how 'bout the LLE to Smith?

[BudweiserCeltic]

Smith's buyout was timely enough. He was bought out before the end of March 1st. That's all it was needed. It's the first time I'm hearing the argument we wouldn't be able to compete for the players waived on March 1st. I thought that putting us in position to get those players was the reason why Ainge's had a bad off-season.

The team has already explained the reason we didn't get Smith (or at least, why we're not even trying): we "couldn't take the gamble of waiting".

So, Smith choosing the Cavs anyways had we waited is not a valid enough reason? Cavs stronger buying power over Smith is not a valid reason?

How exactly do you know that Smith was going to pick the Cavs? You mean that landing Smith was always a pipedream, that we never had a chance to begin with? That makes Doc's statements quite bizarre, he seems to think that we had a chance - otherwise why even consider to gamble in a game you couldn't win?

It also makes several past statements in this site quite bizarre.

Anyway, thanks for admitting that Smith's buyout was timely enough.

I'm not saying that he would've chosen them for sure, just saying that there are just as strong indications that it would be the case. As I said plenty of times, that's my opinion.

Landing Smith wasn't a pipedream, but circumstances changed especially when Wallace got injured. How can you not see that?

We signed Moore before Wallace got injured.

The fact that Wallace got injured had absolutely nothing with the decision we "couldn't take the gamble of waiting", unless you're now arguing that Ainge predicted Wallace would get injured during that week.

Nice try though.

Oh, in the regard of "couldn't gamble on waiting" surely that injury didn't affect. But that he got injured, made the decision not to wait that much better. And wether we had signed Moore or not, landing Smith would've been quite hard once that happened which was what we were speculating in the earlier posts of the thread.

[cordobes]

So, what affected the "couldn't wait to gamble"? Why weren't we able to wait? What was the decision-making process that put us in a situation where we weren't even able to wait for the deadline in order to see who would be the best players available?

[twinbree]

No I'd rather not. They already rolled the dice with Moore. Almost half the rotation is playing the 4 they can't use up a roster spot for yet another PF with the thinness at the wings. I'd rather see them use that if they can to get a 3 with length.

[winsomme]

We don't have a full healthy roster at the moment, how much of an eye opener will it be? Not much. Considering that we've only had TA for one of the previous two games, and TA did a good job on him the only game he played... and now he's not here at this moment, but should be for the playoffs.

we don't have a fully healthy roster for sure, but we are going to see CLE playing at a very high level with a big time chip on their shoulder.

you don't need a healthy roster to see how much better another team has become.....

as for TA, I hope you are right. but i'm worried that even if he comes back in time for the playoffs, it's going to be a rough road getting him up to speed.

and that is a very dicey time to be getting a player up to speed...

[BudweiserCeltic]

So, what affected the "couldn't wait to gamble"? Why weren't we able to wait? What was the decision-making process that put us in a situation where we weren't even able to wait for the deadline in order to see who would be the best players available?

The thing is that it doesn't have to be an either or with Moore and Smith. It was Ainge that made the decision to make it so. We could have still gone after Smith just the same... what factors into this of how things have developed are the chances of landing Smith with someone like the Cavs apparently going quite hard after him. What also factors into this would be Ainge willingness to waive someone like Pruitt... maybe Ainge doesn't want to waive him and why Ainge apparently decided to not go after Smith.

There are two sides here... one is that Ainge could've but decided apparently not to. And if he would have still gone after Smith, what are really our realistic chances of landing him with the Cavs also going hard after him?

[Cman]

I don't think the Cs should use the LLE on Smith.

The PF/C boat has passed, and the Cs are going with Moore.  End of story.

The biggest concern right now is the backup 3 spot.  If there was someone who Danny felt was ready to come in and contribute, then use the vets min and cut Pruitt.  But I am not sure who this mystery 3 would be (Bonzi, K. Snyder?)

[cordobes]

So, what affected the "couldn't wait to gamble"? Why weren't we able to wait? What was the decision-making process that put us in a situation where we weren't even able to wait for the deadline in order to see who would be the best players available?

The thing is that it doesn't have to be an either or with Moore and Smith. It was Ainge that made the decision to make it so. We could have still gone after Smith just the same... what factors into this of how things have developed are the chances of landing Smith with someone like the Cavs apparently going quite hard after him. What also factors into this would be Ainge willingness to waive someone like Pruitt... maybe Ainge doesn't want to waive him and why Ainge apparently decided to not go after Smith.

There are two sides here... one is that Ainge could've but decided apparently not to. And if he would have still gone after Smith, what are really our realistic chances of landing him with the Cavs also going hard after him?

What affected the "we couldn't take the gamble of waiting"? What has Pruitt to do this?

Here's the possible decisions:
- sign a lesser player who is available now.
- don't sign that player and wait for March 1st and then have the chance of signing a better player then.

According to the team, we couldn't afford to pursuit option 2. Why?

[winsomme]

So, what affected the "couldn't wait to gamble"? Why weren't we able to wait? What was the decision-making process that put us in a situation where we weren't even able to wait for the deadline in order to see who would be the best players available?

The thing is that it doesn't have to be an either or with Moore and Smith. It was Ainge that made the decision to make it so. We could have still gone after Smith just the same... what factors into this of how things have developed are the chances of landing Smith with someone like the Cavs apparently going quite hard after him. What also factors into this would be Ainge willingness to waive someone like Pruitt... maybe Ainge doesn't want to waive him and why Ainge apparently decided to not go after Smith.

There are two sides here... one is that Ainge could've but decided apparently not to. And if he would have still gone after Smith, what are really our realistic chances of landing him with the Cavs also going hard after him?

Bud, if the reason Ainge isn't now going after Moore is because he doesn't want to waive Pruitt, then the Moore signing still prevented going after Smith because it took up our last open roster spot...

there is no explanation for not going after Smith right now that doesn't have to do with signing Moore.

[winsomme]

hey, here's a novel idea...maybe we are still going after Smith...

[BudweiserCeltic]

According to the team, we couldn't afford to pursuit option 2. Why?

Because they were going to risk losing out on both of them even if we waited. That's why.

Bud, if the reason Ainge isn't now going after Moore is because he doesn't want to waive Pruitt, then the Moore signing still prevented going after Smith because it took up our last open roster spot...

there is no explanation for not going after Smith right now that doesn't have to do with signing Moore.

That's assuming that Smith would want to sign with us over the Cavs still, and if the reason Ainge doesn't want to sign Smith (were he willing to) is because he doesn't want to waive someone like Pruitt, then he's a complete moron in this particular regard.

[cordobes]

According to the team, we couldn't afford to pursuit option 2. Why?

Because they were going to risk losing out on both of them even if we waited. That's why.

Oh, now we're talking! And why was that so important? Why couldn't we afford the luxury of losing a player like Moore?

The corollary of your statement is that if we had a player of equivalent value to Moore already in the roster then we could've waited.

Finally!!

[winsomme]

That's assuming that Smith would want to sign with us over the Cavs still, and if the reason Smith doesn't want to sign Smith (were he willing to) is because he doesn't want to waive someone like Pruitt, then he's a complete moron in this particular regard.

Yes. Smith would have to want to sign here for any of this to be possible, but the whole reason we are talking about this is because there are reports that he did in fact want to sign here.

nobody is assuming anything. we are merely suggesting that the only way to truly find out if Smith wanted to be here is to pursue him once he got bought out.

the reports are that we are not pursuing him and every reason to not pursue him is based in part on already having signed Moore. like Doc said, "they didn't want to wait and gamble that he didn't get bought out..."

Doc didn't say that they didn't want to wait because they thought Smith had no interest in signing here...

[BudweiserCeltic]

According to the team, we couldn't afford to pursuit option 2. Why?

Because they were going to risk losing out on both of them even if we waited. That's why.

Oh, now we're talking! And why was that so important? Why couldn't we afford the luxury of losing a player like Moore?

The corollary of your statement is that if we had a player of equivalent value to Moore already in the roster then we could've waited.

Finally!!

That's not what I meant at all. You're reading too much into the word "waited". They couldn't wait regards more the reason they signed Moore when they did instead of explaining why they're out of the race for Smith. Having Skinner instead of Moore doesn't change that fact. And had we still been in the race because we didn't sign Moore, the real question would be how good would our chances be against the Cavs?

anything. we are merely suggesting that the only way to truly find out if Smith wanted to be here is to pursue him once he got bought out.

Is this really what it's all about? Just to satisfy your curiosity of if we would've really missed out on Smith? With the Cavs situation being what it is currently, I have little doubt that he wouldn't sign with them. That's my opinion and I believe it would've been true if things would have gone this way.

[cordobes]

According to the team, we couldn't afford to pursuit option 2. Why?

Because they were going to risk losing out on both of them even if we waited. That's why.

Oh, now we're talking! And why was that so important? Why couldn't we afford the luxury of losing a player like Moore?

The corollary of your statement is that if we had a player of equivalent value to Moore already in the roster then we could've waited.

Finally!!

That's not what I meant at all. You're reading too much into the word "waited".

What do you meant then? What exactly did you mean by "because they were going to risk losing out on both of them even if we waited" that is not "because they were going to risk losing out on both of them even if we waited" at all?

[BudweiserCeltic]

According to the team, we couldn't afford to pursuit option 2. Why?

Because they were going to risk losing out on both of them even if we waited. That's why.

Oh, now we're talking! And why was that so important? Why couldn't we afford the luxury of losing a player like Moore?

The corollary of your statement is that if we had a player of equivalent value to Moore already in the roster then we could've waited.

Finally!!

That's not what I meant at all. You're reading too much into the word "waited".

What do you meant then? What exactly did you mean by "because they were going to risk losing out on both of them even if we waited" that is not "because they were going to risk losing out on both of them even if we waited" at all?

Waiting is not the issue. Waiting with Skinner is no different that waiting with Moore. The real issue here is how the chances would've improved had we not signed Moore. That's a valid discussion. But your assumption that having Skinner instead of Moore somehow increases our chances of Smith is quite ridiculous in my opinion.