Lots of people assuming he was talking about an asik type deal. Just as likely the groundwork was laid for a rondo trade. Who knows.
I think the lottery will determine Rondo's fate and our future. If we land a top 3 pick, I expect Rondo to be traded on draft night and we go with a young core. If we end up with the 4th, 5th, or 6th pick range, then I expect Ainge to trade the pick and other assets to build a vet core immediately around Rondo.
He may have laid the groundwork for all of these scenarios already and has a good feel for what he can get in either direction.
Something just seems counterintuitive about trying to get competitive only if you get a lower pick (and therefore a worse asset).
I think HP is seeing it in the same way the 2007 draft played out.
If we ended up with a top-two pick there, it's possible / probable we would have built around that pick and traded Pierce.
Falling back in the draft led to us to scrapping the "build through the draft" plan, and cashing in our assets to win immediately.
I could see trading Rondo if we drafted Embiid, but I think Wiggins and Parker could certainly contribute to a playoff team next year if that's the route Ainge wants to go.
I don't think it is necessarily either/or. I think Ainge has shown in the past that he is willing to be patient and see what happens.
Based on what Ainge has done in the past, I wouldn't be shocked with any of the following:
(1) Celtics get a top 3 pick, keep it, draft BPA, make no trades.
(2) Celtics get a top 3 pick, trade it for a franchise player.
(3) Celtics pick 5-8 range, keep it, draft BPA, make no trades.
(4) Celtics pick 5-8 range, trade it for an "asset" even though that asset isn't necessarily a franchise player....
I could go on with other possibilities. The point is that the Celtics have *options*. That's all that DA cares about at this point (correctly, in my opinion).