Great Question.
Refer back to Febuary 2011 (Perk Trade )
That trade has been discussed on here ad infinitum, but IMO it had a horrible effect on the chemistry.
It was a trade that HAD to be made, I suppose. We needed a backup for Pierce after Marquis went down, and I guess the dominoes fell afterwards.
Fast forward to now? As tantalizing as Pau, Gortat, Josh Smith, etc, etc - look..do we absolutely HAVE to gut the team or trade away a key sub or subs to get a coveted player that we THINK we need?
I'm glad I'm not Danny...GMs have the toughest job in sports, IMO.
My gut is telling me to stand pat with what we have...I thought that during the summer we reloaded to shore up Pierce, KG and Rondo.
When healthy, including Avery Bradley, this team is still world beaters. My gut says go to the playoffs vs BKN, MIA, CHI - whoever - with what we have NOW, including AB.
I just don't want to relive another Feb 2011.
The answer is no and i agree unless we can trade Lee And Sully/bass for one of them. That's as much as id be willing to give up. Before the season started almost everyone agreed we had a team good enough to go the distance. We lose a few games early *Without ab* and all of a sudden we NEED a trade. I'm not buying it. We need ab back and we'll be fine.
I'd go as far to say not to trade even Sully/Bass or Lee.
Sully has the basketball IQ of a player that's been in the league a few years...I don't think you can teach that mindset right away.
And he's still learning the NBA game, which is scary. I'd "almost" compare him to Larry Legend as far as IQ at THIS stage.
Sully has a nose for the ball. He is a TRUE lottery pick. Say what we want to about his defense (not very good, yet), but everything else about him oozes NBA starter one day.
KG has even made comparisons to Perk with Sully, as far as work ethic. So Sully has now had an effect on KG, and vice versa.
Bass? I'd hate to part with him, too. He played well during the playoffs last year for us, and he plays good defense.
Both of these guys have bought in. That takes time.
Even Courtney Lee has accepted his role..he's started some games, and lately has come off the bench - seemingly with no complaints.
That Perk trade just gives me cold feet to an extent. Out of all the players rumored, I've clamored the most for Josh Smith in Green, but even with THAT scenario I'm sure Danny Ferry would try to take us to the cleaners.
We'd get a supposedly coveted player, then Ainge would be left trying to fill the holes for Pierce, KG or whomever else we lost depth-wise.
Doc's job then gets harder than what it already is.
God forbid I'd revisit this thread if someone gets injured, but for right now I would just want to stand pat.....go the distance with what we have and get AB back healthy.