maybe to a smaller number of teams that want to star they can fit in and you know lead a team. Maybe Jaylen makes some sense at 50 million eventually 60 closer to 70. I don’t know later in that deal. Derek’s the guy who fits in on every team in the league pretty much especially at that salary number. Yeah. That’s what he did in Boston right. He got traded February and immediately helped him make the finals in 22 and just he can play big. He can play small. He can play on ball. He can play off ball. He can shoot it. He can defend. Like he’s such a like close to flawless super role player that he would fit in a ton of places. Yeah. And so the holiday thing’s interesting to me cuz you said number nine’s there available from Toronto. They end up moving him for Simons who it feels like all the buzz has been that they’ve tried to retrade him in a million different directions and it doesn’t seem like they’ve had any. The other thing too is like the salary I think that Toronto was offering to send out the door for anyone was RJ Barrett type stuff. Long-term money. Simons being an expiring contract I think was pretty important. Yeah. And that helps from their financial standpoint. They were going to get a couple seconds with Simons and then that ended up falling apart. The reporting I guess was that the physical wasn’t great for Holiday going out to Portland. Yeah. I I don’t have like honestly the greatest read on that cuz there’s just so much stuff to be like we’re keeping tabs on Bradley Beiel’s buyout right now. So I don’t know what exactly the medical thing is but I do know Portland like wanted Drew and that was an interesting choice for them. It was um and they’re really happy that he’s there and I think he’s happy to be there too. I I I know Dame like reached out to Drew and kind of like talked well about Portland as a franchise and a and a city. So I I think all all is trending in a a positive direction no matter what the the medical situation was. And speaking of Dame became a free agent officially clearing waiverss yesterday. We’ve heard Celtics mutual interest reportedly. Um Warriors makes some sense. He’s from Oakland. They have some needs in the back court beyond this year. Lakers, I don’t know where’s the LeBron situation going to go in the near future here. I don’t I don’t see that one happening myself. I actually think there’s a pretty good case for Boston now. Is he going to sign this summer and sit out a year and actually be on a roster? Is he going to wait to maybe sign a bigger contract longer term next summer? Yeah, I don’t I don’t think Dame knows the answer right now. I think he has every reason to not sign, right, and just kind of wait it out and be like the big mid-season acquisition somewhere. If he wants to sign somewhere now, it would most I mean, the most benefit he would have is to get full support for his rehab. but he’s made hundreds of millions of dollars in his career. He’s got this whole estate out in Portland where he spends most of his time in the offseason and stuff as is like I I don’t think he has any reason to do that. I mean, he’s going to have interest from every contender, right? Like Miami will certainly be involved. Golden State definitely like you said, why wouldn’t he want to go to Boston? Like why wouldn’t Boston want him? Especially I’ve been surprised even like you know we just talked about Beal all the teams pretty much outside of Milwaukee which I don’t think he really wants to go to Milwaukee all those teams he’s looking at are all Western Conference teams. It’s been a surprise to me how many of these guys like Kevin Durant was interested in Miami too but he primarily wanted to go to San Antonio and Houston. The East is considered wide open so I’m waiting for one guy of a star echelon to say I want to go east. Like even I got a tip the night before the Miles Turner Dame wave and stretch situation and I thought like the tip was something’s happening with Dame. Like that’s all it was and I thought maybe it was going to be LeBron for Dame cuz like why wouldn’t LeBron want to go to the Eastern Conference right now? Why wouldn’t he want to go play Giannis? But obviously you thought he might win in Milwaukee. I mean, when you get a tip at like 11:30 at night and it’s just so vague and your mind starts trying to like go through what all the plausible scenarios are. Yeah. Like that was one of the few salary matches that would make sense. So, I thought it was possible, but obviously it didn’t happen. So, speaking of stars going west, not a star anymore, but still a pretty productive player. Alford feels like inevitable he lands with the Warriors, which interesting move. When I was thinking of teams that might be able to pull him away from Boston this summer, I was thinking maybe New York. I know they were forward a little bit. Atlanta, where he started his career, had a mid level. They’re, you know, in a borderline contending position right now. Golden State’s interesting. They’re really good. It’s a stack conference. They lose Curry. Who knows what happens if they don’t last uh postseason? Mhm. Is that a place where he can win a championship at this point? And how much longer is he looking at potentially playing in Golden State? Well, there’s no way Golden State wants to pay him or anyone really much longer, if anything at all, beyond the next two-year window that they have Steph, Jimmy, and Draymond all locked up for. So, if he signs a long longer than a two-year deal with Golden State, I’d honestly be shocked. I don’t think that’s going to happen. So, that’s probably the window maximum that we’re looking at. I mean, you know, as well as anyone that there was some talk at least that he might retire after they won it in 24. So, the fact that we’re sitting here a whole year later and he’s, you know, a free agent that had multiple options and he’s being pursued by championship contenders, it shows what he’s still got in the tank. Yeah. And he’s in an interesting spot where he’s 39, which is crazy. You talk about LeBron, some of these guys, Chris Paul, who’s probably going to sign again. He still feels like he has multiple years left in his career and he can shoot it. Starter level player. He obviously was the starting center on their championship run and for a lot of last year when Porzingis was in and out of the mix. Yeah. So, I wouldn’t have minded Boston keeping him even at this age, even at, you know, this point in his career because they just have nothing at center now. And it’s crazy to go and get You’re not a big Luca Garza guy. I love Luca Garza, but not as a starter, not as a, you know, 25 minute a night guy. I’m interested to see what he can do. But, yeah, losing Horford, losing Porzingis, and losing Luke Cornett, too, who I think is a great addition for San Antonio, just leaves you with so little reliable depth at that center spot long term. And I know this is a gap year for them. Yeah. But they’re probably going to want to get back on their feet once Jason Tatum comes back from seven. I I do think there’s some thought in the league right now that it’s pretty easy to find big men. Okay. And I mean, you just saw at this market, right? Like none of Brook Lopez, DeAndre, Clint Capella signed for what, nine? Yeah. None of these guys signed north of the mid level. Yeah. So, I think the while like the big man isn’t dead, it’s like back, right? A lot of teams are playing two big lineups now. I think teams are still looking at them as like largely a dime a dozen kind of thing where you can get these guys at relatively cost effective and and that played a factor in Indiana Miles Turner too, right? Like he obviously got paid a lot compared to those guys, but he didn’t get the 30 $35 million that you see, you know, like Porzinga sign for when he extends at Boston and stuff like that. Indiana, you know, came out and said that they would have matched Milwaukee if they had the opportunity to, but like they clearly didn’t want to come out the gates and give them that either. So, I think generally speaking, teams are, as much as big men are like back in vogue a bit, and you’re seeing twoman lineups and stuff like that, I don’t think teams are still trying to break the bank for centers and they think that they can get some pretty starting caliber centers for a relatively low cost when you do flip flip the switch and say like it’s time to add. So, let’s say this is the roster for Boston. What are you expecting from them? Is this just a gap year? Does this end up becoming a tank year if the roster goes sideways? Or are they going to be more competitive than people think? I don’t think their plan is to tank right now, but what happened with Philly, what happened with New Orleans, like knock on wood, San Antonio? Yeah. You get one injury and all of a sudden you’re in that position. Yeah. I think they anticipate being competitive, being in that. You know, it’s funny like if you’re not competing for a top four seed, you’re trying to compete for the six seed, right? You’re trying to not be in the play. I do think they have a belief that they can be that that they can be out of the playing muck. Especially like there’s so much belief in Payton Pritchard being able to step up on. Yeah. Like he if he’s an all-star, I wouldn’t be surprised. So, if you put him, Jaylen Brown, Derek White together on the floor, three all-star caliber players. Just got to figure out who’s playing center. You got to figure out who’s playing center. Yeah. Maybe, maybe it’s George. Boston will love George and Yang’s homecoming if he’s still on the roster come opening night and he will love it, too. A so far cuz he pulled Jaylen’s leg a couple years ago in the playoffs with Philly or something. He’s a Boston guy. Tiltton’s own. He’s got to get on the court first and do some stuff and I think people will get excited. But he’s Jake Fischer. Subscribe Stein Line Substack. One of the best subscriptions you can buy into right now. How much is it a month? $9.99 a month. Markstein.substack.com. You get at least twice a week for me. The Hall of Famer Markstein. We wrote, as Bobby said, like literally every day from before the draft through July 5th. We’re kind of slowing things down now, but I’m tired, man. I’m tired. It’s been Well, appreciate you making time here for us from Vegas. We’ll have more to come. Celtics coverage of their first three summer league games here as well as everything happening around the league as their off season slows down just a little bit. Thanks again to Jake Fischer. I’m Bobby Manning. We’ll talk to you soon here on CNS Media and Celtics All Access. No one’s sneaking a vegan brownie by me. I’ll tell you that. Okay, you know what, John? We’re going to do it. You have to feel that way, too, Bobby. I have to feel that way. fight over and and make Luke your first center. Bobby, we gave you Luke hour earlier. We are not going to end this on a damn conversation about Luke. [Music]

On this episode of the Garden Report Bobby Manning is joined by NBA Insider Jake Fischer to discuss the Celtics offseason and his expectations for Celtics next season as well as talking about the latest on what he is hearing on Damian Lillard and the Celtics.

⏰️0:00 – EPISODE TIMELINE⏰️
0:56 – Will Celtics make more moves this offseason?
2:15 – Were Celtics ever close to trading Jaylen Brown or Derrick White this offseason?
5:05 – Latest on Jrue Holiday trade to Blazers
6:15 – Latest on Damian Lillard
8:30 – Latest on Al Horford Free Agency
10:10 – Looking at how Big Man Position is viewed in NBA
11:51 – Expectations for Celtics next season
13:04 – Wrapping up

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