KG ending up in Boston

[Big Ticket]

Henry Abbott is putting up some quite interesting info from a recent Sports Business conference at MIT Sloan.... one of his tidbits:

19. Mark Cuban was clear that he thought a key factor in Kevin Garnett ending up in Boston was Danny Ainge's relationship with Minnesota's Kevin McHale. Cuban says the Mavericks were one of several teams that thought they had a deal done to acquire Garnett (he also mentioned Golden State) and had even heard from Garnett's agent who was wondering about an extension. But it didn't happen. "At the end of the day," says Cuban, with a wry smile, "relationships matter in the NBA."

See the rest here.

[cordobes]

p.s. - The article is extremely interesting and definitely worth a reading.

[Big Ticket]

A side story from this... that pretty much means Cuban had agreed to trade his own superstar and reigning MVP... doesn't it?  I can't imagine a package from the Mavs that supposedly was a "done deal" unless it included Dirk.

[cordobes]

A side story from this... that pretty much means Cuban had agreed to trade his own superstar and reigning MVP... doesn't it?  I can't imagine a package from the Mavs that supposedly was a "done deal" unless it included Dirk.

I doubt it. I think it means Cuban likes to fantasize.

[yall hate]

A side story from this... that pretty much means Cuban had agreed to trade his own superstar and reigning MVP... doesn't it?  I can't imagine a package from the Mavs that supposedly was a "done deal" unless it included Dirk.

really?  You dont think they could have had some deal involving Devin Harris and/or Josh Howard? etc...

edit: I am too lazy to look at what their contract situation would have been, but I bet they could have come up with a strong offer that elft dirk there.

[cordobes]

A side story from this... that pretty much means Cuban had agreed to trade his own superstar and reigning MVP... doesn't it?  I can't imagine a package from the Mavs that supposedly was a "done deal" unless it included Dirk.

really?  You dont think they could have had some deal involving Devin Harris and/or Josh Howard? etc...

That can be the case, meaning the only reason he thought it was a done deal was because he was expecting McHale wouldn't get better offers - that he obviously got later on. The hypothesis of a Dirk-KG combo is intriguing, to say the least. Would that work?

[Tnerb02]

I think the Celtics gave up more than enough to land KG and the Celtics probably had the best deal on the table. Al Jefferson is probably an upgrade for the Wolves in a sense, because KG would have been gone from Minnesota for nothing by now.

[Big Ticket]

A side story from this... that pretty much means Cuban had agreed to trade his own superstar and reigning MVP... doesn't it?  I can't imagine a package from the Mavs that supposedly was a "done deal" unless it included Dirk.

really?  You dont think they could have had some deal involving Devin Harris and/or Josh Howard? etc...

That can be the case, meaning the only reason he thought it was a done deal was because he was expecting McHale wouldn't get better offers - that he obviously got later on. The hypothesis of a Dirk-KG combo is intriguing, to say the least. Would that work?

For yall hate - I don't know if Harris was considered a big enough chip yet... he was still mostly potential with some flashes of brilliance.  And I don't think even Harris + Howard would be enough anyways... Dallas didn't have a high draft pick and they didn't have a big to offer as a replacement of KG (without sending Dirk).  I really can't think of any competitive offer, minus Dirk, that they could've made.

Cordobes - I agree with your first post... that Cuban is just blowing smoke.  Also, I'm guessing Andy Miller (KG's agent) called several possible destinations to ask about a possible extension.  He had an opt out after the first year and I don't think he was interested in playing one year somewhere then moving again. 

And as far as KG and Dirk working... I think it'd be a darn good team and would win plenty of games, but I don't know how well they'd do in the playoffs out West.  Neither can play center full time on either end of the floor, in my opinion, and Harris/Howard would take away a lot of their perimeter power. 

[Kwhit10]

Well if the Mavs had Dirk and KG would KG play center when both of them start?

[Chief]

A side story from this... that pretty much means Cuban had agreed to trade his own superstar and reigning MVP... doesn't it?  I can't imagine a package from the Mavs that supposedly was a "done deal" unless it included Dirk.

really?  You dont think they could have had some deal involving Devin Harris and/or Josh Howard? etc...

That can be the case, meaning the only reason he thought it was a done deal was because he was expecting McHale wouldn't get better offers - that he obviously got later on. The hypothesis of a Dirk-KG combo is intriguing, to say the least. Would that work?

For yall hate - I don't know if Harris was considered a big enough chip yet... he was still mostly potential with some flashes of brilliance.  And I don't think even Harris + Howard would be enough anyways... Dallas didn't have a high draft pick and they didn't have a big to offer as a replacement of KG (without sending Dirk).  I really can't think of any competitive offer, minus Dirk, that they could've made.

Cordobes - I agree with your first post... that Cuban is just blowing smoke.  Also, I'm guessing Andy Miller (KG's agent) called several possible destinations to ask about a possible extension.  He had an opt out after the first year and I don't think he was interested in playing one year somewhere then moving again. 

And as far as KG and Dirk working... I think it'd be a darn good team and would win plenty of games, but I don't know how well they'd do in the playoffs out West.  Neither can play center full time on either end of the floor, in my opinion, and Harris/Howard would take away a lot of their perimeter power. 

Yeah, I don't care if McHale did this deal because he was friendly with Boston. He got well paid with Al Jefferson.

[orrzor]

I think this is sour grapes on Cuban's part. Unless he means they were going to trade Dirk, then neither Devin Harris nor Howard are as good as big Al. Al was the best player the Wolves could've gotten in any trade. Also Cuban should be complaining about the Gasol trade, as West had moved from the Grizzlies to the Lakers that year.

[elcotte]

why would anyone listen to Cuban...he's a sideshow.
I agree with other posters here...McHale got Jefferson out of the deal. And Al can play.

[Fafnir]

A side story from this... that pretty much means Cuban had agreed to trade his own superstar and reigning MVP... doesn't it?  I can't imagine a package from the Mavs that supposedly was a "done deal" unless it included Dirk.

really?  You dont think they could have had some deal involving Devin Harris and/or Josh Howard? etc...

That can be the case, meaning the only reason he thought it was a done deal was because he was expecting McHale wouldn't get better offers - that he obviously got later on. The hypothesis of a Dirk-KG combo is intriguing, to say the least. Would that work?

I'm not sure how it would work defensively, but offensively it would be killer. Dirk would end up guarding a lot of centers though.

[xmuscularghandix]

"ok, on the count of 3 we're gonna run out of here"

[zerophase]

hmmm... I really don't know Dallas or Golden state that that much to give. Plus... the move doesn't make sense for Dallas. Why would they want two low post shooting big man? Neither KG or Dirk has really low post banging moves like Big Al.