About that Nets Trade by Ainge

[footey]

I can’t believe we’re about to pick 14 by giving up Jeff Green about 10 years ago LOL.

He's still putting up decent numbers at the age of 33-34. Last night he played for 32 minutes vs the Thunder. He ended with a stat line of 22/6/4 on 8-12 from the floor!

I agree. He fits perfectly in the Rocket system as a small ball 5. 

[pearljammer10]

As much as I hated Kyrie's time in Boston it was a deal that was right to gamble on at the time.

I love how people will continue to bash Danny for his trades, or lack of, as well as Brad for "how bad he is at coaching." Yet, we are blessed with a top five GM and a top five coach and Danny sits solely in that top five because of moves like this. Everything he does is not going to be perfect, but every transaction can't be a Brown or a Tatum. And I'll take that 10 out of 10.

Imagine. We could have had Markelle Faultz and Kris Dunn... Instead we have Tatum and Brown.

[Vermont Green]

Seems like Tatum and Brown will pretty much be the end results of that trade.

Tatum + Brown + Langford

I mean, we drafted Langford with the Kings pick, which we had acquired by trading the Nets 2017 pick.

The jury is still out on Langford. It's possible that he'll become part of our future core.

Smart - Langford - Brown - Tatum - Timelord

Seems like a promising future lineup, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

I had to think about this but I guess yes, we got the #1 in 2017 as a direct result of the trade with the Nets but then ended up with Tatum and Langford through the trade with Philly.  Not bad.

The forgotten pick was James Young at #17 in 2014.  He didn't work out but with the amount of uncertainty that exists with drafting 19 year old kids, the Celtics did very well with these picks.

But 2017 was the year they swapped draft picks, right, so we really actually gave up Kyle Kuzma (who they traded to Lakers for D'angelo Russell)?  Still a great outcome.

[jambr380]

As much as I hated Kyrie's time in Boston it was a deal that was right to gamble on at the time.

I love how people will continue to bash Danny for his trades, or lack of, as well as Brad for "how bad he is at coaching." Yet, we are blessed with a top five GM and a top five coach and Danny sits solely in that top five because of moves like this. Everything he does is not going to be perfect, but every transaction can't be a Brown or a Tatum. And I'll take that 10 out of 10.

Imagine. We could should have had Markelle Fultz and Kris Dunn... Instead we have Tatum and Brown.

Made a correction there. All signs pointed to us taking both Fultz and Dunn and Ainge had the wherewithal to make the unpopular, yet, correct decision on both.

And the Kyrie deal was absolutely the right one at the time as that was borderline robbery (the pick wasn't as high as 1st thought and IT immediately broke down). I also highly doubt we end up with Kemba. I know technically it was Rozier for Kemba, but if you look at the deal like: IT/Crowder/Zizic/the pick for Kemba/decision not to re-sign an aging Horford, you have to take that and run.

In a different world, maybe we have Kyrie, AD, Tatum, Hayward, Al, Smart, and whoever, but that Hayward ankle injury ruined what very well could have been a perennial contender. Obviously not his fault, but a real bummer in hindsight. Luckily Ainge pivoted out of the situation like a champ.

[kraidstar]

As much as I hated Kyrie's time in Boston it was a deal that was right to gamble on at the time.

I love how people will continue to bash Danny for his trades, or lack of, as well as Brad for "how bad he is at coaching." Yet, we are blessed with a top five GM and a top five coach and Danny sits solely in that top five because of moves like this. Everything he does is not going to be perfect, but every transaction can't be a Brown or a Tatum. And I'll take that 10 out of 10.

Imagine. We could should have had Markelle Fultz and Kris Dunn... Instead we have Tatum and Brown.

Made a correction there. All signs pointed to us taking both Fultz and Dunn and Ainge had the wherewithal to make the unpopular, yet, correct decision on both.

And the Kyrie deal was absolutely the right one at the time as that was borderline robbery (the pick wasn't as high as 1st thought and IT immediately broke down). I also highly doubt we end up with Kemba. I know technically it was Rozier for Kemba, but if you look at the deal like: IT/Crowder/Zizic/the pick for Kemba/decision not to re-sign an aging Horford, you have to take that and run.

In a different world, maybe we have Kyrie, AD, Tatum, Hayward, Al, Smart, and whoever, but that Hayward ankle injury ruined what very well could have been a perennial contender. Obviously not his fault, but a real bummer in hindsight. Luckily Ainge pivoted out of the situation like a champ.

TP

Ainge has faced three incredible challenges in his career as GM: the first was getting the C's off the treadmill/out of cap trouble and in contention; the second was rebuilding as KG and Pierce got old; the third is managing the Hayward injury/Kyrie meltdown/Horford contract, which threatened to derail a potential young dynasty.

There are so many ways those situations could have gone. But he made bold (often unpopular) moves under tremendous pressure and dramatically improved the team. It is almost unprecedented.

Ainge's vision and versatility are remarkable.

[wiley]

I won't argue about the Kyrie trade being right or wrong...let's say right based on talent.  But I felt at the time is was wrong because

1.  it kind of went away from the flow we had going.  We were so rich and getting richer, and then with that trade we went all in a bit too soon imo.  All-in with a questionable leader when Brad needed to be the clear leader and we had just nabbed Hayward who is like a PG already...

2.  IT.  I feel he should have been kept loyalty wise, partly also due to his sis' death just prior...I know...get the sentimentality out of the armchair G emming...but, injured he wouldn't have commanded the brinks truck.

3.  I like to think Danny would have done the right thing and drafted SGA.

4.  The team, coach owner and fans all suffered with Kyrie on board..a miserable two years.  Of course I rooted for him and he was electric at times.  But the queasiness was always there.  I think Ainge shouldn't have gambled on the Kyrie persona maturing into a contented being.

Kemba is such a nice reward for gutting out two years of K.I.  Love Ainge overall.  All is good now...a great rivalry with the Nets to enjoy next year.  I'm not worried about them...I'd be more worried if it was current team plus Dinwiddie back, the electric Levert plus Durant and more money to spend on good pieces.  Kyrie will want to be the magical genius hero of the team....If I'm wrong and he figures out leadership then I"ll be worried, that is, if Durant can indeed get full mobility back and feel secure in his leg.

[Jvalin]

3.  I like to think Danny would have done the right thing and drafted SGA.

I like to think Danny would have done the absolutely right thing and he would have traded up for Luka.

I mean, we already know that the Hawks were willing to trade down cause they stroke a deal with the Mavs for #5 + an additional first-round pick the following year (ended up at #10).

PG: Luka
SG: Brown
SF: Hayward
PF: Tatum
C: Horford (I bet we would have kept him)

This would have been the best team in the league this season! The C's would have been on their way to become the next NBA dynasty!

[86MaxwellSmart]

Maybe I'm wrong, but this Memphis pick is the very last Chip from that Nets trade...?...in a roundabout, convoluted way?

[tenn_smoothie]

Man I wish we could reverse that Kyrie trade.  Just take a time machine.  Tell Danny that Sexton would be fine at #8, but SGA is the real guy to draft.

I really hate the Kyrie trade because him going to Brooklyn was tantamount to handing Brooklyn back one of the picks.

I would say we handed Brooklyn a cancer who is more likely to destroy his team than lift them to success.

My time machine would have Danny trading Kyrie before the deadline and getting some real valuable talent out of that mess instead of keeping him around. Irving showed me his true colors when he was a no-show for Game 7 vs Cleveland in the 2019 ECF.

[footey]

I won't argue about the Kyrie trade being right or wrong...let's say right based on talent.  But I felt at the time is was wrong because

1.  it kind of went away from the flow we had going.  We were so rich and getting richer, and then with that trade we went all in a bit too soon imo.  All-in with a questionable leader when Brad needed to be the clear leader and we had just nabbed Hayward who is like a PG already...

2.  IT.  I feel he should have been kept loyalty wise, partly also due to his sis' death just prior...I know...get the sentimentality out of the armchair G emming...but, injured he wouldn't have commanded the brinks truck.

3.  I like to think Danny would have done the right thing and drafted SGA.

4.  The team, coach owner and fans all suffered with Kyrie on board..a miserable two years.  Of course I rooted for him and he was electric at times.  But the queasiness was always there.  I think Ainge shouldn't have gambled on the Kyrie persona maturing into a contented being.

Kemba is such a nice reward for gutting out two years of K.I.  Love Ainge overall.  All is good now...a great rivalry with the Nets to enjoy next year.  I'm not worried about them...I'd be more worried if it was current team plus Dinwiddie back, the electric Levert plus Durant and more money to spend on good pieces.  Kyrie will want to be the magical genius hero of the team....If I'm wrong and he figures out leadership then I"ll be worried, that is, if Durant can indeed get full mobility back and feel secure in his leg.

Danny made the Kyrie trade because, as he put it, he wanted to give Al and Gordon a team that was in win now mode. He didn’t do his due diligence on Kyrie or chose to ignore the negative signs. Most of us did, seduced by the great handle and scoring. Lesson learned.

[footey]

3.  I like to think Danny would have done the right thing and drafted SGA.

I like to think Danny would have done the absolutely right thing and he would have traded up for Luka.

I mean, we already know that the Hawks were willing to trade down cause they stroke a deal with the Mavs for #5 + an additional first-round pick the following year (ended up at #10).

PG: Luka
SG: Brown
SF: Hayward
PF: Tatum
C: Horford (I bet we would have kept him)

This would have been the best team in the league this season! The C's would have been on their way to become the next NBA dynasty!

If Danny had any idea Luka would turn out this good this soon, he would not have given up the last Nets pick. All indications were that it was going to be a very high pick when he made the Kyrie trade.