Question: Is there any proof this actually happened?

[BballTim]

Alright. I am going to have to have you be a little more specific here, because the only thing I see that he quoted was Ainge saying he thought that Al and Swift were the two best big men. Can someone provide me a link to this quote of him saying he offered Big AL and a pick for Swift? I haven't seen this yet.

Why would any GM ever admit to a failed trade like that, with the new guy still on the roster?

Danny admitted they tried to move up.   Danny admitted that he liked Swift (which you seemed to doubt a couple of minutes ago).  Bulpett -- a very credible and connected reporter -- reported that Danny's target was Swift, and that he offered the #15, another pick, and cash.

Face it:  Danny liked Swift better.  He also really liked Jiri, and Marcus Banks, and other guys who haven't amounted to much in the NBA.  Danny is a good GM, but he isn't infallible, in the draft or otherwise.

  Nobody ever said Danny was infallible. He may have wanted Swift over Al, but Swift might have been a pretty good player if not for his injuries. Clearly he's done a terrific job in Boston. He's been no more or less lucky than any other GM. Many of the "Danny was very lucky" posts were from people who were trying to justify all of their posts criticizing him before he traded for KG.

[BballTim]

Speculation?

If the Sonics were willing to part with Swift in the Ray Allen deal we'd be without Rajon Rondo and stuck with an injury prone tattoo man.

My god that would be the worst trade in the history of sports (no offense Ray Ray).

  I heard the exact opposite before the trade was announced. That Seattle offered to throw in Swift if Danny added Rondo and Danny said no.

[Truck Lewis]

Speculation?

If the Sonics were willing to part with Swift in the Ray Allen deal we'd be without Rajon Rondo and stuck with an injury prone tattoo man.

My god that would be the worst trade in the history of sports (no offense Ray Ray).

  I heard the exact opposite before the trade was announced. That Seattle offered to throw in Swift if Danny added Rondo and Danny said no.

thats what i heard too

and Top of the World...pretty much says Rondo was untouchable in all the 07 trades

[BballTim]

Chuckle.

The lengths and rationalization people will go to to elevate Ainge to something he quite clearly isn't - a genius - never cease to amaze me.

Danny's been infatuated with stiffs for years - Swift, Paddy, Telfair.

  The fact that some people only judge a gm who put together the best starting lineup in the nba by the players he has on the end of his bench is equally puzzling. I wonder how many of those rationalizers were also delusional enough to claim that Danny was right not to wait for Joe Smith, who desperately wanted to join the Celts.

[Truck Lewis]

Chuckle.

The lengths and rationalization people will go to to elevate Ainge to something he quite clearly isn't - a genius - never cease to amaze me.

Danny's been infatuated with stiffs for years - Swift, Paddy, Telfair.

  The fact that some people only judge a gm who put together the best starting lineup in the nba by the players he has on the end of his bench is equally puzzling. I wonder how many of those rationalizers were also delusional enough to claim that Danny was right not to wait for Joe Smith, who desperately wanted to join the Celts.

you are right,,,,danny was obsessed with getting awful players or over the hill players such as Raef, theo, gerald, bassy, blount, and throwing in Big al and a few decent players,,delonte and gomes,,,and getting more garbage like ray and Kg that didnt help us at all....

obv sarcastic

edit: not sarcastic about you being right....i agree with you

[LarBrd33]

Well, Simmons is buddy buddy with Daniel Morey, GM of Houston, who used to work in the Boston office. It's not very unrealistic to think that he knows people who know things.

I was going to say this.  They talked about it on the podcast last week and Morey didn't correct Bill.   They also talked about the fact Pierce was traded to Portland for the #3 pick (that would have been Chris Paul) and NIck Van Exel's expiring contract, but that Pierce nixed the deal... again Morey didn't deny it, but that one has also been publicized before. 

[Truck Lewis]

Well, Simmons is buddy buddy with Daniel Morey, GM of Houston, who used to work in the Boston office. It's not very unrealistic to think that he knows people who know things.

I was going to say this.  They talked about it on the podcast last week and Morey didn't correct Bill.   They also talked about the fact Pierce was traded to Portland for the #3 pick (that would have been Chris Paul) and NIck Van Exel's expiring contract, but that Pierce nixed the deal... again Morey didn't deny it, but that one has also been publicized before. 

ya i heard that too and,,,,if i remember correctly  espn reported that trade as basically done (pierce for #3 and nick the quick) so i def believe that one as at least a rumor that was substantially true

[Fafnir]

Well, Simmons is buddy buddy with Daniel Morey, GM of Houston, who used to work in the Boston office. It's not very unrealistic to think that he knows people who know things.

I was going to say this.  They talked about it on the podcast last week and Morey didn't correct Bill.   They also talked about the fact Pierce was traded to Portland for the #3 pick (that would have been Chris Paul) and NIck Van Exel's expiring contract, but that Pierce nixed the deal... again Morey didn't deny it, but that one has also been publicized before. 

ya i heard that too and,,,,if i remember correctly  espn reported that trade as basically done (pierce for #3 and nick the quick) so i def believe that one as at least a rumor that was substantially true

Wouldn't have been a bad trade. I'm glad things evolved the way they did of course. But CP3 is very very good.

[paintitgreen]

ya i heard that too and,,,,if i remember correctly  espn reported that trade as basically done (pierce for #3 and nick the quick) so i def believe that one as at least a rumor that was substantially true

Wouldn't have been a bad trade. I'm glad things evolved the way they did of course. But CP3 is very very good.

It would be interesting to see what would have happened had we done the trade and gotten Chris Paul. As much as I and everybody else loves Rondo, Chris Paul is just in another class of player. Maybe the following year instead of doing the pick/Raef for Telfair/Ratliff trade they just keep their pick and take Roy (or take Foye and do the deal with Minnesota; I know there's a lot of skepticism about rumors, but what allegedly McHale wanted Foye, but knew Portland really wanted Roy so took Roy just to make the trade and pick up some financial considerations - cash and lower rookie scale). That would give a young core of Chris Paul, Brandon Roy and Al Jefferson, with Delonte West, Kendrick Perkins, Ryan Gomes, Leon Powe and Tony Allen as rotation players. Maybe they still do the trade to bring in Rondo as a backup point guard and potential trade bait. Maybe they don't, hold on to the pick they traded, and take Rudy Fernandez (who was selected with that pick). They would've had a few other rookies - can't speculate on where they'd have picked so I won't throw out names - and Raef and Wally's expiring contracts this year if they wanted to add a veteran this year. Or a ton of financial relief coming to extend three young All Stars. They'd have a bright future.

But they would't have a title.