The benefit of hindsight is a beautiful thing.

Quote from: Donoghus on February 13, 2021, 11:58:42 AM

The benefit of hindsight is a beautiful thing.

From what I recall, there were plenty of people on here who wanted Giannis instead of Kelly. A couple who talked up Jokic before anybody heard of him. Some who advocated for trading up to get Booker. And many, many who advocated for trying to move up to try to get Doncic.

There’s a reason why Rondo has twice as many titles as GM Ainge (the word grossly overrated comes to mind).

Quote from: Donoghus on February 13, 2021, 11:58:42 AM

The benefit of hindsight is a beautiful thing.

From what I recall, there were plenty of people on here who wanted Giannis instead of Kelly. A couple who talked up Jokic before anybody heard of him. Some who advocated for trading up to get Booker. And many, many who advocated for trying to move up to try to get Doncic.

There’s a reason why Rondo has twice as many titles as GM Ainge (the word grossly overrated comes to mind).

Here’s the series of events following the Nets trade that would have occurred if Danny really was the best GM in the world:

2013 13th overall: Giannis Antetokounmpo instead of Kelly Olynyk

2014 6th overall: Marcus Smart
2014 17th overall: Nikola Jokic instead of James Young

2015 12th overall: Packaged all of our picks this year to move up from 16th to take Devin Booker

2016 3rd overall: Jaylen Brown (rollover remaining picks into 2018 or 2019, or move up to get Sabonis at 10th)

2017 3rd overall: Jayson Tatum

2018 2nd overall: Move Booker, the Cleveland pick at 8th (never would have traded for Kyrie), our first, our 2020 Memphis pick, and whatever picks we had accumulated (or made and not listed) in order to draft Luka Doncic at two

2019: No picks due to the Doncic mega trade, which would have been disparaged by many on here (with Kings fans claiming they fleeced Danny) until they actually saw Doncic ball

2020 30th overall: Payton Pritchard (or move up to get him at 26)

Our roster, assuming Horford and/or Hayward remained as our marquee free agents, but they stuck around so they can keep winning titles:

Doncic/Pritchard
Brown/Smart
Tatum/Hayward
Antetokounmpo/Hayward
Jokic/Horford

Titles in 2019, 2020 and many more to come this decade. Maybe titles in 2017 and 2018 although it would have been tough to beat GSW, so we may have been runner-ups (who stopped LeBron in ECF) until dethroning them in 2019.

Oh, what could have been...

Ainge is a very good GM, but he has struggled to pick a path since he made the KG/PP trade with the Nets.  He hasn't quite figured out what he wants to do.  Does he want to go all in on a youth movement, or does he want to try to win now.  He has tried to do both and that has really hampered both paths.  The Irving trade is a perfect example of this.  Trading for Irving wasn't the problem, it was trading for Irving and then not following up to add to Irving.  Like not taking the chance on Leonard is a perfect example of this.  Once he traded for Irving, he needed to follow it up and make the championship winning move.  I liken this to the Ray Allen trade.  Acquiring Irving was like acquiring Ray Allen.  That trade was a fine trade, but had he not then pulled the trigger on Garnett, Boston never would have won the title and would have essentially wasted a high draft pick to get the team somewhat close, but not close enough.  That is what he did when he acquired Irving and that is what has led to this being a nice fun team, but not one that is going to win the title as currently constructed.  I absolutely believe Boston would have at least made the Finals if not won the title had he acquired Leonard for essentially Brown.  Conversely, I absolutely believe Boston would be more likely to win a title right now had he not made the Irving trade at all because it would have had that additional top 10 pick and frankly may still have other valuable players on the team.  This indecision to fully commit has been the biggest issue I've had with Ainge the last 7 or 8 years.