Did Thursday night end the way Danny wanted it to?

[Surferdad]

Yes. The team clearly prefers to reload via free agency and the draft

This.  It appears that the Horford/IT/Bradley era is only a bridge to the future.

[Bobshot]

I think he's waiting to sign Hayward and renounce Zeller. Then he'll turn his attention to George, where it looks like a deal is close.

A lot of talk in another thread about 3rd team scenarios to Hayward and George, with George getting an extension, but the most likely is a straight deal with the Pacers of George for Bradley and Crowder or Bradley, Smart and Rozier. Different combos with Bradley are possible. Ainge likely prefers to keep Tatum and Brown.

I checked the ESPN trade machine of George for Bradley and Crowder, and it's a successful trade--Hollinger minus 6 for the Pacers. I think it's the kind of deal the Pacers might go for.

[Surferdad]

I think he's waiting to sign Hayward and renounce Zeller. Then he'll turn his attention to George, where it looks like a deal is close.

A lot of talk in another thread about 3rd team scenarios to Hayward and George, with George getting an extension, but the most likely is a straight deal with the Pacers of George for Bradley and Crowder or Bradley, Smart and Rozier. Different combos with Bradley are possible. Ainge likely prefers to keep Tatum and Brown.

I checked the ESPN trade machine of George for Bradley and Crowder, and it's a successful trade--Hollinger minus 6 for the Pacers. I think it's the kind of deal the Pacers might go for.

I doubt the Pacers go for it.  Bradley and Crowder are pennies on the dollar for George.  They would want picks.  Wouldn't you, if you are giving up a franchise player?  The Pacers actually still have some leverage as long as multiple teams are interested.

[Dchuck]

I know one thing.... Teams are going to have think long and hard now when a player has 2 years left on their contract.  This could be the beginning of an epidemic of players going public with their intentions in the final year of their contract, thus putting their teams in a weaker position of negotiating.

[cousytoheinsohn]

All valid points.

On another note, u think Danny had a little regret thinking he could have gotten Porzingis if he kept the #1 pick until at least Wednesday?

I personally don't think so.

I think the Celtics management team was unanimously locked into keeping the pick absent a mostly non-existent chance to get someone like AD, an authentic difference-maker in every sense, obviously.

Zinger is very good, of course, and would seem to have a substantial upside and all that, but it's not likely Danny ever seriously considered paying the king's ransom Phil Jackson was hoping to get which necessarily included the first pick.

And, I'm not sure Jackson was ever really truly serious about dealing the big fellow but rather sending him a message about the need for behaving more professionally.

Danny might differ somewhat, but I don't think Brad even believes there is a need in "the system" for a big man beyond what Zizic, Theis and perhaps Amir, if they decide to bring him back on a bargain deal, may be able to provide as an aggregate.

People clamoring for the acquisition of a supposedly transformative big man will probably be waiting for quite some time. 

[Surferdad]

I know one thing.... Teams are going to have think long and hard now when a player has 2 years left on their contract.  This could be the beginning of an epidemic of players going public with their intentions in the final year of their contract, thus putting their teams in a weaker position of negotiating.

Yes, could be.  Butler was just traded with 2 years left.  Teams might not want to wait until that last year anymore, and lose leverage.

[Bobshot]

I think he's waiting to sign Hayward and renounce Zeller. Then he'll turn his attention to George, where it looks like a deal is close.

A lot of talk in another thread about 3rd team scenarios to Hayward and George, with George getting an extension, but the most likely is a straight deal with the Pacers of George for Bradley and Crowder or Bradley, Smart and Rozier. Different combos with Bradley are possible. Ainge likely prefers to keep Tatum and Brown.

I checked the ESPN trade machine of George for Bradley and Crowder, and it's a successful trade--Hollinger minus 6 for the Pacers. I think it's the kind of deal the Pacers might go for.

I doubt the Pacers go for it.  Bradley and Crowder are pennies on the dollar for George.  They would want picks.  Wouldn't you, if you are giving up a franchise player?  The Pacers actually still have some leverage as long as multiple teams are interested.

I don't know. Crowder has a couple of cheap years left, Bradley one year. Both decent 2 way players. Trade machine accepts deal. Sure, they could sweeten it with a draft pick if necessary.
Total salary for two next year is $15.6M va George $18+M.

To a degree, beggars can't be too choosy. George is leaving the Pacers after next year. This is a pretty good deal for them.

[ChillyWilly]

As many have suggested, it ended more the way Brad wanted it to, which was by design.

Let's see if it stays that way. I think it will.

The Cs seem fully committed to Brad's Butler paradigm wherein the system is the star. The Big Three model is passe, a relic of a bygone era that unfortunately arrived and departed far too quickly for everyone. Any future star will emerge from the system, will be grown in-house, much like Hayward was at Butler.

Everyone is betting that a finely-tuned and exceptionally well-coached up group of high character-and-value and supremely versatile players who "play the right way" can win it all. That remains to be seen. Regardless, as a process, it's fascinating and much more enjoyable to watch, as far as I'm concerned.

Danny will acquire someone like George only on terms that essentially constitute a bargain for the Celts and then only if the player has Stevens' imprimatur  insofar as coachability, unselfishness and versatility, i.e., being fundamentally a positionless player. This apparently wasn't the case with Butler or, for that matter, Jackson.

Hayward ticks off every box, as did Tatum. George, not so much.

TP - This is exactly how I feel