Photo via
If OKC were to flip George to the Celtics (if the CBA allows that) for Jae Crowder and two first round picks everyone would say they were geniuses.
Showing posts with label Paul George. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paul George. Show all posts
Saturday, July 01, 2017
Paul George to OKC
Photo via
If OKC were to flip George to the Celtics (if the CBA allows that) for Jae Crowder and two first round picks everyone would say they were geniuses.
Friday, June 30, 2017
State of the Celtics
The next few days will be huge for the Boston Celtics. Free agency starts July 1st and the Celtics will be making a big play for Gordon Haywood who will be visiting Miami, Boston and Utah before making his decision. Vegas odds have the Celtics as the favorites to sign arguably the top free agent available.
That's Step One.
Step Two is a trade for Pail George from the Pacers. I would send Jae Crowder plus the Celtics 2018 first round pick plus the Memphis 2019 first round pick to Indiana. If the Pacers want Jordan Mickey as a throw in - fine. If the Pacers want the conditional Lakers 2018 first rounder instead of the Celtics first rounder I would say OK but only if Paul George signs an extension with the Celtics. If no extension then only offer the 2018 Celtics pick.
If Paul George does sign an extension then the trade to move from the first pick in the draft to the third would have been basically in exchange for Jason Tatum and Paul George. That's robbery by Ainge (who doesn't get enough credit). I don't think that happens though. Why would George give up on his dream of playing for the Lakers prior to knowing how he fits with the Celtics? The extension talk is just posturing by the Pacers.
Some like the Boston Globe's Chad Finn have speculated that if Boston does trade for Paul George then it will be the end of Avery Bradley's career for the Green. I disagree. Paul George will make $19.3 million this season. If the Celtics shed Jae Crowder and Tyler Zeller then that's $15 million right there to cover the cost of the new acquisition. I'm no capologist but I trust Danny's folks will make it work.
I like the idea of Paul George as a one-year rental. Adding him and Haywood to the roster make Boston the best team in the East while still giving flexibility for the 2018 roster when Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart are due new contracts. Plus the Celtics would have two lottery picks in the next NBA Draft!
It's all good!
That's Step One.
Step Two is a trade for Pail George from the Pacers. I would send Jae Crowder plus the Celtics 2018 first round pick plus the Memphis 2019 first round pick to Indiana. If the Pacers want Jordan Mickey as a throw in - fine. If the Pacers want the conditional Lakers 2018 first rounder instead of the Celtics first rounder I would say OK but only if Paul George signs an extension with the Celtics. If no extension then only offer the 2018 Celtics pick.
If Paul George does sign an extension then the trade to move from the first pick in the draft to the third would have been basically in exchange for Jason Tatum and Paul George. That's robbery by Ainge (who doesn't get enough credit). I don't think that happens though. Why would George give up on his dream of playing for the Lakers prior to knowing how he fits with the Celtics? The extension talk is just posturing by the Pacers.
Some like the Boston Globe's Chad Finn have speculated that if Boston does trade for Paul George then it will be the end of Avery Bradley's career for the Green. I disagree. Paul George will make $19.3 million this season. If the Celtics shed Jae Crowder and Tyler Zeller then that's $15 million right there to cover the cost of the new acquisition. I'm no capologist but I trust Danny's folks will make it work.
I like the idea of Paul George as a one-year rental. Adding him and Haywood to the roster make Boston the best team in the East while still giving flexibility for the 2018 roster when Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart are due new contracts. Plus the Celtics would have two lottery picks in the next NBA Draft!
It's all good!
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Flotsam and Jetsam
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
I predict that the Celtics' Danny Ainge signs free agent Gordon Haywood AND trades for Paul George BUT also somehow does not win NBA Executive of the Year... The Yellowstone Super Volcano still undergoing a swarm of earthquakes (and still scaring the bejeezus out of me)... Isaac the Bartender from The Love Boat is my spirit animal... Cool new plane (but what would it be used for - doesn't look like it's built for passengers)... I love these... Just as a reminder - "Britney Spears" is an anagram for "Presbyterians"... This is impressive... In September call-ups the Atlanta Braves should add "the Freeze" to the roster as a pinch runner. What a great way to support his Olympic sprinting dream (and sell a shit ton of his jerseys)...
I predict that the Celtics' Danny Ainge signs free agent Gordon Haywood AND trades for Paul George BUT also somehow does not win NBA Executive of the Year... The Yellowstone Super Volcano still undergoing a swarm of earthquakes (and still scaring the bejeezus out of me)... Isaac the Bartender from The Love Boat is my spirit animal... Cool new plane (but what would it be used for - doesn't look like it's built for passengers)... I love these... Just as a reminder - "Britney Spears" is an anagram for "Presbyterians"... This is impressive... In September call-ups the Atlanta Braves should add "the Freeze" to the roster as a pinch runner. What a great way to support his Olympic sprinting dream (and sell a shit ton of his jerseys)...
Monday, June 19, 2017
State of the Celtics
The trade that will send the overall number one pick in the NBA Draft from the Celtics to the Sixers in exchange for the third pick in the draft is expected to be made official today. Everyone is asking, "What is Danny Ainge thinking?" Some ask the question derisively thinking he's crazy to be gambling on "assets" when "sure thing" Markelle Fultz is just sitting there at number one. And he's trading him to a Division rival? Crazy!
Others are asking "What is Danny Ainge thinking?" because they think/know that another shoe will be dropping. Put me in this camp.
My guess is Ainge is fine with trading the number one for the third pick because Fultz wasn't at the top of his draft board anyway. If that's the case why not pick up another great asset like the 2-5th pick in next years's draft or the unprotected Kings pick in 2019 and still get the guy you had listed at number one on your draft board? Remember Ainge was the guy who saw the potential of Isaiah Thomas when nobody else in the NBA did and used a draft pick he got basically for free to trade for him. Ainge is an excellent talent evaluator.
So what does Boston do with all these assets Ainge has accumulated? Paul George? How about the Lakers pick next year (or Kings 2019 1st), Jae Crowder and the Celtics 2019 1st rounder. Does that get it done? Or does it raise the stakes to weaken the other contenders who match the offer? Paul could be a one-year rental or he could love Boston like Paul Pierce (another LA native who dreamed of playing for the Lakers). At the least George would allow Jaylen Brown another year to grow into the position.
Jimmy Butler? Another possibility but what price would the Bulls want for Butler? And how would that effect Jaylen Brown's development (Brown is basically just a younger Butler). My guess is the price is judged to be too steep for Butler.
How about the unhappy Kristaps Porzingis? Ainge has already shown he's not afraid to deal within the Division. Why not make a Godfather-type offer to the desiccated husk that is Phil Jackson?
Anthony Davis? This is the Holy Grail and Ainge now has to pieces to make a really attractive offer to the Pelicans.
What about Free Agents Gordon Haywood and Blake Griffin? Haywood has been the most mentioned because of his ties to coach Brad Stevens but Utah can offer more money and now that it's clear that the Pacers will be trading Paul George they will need a marquee player replacement and and the Indiana native Haywood fits that bill to a tee.
Blake Griffin has health concerns but he would fit the Celtics needs the best. The team needs rebounding help. A starting five of Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Paul George, Al Horford, and Blake Griffin would be tough to beat. And just think on how deep the bench would be with Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Kelly Olynyk, Terry Rozier and the third pick from this draft would be. Griffin loves stand-up comedy so the Celtics should put Bill Burr on the recruiting trail.
Lots and lots of questions. And don't expect any answers until Ainge actually acts because like Bill Belichick - Ainge doesn't give away any hints to what he's actually thinking. The Boston press (and fans) having decades of experience with Ainge and Belichick should know this by now.
But apparently not.
Others are asking "What is Danny Ainge thinking?" because they think/know that another shoe will be dropping. Put me in this camp.
My guess is Ainge is fine with trading the number one for the third pick because Fultz wasn't at the top of his draft board anyway. If that's the case why not pick up another great asset like the 2-5th pick in next years's draft or the unprotected Kings pick in 2019 and still get the guy you had listed at number one on your draft board? Remember Ainge was the guy who saw the potential of Isaiah Thomas when nobody else in the NBA did and used a draft pick he got basically for free to trade for him. Ainge is an excellent talent evaluator.
So what does Boston do with all these assets Ainge has accumulated? Paul George? How about the Lakers pick next year (or Kings 2019 1st), Jae Crowder and the Celtics 2019 1st rounder. Does that get it done? Or does it raise the stakes to weaken the other contenders who match the offer? Paul could be a one-year rental or he could love Boston like Paul Pierce (another LA native who dreamed of playing for the Lakers). At the least George would allow Jaylen Brown another year to grow into the position.
Jimmy Butler? Another possibility but what price would the Bulls want for Butler? And how would that effect Jaylen Brown's development (Brown is basically just a younger Butler). My guess is the price is judged to be too steep for Butler.
How about the unhappy Kristaps Porzingis? Ainge has already shown he's not afraid to deal within the Division. Why not make a Godfather-type offer to the desiccated husk that is Phil Jackson?
Anthony Davis? This is the Holy Grail and Ainge now has to pieces to make a really attractive offer to the Pelicans.
What about Free Agents Gordon Haywood and Blake Griffin? Haywood has been the most mentioned because of his ties to coach Brad Stevens but Utah can offer more money and now that it's clear that the Pacers will be trading Paul George they will need a marquee player replacement and and the Indiana native Haywood fits that bill to a tee.
Blake Griffin has health concerns but he would fit the Celtics needs the best. The team needs rebounding help. A starting five of Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Paul George, Al Horford, and Blake Griffin would be tough to beat. And just think on how deep the bench would be with Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Kelly Olynyk, Terry Rozier and the third pick from this draft would be. Griffin loves stand-up comedy so the Celtics should put Bill Burr on the recruiting trail.
Lots and lots of questions. And don't expect any answers until Ainge actually acts because like Bill Belichick - Ainge doesn't give away any hints to what he's actually thinking. The Boston press (and fans) having decades of experience with Ainge and Belichick should know this by now.
But apparently not.
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