What was Brad thinking?

[footey]

I’m glad you started this thread. I’m unhappy that Brad offered up Jaylen for Durant. He may have assumed it was confidential but if so that shows his inexperience. I doubt he would have offered up Jaylen without getting go ahead from Wyc. But again if he thought it was off record maybe not. This could really backfire.

[nickagneta]

Did Brad make the offer? Seems the reports are only coming out of the Nets, which definitely should call into question the veracity given their need to create pressure for teams to step up their offers on a trade that they need to optimize their return on investment. And nothing has been said about whether discussions were between Brad and Marks. Just assumptions.

[SHAQATTACK]

It’s not like Celtics to play their hand this early or reveal anything.  What they ve done , who they ve talked to, or what intentions might be.  They ve released no statement publicly I’m aware of. Sure they are talking about ideas among the owners and Top management quietly  .  My take …it ploy out of the Nets camp. To gain traction on his value.

Waiting on Nets to blink first.  I still see no team willing to part with a young guy Jaylen s caliber to get a guy who might not like where he is going and up and leave in 1-2 years.

I think the media hype is so high about a Celtics trade , because they are the only one with an asset That meets the criteria Nets can get at this point . Maybe total speculation Boston would ever want to publicly announce an offer until it was a fact.

[Erik]

Did Brad make the offer? Seems the reports are only coming out of the Nets, which definitely should call into question the veracity given their need to create pressure for teams to step up their offers on a trade that they need to optimize their return on investment. And nothing has been said about whether discussions were between Brad and Marks. Just assumptions.

The story is confined by from Woj and Shams... so while it’s not 100%, we should likely believe it. The report is Brown + White + picks and the Nets declined with a suggestion to swap Smart for White.

You have to believe this is the Nets best offer considering Suns are out and both Miami and Toronto are not willing to give up premium talent. I think the Celtics don’t need to give Smart to have the best offer and it now comes down to how long the Nets want to play this out. They could force KD to play or lose the money, but this is 2022.... players have a lot more ways to stay on the sidelines nowadays with all kinds of private “doctors,” and honoring your teammates likely doesn’t matter to someone like KD..

Still, the Nets escape the KD saga with a star for free (traded for a free agent signing), and the Celtics become the clear favorites for title (KD, Tatum, Smart, Williams, Williams, Brogdon). I’m not sure why anyone is upset with the deal aside from projections of 2026+. Take the bird in the hand. KD is an actual superstar NBA. This isn’t AD or James Harden (stars masquerading as superstars). These trades are rare, considering it’s a long contract.

[#1P4P]

Did Brad make the offer? Seems the reports are only coming out of the Nets, which definitely should call into question the veracity given their need to create pressure for teams to step up their offers on a trade that they need to optimize their return on investment. And nothing has been said about whether discussions were between Brad and Marks. Just assumptions.

I questioned the sources agenda in another thread. The KD trade rumor mill died when Ayton signed Indiana’s offer sheet.

The KD-Warriors trade rumors were also laughable.

The last two teams rumored as trade partners are the Championship Finalists that are also the betting favorites for the 2022-23 title and were not on KD’s preferred destination list.

These rumors reek of the Nets leaking smoke and mirrors to increase urgency from potential trade partners with a hint of trying to disrupt their main competitors in the process. “You don’t want to include Bam/Booker for KD? Well, look who is.”

[Moranis]

Boston is FAR more likely to wina title in the next 4 years with Durant than it is over the next decade with Brown. It really is that simple.

[Erik]

Boston is FAR more likely to wina title in the next 4 years with Durant than it is over the next decade with Brown. It really is that simple.

Correct. I’m not even sure that Browns ceiling is as good as Durant’s floor (like 37-38 years old... i.e. something similar to current LeBron). Don’t get me wrong, Brown is an amazing player and could be in a few more all star games in his career, but Durant is an MVP and lock 1st ballot hall of famer

No disrespect intended, but you need people like him when the game is close and you can’t afford to dribble the ball off your foot. He’s been there and doesn’t need to drive into a crowd of people for a high percentage shot.

Oh, also, the constructed roster of their proposal went through is a team of 4 players who have won or are in the conversation to win an MVP or DPOY. Has that ever happened in the modern NBA?

[celticsclay]

Boston is FAR more likely to wina title in the next 4 years with Durant than it is over the next decade with Brown. It really is that simple.

Any actual stats/arguments for this or just skip Bayless super confident opinion. It’s also not just brown. It’s probably brown smart and picks.

[Erik]

Boston is FAR more likely to wina title in the next 4 years with Durant than it is over the next decade with Brown. It really is that simple.

Any actual stats/arguments for this or just skip Bayless super confident opinion. It’s also not just brown. It’s probably brown smart and picks.

Well,, the topic is “what was Brad thinking.” From all reports, Brad has not offered Smart or the deal would have been done already.

I’ll say that even with Smart I think we win the trade, but I just don’t see why we need to. Brown has got to be the best player offered. I think they’re not seriously shopping Durant if they don’t take it. Brown has been enough to get Kawhi, AD, and Harden. It’s not unreasonable at all it gets KD @ 34.

[ozgod]

I think he was just kicking the tires, which is his job. There's a top tier player on the market, let's see what their asking price is. We don't know the extent of the discussions - was it just chatting on the phone saying "if I sent you JB and White and a pick would that work" and Marks came back with his ante? Or was it more serious? We only have the word of Shams' source. And whoever leaked it to the media a few weeks after the fact has their own reasons for doing so. It certainly wouldn't benefit the Celtics to release the information about the conversation.

I can't really fault Brad for exploring it. It's Kevin Durant. It's a high-risk high-return opportunity. I'm sure Danny did the same with AD, and Kawhi. I'm guessing Brad lowballed the Nets knowing they would refuse so he could find out what they wanted. Now the Nets or KD's agent are using it to try to get some action going with other teams.

[pokeKingCurtis]

I think he was just kicking the tires, which is his job. There's a top tier player on the market, let's see what their asking price is. We don't know the extent of the discussions - was it just chatting on the phone saying "if I sent you JB and White and a pick would that work" and Marks came back with his ante? Or was it more serious? We only have the word of Shams' source. And whoever leaked it to the media a few weeks after the fact has their own reasons for doing so. It certainly wouldn't benefit the Celtics to release the information about the conversation.

I can't really fault Brad for exploring it. It's Kevin Durant. It's a high-risk high-return opportunity. I'm sure Danny did the same with AD, and Kawhi. I'm guessing Brad lowballed the Nets knowing they would refuse so he could find out what they wanted. Now the Nets or KD's agent are using it to try to get some action going with other teams.

Yea i'd be more concerned if he didn't make inquiries

[tenn_smoothie]

Not an exact comparison, but this has similarities with the Cedric Maxwell for Bill Walton trade of 1985.
Walton was definitely an injury risk and he helped win one title, he also was not a malcontent like Durant.

Trading Max did not seem to upset that team's chemistry and I've always thought if Red had kept him, the team would have won the title in 1986 anyway with Max back playing after full recovery of his knee and possibly could have helped win the finals in 1987.

[Moranis]

Boston is FAR more likely to wina title in the next 4 years with Durant than it is over the next decade with Brown. It really is that simple.

Any actual stats/arguments for this or just skip Bayless super confident opinion. It’s also not just brown. It’s probably brown smart and picks.

you mean a 29 ppg scorer who shoots 52% from the field that was just 2nd team all NBA.  I don't know why it is even a question that Durant significantly increases the title odds over the next couple of seasons.  He clearly does and he will increase those title chances more than a fringe all star player like Brown ever will.  Talent wins in the NBA and Durant is far more talented than Brown.

[Csfan1984]

I honestly think it was for the best of C's, Brown, KD and the Nets. Who doesn't make out in the initial offer?

For...
Nets, Brown is a cornerstone Star and just 25.
Brown, he gets his own team in a huge market.
KD, he gets back to basketball and away from KI.
C's, they get the best player and dump redundant White.

Only issue was the counter offer. C's can't pay a premium price due to KD's age and want to be heavy favorites for the short 3 year window that KD has. They can't lose Smart and another rotation player. And then give up too many picks.

Nets should have taken the first offer. Now that TPE has expired doubt anything happens.

[slamtheking]

Boston is FAR more likely to wina title in the next 4 years with Durant than it is over the next decade with Brown. It really is that simple.

Any actual stats/arguments for this or just skip Bayless super confident opinion. It’s also not just brown. It’s probably brown smart and picks.

you mean a 29 ppg scorer who shoots 52% from the field that was just 2nd team all NBA.  I don't know why it is even a question that Durant significantly increases the title odds over the next couple of seasons.  He clearly does and he will increase those title chances more than a fringe all star player like Brown ever will.  Talent wins in the NBA and Durant is far more talented than Brown.

the issue isn't that Durant is more talented than Jaylen, he is. 

the issue is Durant himself --> he's looking to get out of Brooklyn without having played a moment of his 4-year contract.  That's for the team he deliberately signed with as a FA.  He's also had health concerns in the past few years and even with a decent supporting cast this past season got swept in the first round.   How anyone can think he will honor that 4-year deal in Boston, not even worrying about the expense of that deal and his probable decline in his mid to late 30's is mindboggling. 

In a vacuum, you'd make that deal to get a player like Durant.  problem is, the deal isn't being made in a vacuum and you need to take all the other Durant issues into consideration. 
also, if the team was having issues getting to the ECF and losing in the first 2 rounds, that would be another factor to make the deal but the C's have gotten to the ECF several times in the past several years without Durant and made the finals last year and were arguably in reach of winning it had Tatum not played like crap.  (wasn't just Tatum -- others had an awful series as well).   With the moves this offseason so far, there's a very good chance C's are back in the Finals with a better chance to win it this time without acquiring Durant.