POLL: Van Gundy blames Cs/Ainge for Prince being mad. Who should he be mad at?

[csfansince60s]

This from the Detroit Free Press:

....{Van Gundy}.... said today that if Prince has a problem with the trade that returned him to the franchise that selected him in 2002 draft, it should be with the team that traded him, the Boston Celtics ? not the Pistons.

Van Gundy was asked why not buy out Prince to allow him to go earn a title.

That's not my decision," Van Gundy said. "In other words the reason Boston made the trade was to save money. We're paying Tayshaun more money. If he was going to get bought out, he should have done it in Boston. They should have let him be bought out. That's not on me to buy him out. That was not part of the deal.

"We weren't told of this until after we made the trade by Tayshaun's agent and the whole thing."


DETROIT FREE PRESS
Tayshaun Prince wasn't exactly ecstatic about returning to Pistons
The Pistons acquired Prince just before Thursday's trade deadline for Jonas Jerebko and Luigi Datome.

Prince will make $7.7 million this season ? Datome and Jerebko will make $6.25 million. The Pistons are adding just under $1.5 million in salary.

"Why would we trade guys who were making less money to take on more money to waive the guy?" Van Gundy said. "That would have been the dumbest personnel move ever. It's not on us. I understand he didn't get what he wanted.

"But the question you're asking should be asked of (Celtics general manager) Danny Ainge. Not of us."

Seems a little disingenuous of Stan the Man to me. At the same time, even though Ainge may have discussed a buyout with Prince, does an athlete who makes over $7 mill/year have a right to complain?

I like Prince, but if he's pouting about this, I don't know.

EDIT: I voted "nobody".

[BleedGreen1989]

Yeah, i read this this morning and kind of shook my head.

He's making way above market value for what he brings, he's going back to where he won championships and made his name, he's helping a young team make a playoff push, ect.

[KGs Knee]

Prince is being a baby. No team is under any obligation to buyout a player from his contract. Sucks for Prince I guess, going from a contender in Memphis, to two non-contenders in Boston, and now Detroit, but it is what it is. That is part of what signing a contract means. If Prince really wants to be freed from his contract, he should tell Detroit he'll relieve them of any further financial responsibilities to him.

[Roy H.]

Prince is being a baby. No team is under any obligation to buyout a player from his contract. Sucks for Prince I guess, going from a contender in Memphis, to two non-contenders in Boston, and now Detroit, but it is what it is. That is part of what signing a contract means. If Prince really wants to be freed from his contract, he should tell Detroit he'll relieve them of any further financial responsibilities to him.

Yep, pretty much agreed.  Nobody is at fault here, other than maybe SVG for crying to the media about a non-issue.

[Vermont Green]

So wait, Prince was playing for a contender but wasn't playing well enough that they wanted to keep him so the contender traded him.  Now he want to be bought out so he can pick another contender to try and play for.  I think players should expect to honor their contracts.  Detroit traded for him and wants him to help them make the playoffs.  If I was them, I would not buy him out, I would expect him to play.

As for the Celtics, the only agreement that I can imagine was discussed was something along the lines of "if we can't trade you, we will buy you out".  Now it sounds like Prince (or at least his agent) doesn't like who he was traded to.  Prince played and played well enough to get himself traded.  That was probably what he wanted.  Danny did what he probably said he would do.

I see nothing here that could be put on the Celtics, this is now between Detroit and Prince, and Prince has no reason to be mad at anyone I don't think.

[jambr380]

The whole thing is ridiculous. Prince is obviously being a baby - I agree with those saying that if playing for a contender was the most important thing, he should have walked away from the money entirely...or at least most of it. The Cs saved around $1.5M in the deal - if he agreed even to take $6M (pro-rated, I know), then this would be a non-issue and he would be playing for the team of his choice right now.

I am also a little peeved at Van Gundy, too. Why does he have to go all 'loud-mouth' on Ainge and the Cs. Ainge is typically known for finding good homes for his traded players. This just exacerbates the opposite.

[BUTerrier]

As for the Celtics, the only agreement that I can imagine was discussed was something along the lines of "if we can't trade you, we will buy you out".  Now it sounds like Prince (or at least his agent) doesn't like who he was traded to.  Prince played and played well enough to get himself traded.  That was probably what he wanted.  Danny did what he probably said he would do.
I see nothing here that could be put on the Celtics, this is now between Detroit and Prince, and Prince has no reason to be mad at anyone I don't think.

Agreed. And to piggy-back off that: while I get that players want to be on teams that compete for championships, if you're going to get traded to an organization that's not making the playoffs which would you prefer? A place where you're, at worst, seen with indifference (Boston)? Or a place where you helped bring a championship to a team even if you're not the player you once were (Detroit)? I mean, are people in Detroit really going to boo Prince? Really? He's going to be even more loved than is deserving of his current talents because of what he means to the franchise.

To me, it's like the way Boston fans feel about Scalabrine, and Scal was never a key piece in a title for us. He may not be the best player in the NBA, but he's OUR player, and we love him. Prince could do a lot worse than going back to the city where he'll never have to buy a beer again for the rest of his life.

[GratefulCs]

Van gundy sure is voicing his opinions of other franchises these days

[Who]

It only would have taken one quick phone call from someone in their front office to Prince's agent to find out if Prince was happy to go there or if he wanted a buyout. It is hardly unusual that a player in his mid-30s wants to play for a contender.

[saltlover]

Prince should be mad at his agent.  I'm guessing Duffy told Prince he'd only get traded to a top team, so they should hold out on negotiating a buy-out.  He was too busy working for his other client (Dragic) to handle this situation properly.

[csfansince60s]

Prince should be mad at his agent.  I'm guessing Duffy told Prince he'd only get traded to a top team, so they should hold out on negotiating a buy-out.  He was too busy working for his other client (Dragic) to handle this situation properly.

TP, salt, just added that as a selection in the poll....belatedly, but better late than never 

[Granath]

It only would have taken one quick phone call from someone in their front office to Prince's agent to find out if Prince was happy to go there or if he wanted a buyout. It is hardly unusual that a player in his mid-30s wants to play for a contender.

If he wanted to go play for a contender, he could have offered a $.01 buyout for his contract. The Celtics probably would have taken it an he would be free to sign with anyone of his choosing. But until I hear that Prince offered to walk away from his contract for free, I have no sympathy for him.

[Tr1boy]

oh man. Ugly

Ultimately this is SVG and pistons fault for getting greedy

Now if Prince wants to be bought out he needs to give 100 percent refund for the remaining for the season to the Pistons.

Or don't complain

[Evantime34]

If Prince wants to be bought out offer to give up the rest of your salary to do so. I doubt the Pistons would keep him if he made that offer.

[Quetzalcoatl]

We'll take those expirings, suckers...