Ainge: Teams will regret passing on my offers, I offered "too much"

[BleedGreen1989]

I think that they may end up regretting not doing it in some of the cases," he said. "Everybody going into the draft, they're looking for somebody who is a transcendent player. I think they're all a little bit overvalued when it gets to the time of the draft.

"And I think reality hits after summer league and training camp and so forth for all the players. And I think that they look at the guys they're drafting, especially the guys up high, as being possibly, potentially, that transcendent player. It's hard to put value. And then there's a lot of teams that are under the gun, that there's pressure on to win right away.

"And I think people make irrational choices in those situations, not knowing that a 2019 unprotected first-round pick has great value. I think they will realize that. But again, the draft picks that we have, and the young players that we have, have terrific value around the league. Just not on draft day."

"We were having discussions with every team from 4 to 10," he said. "Actually, from 4 to 15, throughout the draft and throughout the weeks prior."

That haul might have seemed like a disappointment to fans dreaming for the lottery. Ainge hoped for the same goal, but could not get any team to budge.

"Sometimes I think that I got caught up in (the frenzy of the draft) in that I was probably offering too much for a player that I wanted," he said. "And at the end of the day, when a deal didn't happen, I wasn't all that disappointed.

"It was like, 'Wow, that's unbelievable that that team turned down those types of offers for that player that they ended up drafting.' I wouldn't say it's stupid, but maybe emotional and not really thought out, and caught up in the moment."

Thought this interview was really interesting.

Even listening on NBA Sirius XM, some guys were ripping the Hornets for passing on the rumored offer.

[SHAQATTACK]

Yeah right 

[LarBrd33]

"It was like, 'Wow, that's unbelievable that that team turned down those types of offers for that player that they ended up drafting.'

In other words, "wow... you turned down all of that to take Kaminsky???   At least I would have respected you had you taken Winslow"

But if you had a guy you believed was a star prospect, would you trade him to move back 7 spots into garbage territory?  No.  What if they also threw in an even worse pick?  No?   How about 2 garbage picks?  No?  How about 4?  ... No?   

I don't blame Danny for being frustrated, but you can't blame a team for choosing quality over quantity.   It's going to be a struggle.  If we had Winslow, we wouldn't have traded him for the collection of scrubs we ended up drafting.

[celticsclay]

"It was like, 'Wow, that's unbelievable that that team turned down those types of offers for that player that they ended up drafting.'

In other words, "wow... you turned down all of that to take Kaminsky???   At least I would have respected you had you taken Winslow"

But if you had a guy you believed was a star prospect, would you trade him to move back 7 spots into garbage territory?  No.  What if they also threw in an even worse pick?  No?   How about 2 garbage picks?  No?  How about 4?  ... No?   

I don't blame Danny for being frustrated, but you can't blame a team for choosing quality over quantity.   It's going to be a struggle.  If we had Winslow, we wouldn't have traded him for the collection of scrubs we ended up drafting.

I do think that Charlotte made a mistake in turning down that package. Charlotte is certainly a team that is open to criticism. They actually just traded away their number 9 pick from last year for a rental of an average quality wing (Batum locked up for only one more year). Would they have thought Vonleh was so much better a year ago?

[RockinRyA]

"It was like, 'Wow, that's unbelievable that that team turned down those types of offers for that player that they ended up drafting.'

In other words, "wow... you turned down all of that to take Kaminsky???   At least I would have respected you had you taken Winslow"

But if you had a guy you believed was a star prospect, would you trade him to move back 7 spots into garbage territory?  No.  What if they also threw in an even worse pick?  No?   How about 2 garbage picks?  No?  How about 4?  ... No?   

I don't blame Danny for being frustrated, but you can't blame a team for choosing quality over quantity.   It's going to be a struggle.  If we had Winslow, we wouldn't have traded him for the collection of scrubs we ended up drafting.

I think 6 picks is too much, because it also diminishes our assets for trading for an FA. In a nutshell its an almost even trade. But we might end up with Winslow and nothing to offer on potential player trades. I think Ainge is thinking "hey, I might get Winslow, but end up not in the play for Cousins or other established players, so maybe I did offer too much". Meanwhile the Hornets are dumb for not accepting that and taking Kaminsky.

[jambr380]

"It was like, 'Wow, that's unbelievable that that team turned down those types of offers for that player that they ended up drafting.'

In other words, "wow... you turned down all of that to take Kaminsky???   At least I would have respected you had you taken Winslow"

But if you had a guy you believed was a star prospect, would you trade him to move back 7 spots into garbage territory?  No.  What if they also threw in an even worse pick?  No?   How about 2 garbage picks?  No?  How about 4?  ... No?   

I don't blame Danny for being frustrated, but you can't blame a team for choosing quality over quantity.   It's going to be a struggle.  If we had Winslow, we wouldn't have traded him for the collection of scrubs we ended up drafting.

I do think that Charlotte made a mistake in turning down that package. Charlotte is certainly a team that is open to criticism. They actually just traded away their number 9 pick from last year for a rental of an average quality wing (Batum locked up for only one more year). Would they have thought Vonleh was so much better a year ago?

Don't forget Henderson was also in that deal. You make a good argument pointing back to just one year ago with the same #9 pick. Do you think Charlotte would have accepted that package for Vonleh (with hindsight)? Of course, right. Unfortunately (or fortunately if you aren't that high on Winslow),
 Danny was just dealing with a scared/incompetent GM.

I understand what you are saying LarBrd, but I would have been ecstatic if Danny brought in four first round picks for Frank Kaminsky.

[nickagneta]

I can't believe Charlotte turned down the supposed 4 firsts offer and then drafted Frank Kaminsky! They just traded for Spencer Hawes and already have Cody Zeller. How many perimeter playing 4/5 players can you have on a team that aren't great defensively and only so-so on the boards? That's three stretch 4's they have drafted from Big Ten schools in three years! That's ridiculously poor drafting!

[BornReady]

People were saying I had overpaid when I proposed Bradley and the 2 picks for charlottes pick and Williams
LOL
Ainge tried 6 picks for the Charlotte pick

[get_banners]

Can't say Ainge didn't try. He almost made a possibly-stupid move. Fortunately, the Bobcats are a horrible franchise. As others have said, if they turned down all those picks to take Winslow, maybe it's justifiable. But for Kaminksy? Good lord. Way to go, Jordan. This might be worse than MJ not trading Kwame Brown for Elton Brand in Brand's healthy days.

[hpantazo]

I think the Nets picks hurt Ainge last night. I think everyone was asking for at least one Nets pick unprotected and he refused. If he didn't have them to begin with, it's more likely they wouldn't of held out for more and just taken his offer.

The thing is, if Ainge refused to move any of the Nets picks without protection, what is he holding on to them for? Does he have a legit plan to use them this summer or next summer on a star or two?

It is unlikely, BUT, Durant may be available next summer. If the Nets have a horrible season, which is very possible, the value of those picks skyrockets, and would be a legit return for a guy like Durant.

[Denis998]

At least Ainge tried, at least he wasn't sitting around waiting to pick Rozier

[crimcartel]

"It was like, 'Wow, that's unbelievable that that team turned down those types of offers for that player that they ended up drafting.'

In other words, "wow... you turned down all of that to take Kaminsky???   At least I would have respected you had you taken Winslow"

But if you had a guy you believed was a star prospect, would you trade him to move back 7 spots into garbage territory?  No.  What if they also threw in an even worse pick?  No?   How about 2 garbage picks?  No?  How about 4?  ... No?   

I don't blame Danny for being frustrated, but you can't blame a team for choosing quality over quantity.   It's going to be a struggle.  If we had Winslow, we wouldn't have traded him for the collection of scrubs we ended up drafting.

Kaminsky is quality over quantity? by that logic they should have drafted Winslow over Kaminski... he's much more 'quality'.

[MBunge]

You can argue about a lot of stuff and if Charlotte had taken Winslow, you could argue for his upside.  But turning down Ainge's offer for Kaminsky ranks among the dumbest things a franchise has ever done.

What would people like LarBrd be saying if Ainge had given away all those picks for #9...and then drafted Kaminsky?

Mike

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

As I said in another thread, I may not have liked that deal had it happened, but I think Charlotte's insane to refuse a 6-pick package in favor of Frank Kaminsky.

[mef730]

I think the Nets picks hurt Ainge last night. I think everyone was asking for at least one Nets pick unprotected and he refused. If he didn't have them to begin with, it's more likely they wouldn't of held out for more and just taken his offer.

The thing is, if Ainge refused to move any of the Nets picks without protection, what is he holding on to them for? Does he have a legit plan to use them this summer or next summer on a star or two?

It is unlikely, BUT, Durant may be available next summer. If the Nets have a horrible season, which is very possible, the value of those picks skyrockets, and would be a legit return for a guy like Durant.

Agreed. If Lopez doesn't resign, that 2016 pick could be a top-5 pick. Yes, I know how bad the east is, but that Nets team would really, really suck. Unfortunately, trading Plumlee says they're pretty convinced they keep Lopez, but we have to get lucky with the draft one of these days, right?

Mike