C's interested in acquiring the second pick?

[RAcker]

I've heard a ton of great things about Rubio and truly believe he is not another Ji.  However, I'm going to have to trust a guy like Danny to have the "eye" for talent since he has seen a lot more of this kid than any of us and is a better judge of talent.  Danny saw what Rondo brought to the table and trusted him with the keys to get #17.  Who's to say Danny doesn't see something again and has weighed the pros and cons of keeping Rondo around (bigger contract down the road, attitude, taking more shots, etc.) and is simply thinking this over REALLY HARD?

Will it cost us Ray?  I don't know.  Rondo?  I don't know.  I just hope Danny knows what he is doing and is working on another banner and another Executive of the Year award.   

[Who]

Ray Allen doesn't get Memphis to the table. He doesn't have enough value to them for the Grizzlies to part with the #2 pick.

If there was a trade -- and I don't think there is -- it's not based around Ray Allen.

[clover]

Any chance Danny's looking for a two-stage pick?  First trading to get into the top 10, say, and then from there all the way up to #1?  (Would really be a variation on a three-way trade.)

[pengaloo]

We're all talking as if we're rebuilding this year. Are we not trying to go for #18? Maybe it's just me - but I don't see how giving away our best players for draft picks are going to help us right now.

[BballTim]

  Two summers ago Mike Conley was the best pg prospect in years, with instincts better than Isaiah Thomas. Last year Derrick Rose (like Conley the year before) was better than Rondo before he ever set foot on an nba court. This year it's Rubio. I don't know that I'd gamble the rest of our window that he'll be a star as a rookie or even a sophomore.

[Moranis]

just a thought, what if the 2nd pick isnt for rubio?  what if it is for blake griffin and the clippers arent going to pick him, because there seems to be confusion with what the clips want to do. ainge might see griffin as the guy to extend the big 3 and have this guy come off the bench for at least next year and backup the 4,5 and maybe even the 3 for a little. not to make any comparisons but griffin can be almost like a len bias type without the tragedy, because people on the boards here keep alluding to how ainge told red back in the late 80's that he would trade the big 3 while they had good value, but also who knows how they would have held up with len bias with that core.  so ainge might figure, ok i dont want to trade PGA but instead try the big 3 plan with a big option off the bench, the oppotunity that the 1988-1992 celtics never had but something the 2009-2011/12 celtics could have. its just a thought and a little out of the box, but ainge seems to think out of the box so i think its something he has either thought about or has to think about.

a Clippers executive stated on the record that last summer they determined they would be taking Blake Griffin if they had the first pick this summer.  The Clippers are taking Blake Griffin if they stay at 1.

[LarBrd33]

Honestly I don't know nearly enough about Rubio.  I've seen him play once in the Olympics and I was like, "uh... ok?".  I've seen this stats and doesn't he average like 3 points and a couple assists in limited minutes overseas?  He's not as good as Rudy Fernandez right now, right?  Rudy Fernandez was pretty good, but... uhh... I wouldn't trade Rondo for him.

I don't get it.  Like I said, i could be wrong, because I know nothing about him.  But I hope he's not another darko euro.

[OCsWestCeltic]

Danny's a very smart GM and is looking to the future. I have to agree that by trading Rondo, while his value is at an all-time high, he can get alot of value for him in return.  Rondo still has tremendous upside and he will continue to improve and be an all-star player.  

I love Rondo's game, his tenacity, defense, and court vision has been what we have needed from the point guard position since trading away Chauncy Billups.  But the combination of Rondo coming up for a Max. contract next summer of possibly 10+M per season & Rubio being available may be enough to change
directions.

Having said that, I have seen international games with Ricky Rubio and this player is also a stud.

If we get in return Rudy Gay, who I believe can supplant Paul Pierce in his starting roll 3 years from now, and Darko Milicic
in the deal, we will have added depth at the 1/3/4/5 positions.

Then aquire through the MLE Gortat or Matt Barnes.

Your thoughts?

[Chris]

just a thought, what if the 2nd pick isnt for rubio?  what if it is for blake griffin and the clippers arent going to pick him, because there seems to be confusion with what the clips want to do. ainge might see griffin as the guy to extend the big 3 and have this guy come off the bench for at least next year and backup the 4,5 and maybe even the 3 for a little. not to make any comparisons but griffin can be almost like a len bias type without the tragedy, because people on the boards here keep alluding to how ainge told red back in the late 80's that he would trade the big 3 while they had good value, but also who knows how they would have held up with len bias with that core.  so ainge might figure, ok i dont want to trade PGA but instead try the big 3 plan with a big option off the bench, the oppotunity that the 1988-1992 celtics never had but something the 2009-2011/12 celtics could have. its just a thought and a little out of the box, but ainge seems to think out of the box so i think its something he has either thought about or has to think about.

a Clippers executive stated on the record that last summer they determined they would be taking Blake Griffin if they had the first pick this summer.  The Clippers are taking Blake Griffin if they stay at 1.

First of all, "on the record" means nothing with the draft.  They are not bound to anything like that.  

But ultimately, I agree, Griffin is going first...the only question is whether the Clippers will try to trade down to take someone they may think is a better value.

[paintitgreen]

Rudy Fernandez was pretty good, but... uhh... I wouldn't trade Rondo for him.

Ironically, we did trade Rudy (or rather the pick he was taken with) for Rajon Rondo.

[johnnyrondo]

You guys are just assuming it's Rondo

Maybe it’s JR Giddens 

Pau Gasol for Kwame Brown
Ricky Rubio for JR Giddens

Doesn’t seem that much worse…

[thebirdman]

You guys are just assuming it's Rondo

Maybe it’s JR Giddens 

Pau Gasol for Kwame Brown
Ricky Rubio for JR Giddens

Doesn’t seem that much worse…

I could see Wallace doing that. I would even throw in Pruitt as a sweetener...

[Redz]

You guys are just assuming it's Rondo

Maybe it’s JR Giddens 

Pau Gasol for Kwame Brown
Ricky Rubio for JR Giddens

Doesn’t seem that much worse…

I could see Wallace doing that. I would even throw in Pruitt as a sweetener...

The Grizz also received Marc Gasol in the deal.  He wound up having a decent rookie year as a starting center.

Not saying the deal wasn't a steal for LA, but it was not merely a deal for Kwaeme.

[youcanthandlethetruth113]

To get the second pick, we'd have to trade Rondo.  That's the only deal I see making sense for Memphis.  Memphis is way under the cap, and doesn't need economic relief.

Roy,

Do they really need ANOTHER PG?

[Chris]

You guys are just assuming it's Rondo

Maybe it’s JR Giddens 

Pau Gasol for Kwame Brown
Ricky Rubio for JR Giddens

Doesn’t seem that much worse…

I could see Wallace doing that. I would even throw in Pruitt as a sweetener...

The Grizz also received Marc Gasol in the deal.  He wound up having a decent rookie year as a starting center.

Not saying the deal wasn't a steal for LA, but it was not merely a deal for Kwaeme.

The Grizzlies also got the Lakers pick last year (Darrell Arthur), the Lakers pick next year, Javaris Crittendon (who was traded to Washington, for the return of a first rounder that Memphis had traded previously to Washington).

So Essentially it was Pau (and a 2010 second rounder I believe) for Marc Gasol, Darrell Arthur, and two first round picks (including one which will likely be a high one, since it is Memphis' own, which they got back).  

That isn't a great haul, but its not nearly as bad as people have made it out to.  And we also need to wait and see what Memphis does with the cap space they have created, partly from the Pau trade.