Great time to trade & Why I love Danny Ainge

[GreenFaith1819]

TP to LarBrd33, too.

I certainly don't share his mindset, but boy after what happened Feb 2011, it's best to not take anything for granted.

I guess LarBrd33 is our resident Danny.

[LarBrd33]

A trade could happen at any time, but I don't think GM's around the league are all of a sudden calling Danny off the hook because of the last two games.  Every team and/or player has good and bad stretches.  Rumors that teams were calling for Pierce surfaced before he even started playing well, because they saw value in him for what's he's been able to do, not what he did in hte last week.

Sure... but the way he was playing in early January was enough to give teams pause and send lowball offers.  Players at Pierce's age fall off the face of the earth frequently... Gary Payton went from hall of fame talent to mediocre bench scrub in a matter of months.  I'm just saying... his encouraging play benefits our nuke plans.

If anyone thinks I'm joking around... Here's my personal "best case scenario"...

For some unknown reason, the Hornets buy out CHris Kaman.   Chris Kaman decides to join Boston as their starting center.  Solves a MAJOR problem for us.  Then, I'll pray to the Basketball Gods that somehow Wilson Chandler or Kirilenko (or both) end up coming back to America this season... and for some crazy reason one or both decide to come off our bench.   At that point, I'd consider us a fringe contender... an injury to one of the Heat Big 3 or Rose's chronic toe issue might open a window for a SHOCKING title.    Then, we head into the offseason with 25 mil in cap space.  Dwight passes up 20 mil in Orlando to sign with Boston for a shockingly low 10 million.  Bass shockingly opts out of his player option to sign with Boston for 5 mil.  WIlson Chandler/Kirilenko shockingly re-signs for 5 mil.  CHris Kaman shockingly takes 5 mil... and Ray and KG take the vet minimum to join Bass off our bench.... we transition into a new era of dominance.  Oh... and also our 2 late 1st round draft picks end up being future hall of famers.

....

But since none of that is at all possible... I see us as fodder for the contenders and I'd rather we just blow it up now and start collecting pieces for the future.      

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I don't know. It seems to me that by keeping the team together in preparation for this season, Danny was saying, "I believe that you guys have one more good run in you, so I'm gonna give you that chance." Now that they seem to be rounding into form, we could be starting to see what Danny was perhaps envisioning all along: one last great run with this group.

Then again, he could've decided to stay with this group for the simple fact that the lockout didn't leave much time to assemble a new team, and he would've blown it up before the season started if he'd had the time, so now he's just waiting for this team to start looking good so the players' trade value will increase.

All that to say, I guess either way could be true, which is to say, I'm very noncommittal about this. 

[LarBrd33]

I don't know. It seems to me that by keeping the team together in preparation for this season, Danny was saying, "I believe that you guys have one more good run in you, so I'm gonna give you that chance." Now that they seem to be rounding into form, we could be starting to see what Danny was perhaps envisioning all along: one last great run with this group.

I think had Jeff Green stayed healthy, Krstik not gone overseas and David West signed in the offseason... we'd have a chance to make "one last run".  

This team isn't set up to make "one last run".   See my above "best case scenario".  A miracle chain of events can re-open that door... but right now I still considered it locked shut.

[RJ87]

I (somewhat) agree with the OP. This little win streak is nice and all, but this team isn't winning a title this year. This team - as currently - constructed - is still going to fall to Miami or Chicago in the playoffs, IMO.

It's time to stop holding on to the glory days of 07-08 and make a trade that will help us rebuild for the future.

[ScoobyDoo]

While I can see your point and I can see the benefit of trading our pieces right now - Pierce, KG and Ray, as I would hold onto all the young guys I could if I was blowing it up - I don't see it as pressing to do so.

We are going to have a very competitive season with this group. Both Ray and KG come off the books anyway and I am one who thinks Pierce will still be very effective next year and his last contract year as well.

I'd really prefer to let them ride it out, use the cap space if someone worthy is avail in the off season, take our draft picks and re-sign KG and Ray next year at reduced salaries if it makes sense.

Also, if we finish strong this year and KG and Ray don't want to come back, I'd bet that if Ainge honored their contracts through this year and let them run together this last time, they would agree to sign and trades for us so we would be left empty handed. We scratch their back, they scratch ours...

I get trading away players on the decline - but it's not like these guys are albatrosses - it was Perkins and then Shaq and Rondo's injuries that most likely derailed us from having two more banners hanging right now.

Lastly, it's not like their contracts have 2 more seasons on them at these high prices...which would be problematic.

Following up on nickagneta's comments about the impressive D - I really enjoy watching this team and I think they have a real shot at something special this year - we do need one more, vet big man though. I like a good street brawl in the playoffs and these guys look made for that. They like to get dirty.     

[LarBrd33]

scooby you might be right.

Boston's best choice might be to just play out this season... have a nice 1st or 2nd round playoff appearance... and then maybe consider trading Pierce in the offseason or during draft day (to one of the teams who will have cap room).

If we can still get a young prospect or draft pick in the offseason, maybe there is no pressure to trade him now.  Good point.  There are a lot of circumstances that weigh into it.  If Indiana decides to make a big push this season and the package is big enough... I'd move Pierce while his value is peaking.

I guess the main benefit to "blowing it up" now is that you can continue to improve our draft chances, start developing young guys now... and once this team trades Pierce, it's pretty much a given that we'll also trade Ray while we can (we could probably get a 1st rounder out of Chicago or Utah for him right now without taking back salary).  Getting value for Ray in the offseason isn't really a possibility.  

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

it was Perkins and then Shaq and Rondo's injuries that most likely derailed us from having two more banners hanging right now.

Good points throughout your post, Scoob, but I'd make one change: I'd say it was KG's injury in 09 that prevented this team from repeating and threepeating.

[celty86]

Veteran teams win in this league. You would prefer we blow it up and get a couple of young players and mid to late 1st round picks. It'll be a few years before we're real good again. I don't buy the blow it up theory.

[tyrone biggums]

Dude, you are OBSESSING with blowing this team up.

Danny said in an interview on WEEI that he would make a trade that made sense but that he wasn't actively looking to do anything because he was going to give this team time to round into shape and prove itself.

It's rounding into shape and proving itself. It just put on three of the most dazzling defensive halves of basketball ever seen.

He is not making any trade any time soon.

We'll see.   I think we would have already blown this team up had the opportunity presented itself.  I don't blame teams being cautious about trading for a 34 year old Pierce (locked up for 3 years) when he's playing like he was earlier.  It's good to see he still has it.  Nobody wants a washed up vet.  We're still sitting under .500 and the only winning team we've managed to beat is the Magic... a team so devoid of talent that Dwight Howard is supposedly leaving them soon.

Ainge will give the team a little longer... hopefully our assets prove valuable enough that we can get some late 1st rounders for them.   It's for the greater good.  The sooner we start, the sooner we can return to contention (hopefully in as little as 5 years).

I'm not for taking on bad contracts for late 1st round picks, which is what the Celtics would have to do in any "blow it up" scenarios. The best option is to play out the season and work with the cap room that the Celtics will have coming off the books. If they want to amnesty Pierce they can, JO KG and Ray are all off the books too. Might not have enough for 2 max guys, but they'll still have enough to get a star player in here to play with Rondo.

[tyrone biggums]

scooby you might be right.

Boston's best choice might be to just play out this season... have a nice 1st or 2nd round playoff appearance... and then maybe consider trading Pierce in the offseason or during draft day (to one of the teams who will have cap room).

If we can still get a young prospect or draft pick in the offseason, maybe there is no pressure to trade him now.  Good point.  There are a lot of circumstances that weigh into it.  If Indiana decides to make a big push this season and the package is big enough... I'd move Pierce while his value is peaking.

I guess the main benefit to "blowing it up" now is that you can continue to improve our draft chances, start developing young guys now... and once this team trades Pierce, it's pretty much a given that we'll also trade Ray while we can (we could probably get a 1st rounder out of Chicago or Utah for him right now without taking back salary).  Getting value for Ray in the offseason isn't really a possibility.  

In theory I agree with you, however, the teams that would take Allen, KG, and Pierce are all contending for a title or at the very least the playoffs. This means a mid to late round pick and probably a bad contract in return for KG or Allen. The only contract I would take on for a 1st is Rashard Lewis since that Wizards pick is lottery bound. However, the Wizards could just cut Lewis and just keep the pick. The amnesty clause is going to hurt us in this strategy rather than help us.

[KCattheStripe]

Why did Sheldon Williams feel the need to chime in?   

I'm ashamed I never noticed this before.

[LarBrd33]

There was a (probably BS) rumor a couple weeks ago that the Pacers were considering trading Paul George, Amundson (expiring cap filler) and a draft pick for Pierce.  No word on if it was a 1st or 2nd round draft pick.

I checked the Pacer forums and they were like "no freakin way... Paul George is a phenom!! Pierce is old!!... I wouldn't even trade Granger for him!!"...

It's games like tonight that can sway Pacer fans... and maybe... just maybe... make that (probably BS) rumor a possibility.

[KCattheStripe]

LarBrd loooooooooooves Danny's willing ness to make lateral moves. 

[LarBrd33]

I'm really lucky this forum doesn't have negative tommy points.