Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Serious question - who had a better NBA season Gordon Haywood or Jae Crowder?  I mean at least people think Haywood is still a starting player in the league... Cool - man who escaped Alcatraz writes letter to the FBI telling them he's still alive... Before coffee this morning I started thinking about the death of Cranberries lead singer Dolores O' Riordan. It's been almost 3 months since her death. Cherish life and live in the moment... I was amused by this stat. I was amused because I immediately wondered if those numbers are giving credit for the explosion in polar bear population to Al Gore somehow. I mean do those numbers also include the half bear-half Gore ones too. Even briefly thought about writing a screenplay Al Gore - The Man Who Slept with Polar Bears (my mind works differently than most)... Heh heh - it's funny because its true... I get a kick out of Brad Marchand. He's like the reincarnation of the great John L. Sullivan "I can lick any sonofabitch in the house!"...  They still haven't announced O'Riordan's cause of death...

Revisiting the Kyrie Irving Trade

It's been a few days to digest the trade that brought Kyrie Irving to Boston and sent Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder and the Nets first round 2018 pick to Cleveland. The best analysis of the trade I've seen so far was by Ben Rohrbach of Yahoo! Sports.

And why did Kyrie Irving want to be traded in the first place? Well this is one explanation that makes a whole lot of sense.

My apologies to Jae Crowder. I thought he'd be happy at the news of the trade. Little did I know he was dealing with the passing of his mom. My deepest regrets and condolences.

Danny Ainge has it 100% when it comes to what Isaiah Thomas gave to Boston. Amen indeed! The jackasses burning Isaiah Thomas jerseys? Attention whores and shame on any of you who gave them any attention (one of the big problems in today's society but that's a post for another time). And those unnamed NBA sources who said Thomas wasn't well liked in the Celtics locker room? My guess is they work for teams interested in signing Thomas when he's a free agent and are subtly trying to drive down the asking price.

Celtics fans have nothing but gratitude for Isaiah Thomas. He gave us everything he had. He gave us fourth quarter victories we had no business to expect. He gave us smiles on our face from watching his pure joy on the basketball court. Nothing but gratitude. Anyone who says otherwise is not a Celtics fan.

Celtics Trade for Kyrie Irving

Let me first say it is entirely possible to love Isaiah Thomas but also still love the trade for Kyrie Irving. I'm guessing a large number of Celtics fans in Boston feel that way.

Last night the Boston Celtics traded Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and the Brooklyn Nets 2018 1st round draft pick for Kyrie Irving. I like this trade very much for Boston but by the same token this may be the rare trade that benefits both teams.

Cleveland needed to trade Kyrie Irving after he publicly asked for a trade and his rift with LeBron James also became public knowledge. I still say Cleveland would have been better off forcing a trade of LeBron to the the Lakers but that ship has sailed. The Cavaliers front office did not want to do a deal with Boston but no other trade with similar value was available. So Kyrie Irving finds himself this morning in Boston.

Make no mistake - this trade was really Kyrie Irving for the Nets 1st round pick. The rest, including Isaiah Thomas, was salary match filler. It is so fitting that Paul Pierce is having his number retired by Boston on a night they play Cleveland next season because this trade could really be called Kyrie Irving for Paul Pierce when you consider where the Celtics assets in this deal came from in the first place.

For Cleveland they get an All-Star caliber point guard to team with LeBron James and Kevin Love for one more run at a title next season before James bolts for the Lakers. Thomas is a proven 4th quarter scorer who would still rather create for others. A very likable human being who will be a fan favorite and who could be a staple in Cleveland for years if the Cavaliers decide to back up the Brinks truck for Thomas after this season. I just wonder how the dynamic with the newly signed Derrick Rose will work out.

Jae Crowder will prove to be a valuable contributor for Cleveland. He's a defensive specialist on a team that really needs such a player. Plus he has one of the most reasonable contracts in the NBA. For Crowder, with the signing of Gordon Haywood, there wasn't room for him in Boston anyway. So he's potentially the happiest player being dealt last night.

On the Boston side - I'm a firm believer of the idea that when you trade a quarter for two dimes and a nickel - the team getting the getting the quarter is almost always the winner. Irving gives Boston a better point guard and a more stable health and salary cap contract situation moving forward.

It is amazing when you consider where the assets on the Boston side in the deal actually came from. The 1st round pick Boston used to acquire Thomas in the first place originally belonged to Cleveland! The Nets pick was a robbery in the best Red Auerbach mode and don't forget that Jae Crowder was basically a throw in to the Rajon Rondo deal.

I'm really sorry to see Isaiah Thomas go but if Boston fans are honest it looks like Danny Ainge traded him at his peak value and many are afraid that between his hip and his age that a max contract was a big, BIG risk that's now no longer the Celtics problem.

As much as I like this deal for the Celtics - the Cavaliers are still the team to beat in the NBA East next season. The season after that? Well that's a different story.

Rajon Rondo

As an optimistic Boston sports fan I used to view and argue that Rajon Rondo was a top 5 point guard in the NBA. So it saddens me to see how everything seems to be falling apart for him in Dallas.

It is so amusing that on Boston sports radio the very same guys who were arguing that Danny Ainge didn't get enough in trading Rondo to the Mavericks are now screeching that Ainge was lucky to get Jae Crowder, Brandon Wright plus a 2015 1st round pick and a 2016 2nd round pick. Heck it could even be argued now that Rondo for just Jae Crowder would have been win for the Celtics given how the 24-year old Crowder has fit in with Brad Stevens' team.

But what's next for Rondo? He's a 4-time All-Star who for his career has averaged 10.8 points and 8.3 assists. I'm also not feeling bad for a guy who has already made over $47 million in his NBA career but as a player who was integral to Boston winning the 2008 NBA Championship - I am still wishing him the very best.

That best probably no longer includes a "max" NBA contract. That best will now have to come from a diminishing number of teams as Rondo has burned bridges in 10% of the NBA's franchises. Boston won't have him back. Dallas is now a non-starter. And don't forget that Rondo said he'd never play for Miami (I'm sure Pat Riley hasn't forgotten that). But as they say - all it takes is one team.

I hope Rondo finds his "one" team. Godspeed Rajon.