From Chad Ford's Chat on ESPN Now (2/16 1:30pm)

[bbd24]

Ravi (Boston)


What options do the Celtics have right now? Do you think Ray Allen is moved by the trade deadline?

Chad Ford  (1:25 PM)


Danny Ainge continues to maintain that a trade is unlikely. He's willing to move Ray Allen to get a young player back, but the guys he's pursuing -- Monta Ellis, Kevin Martin, Andre Iguodala, etc -- aren't available for just an expiring deal (at least not yet). And I don't think the Celtics want to take on a horrific contract like Corey Maggette or Richard Hamilton. That's the problem. I know some GMs around the league think Boston is desperate. But after making some calls yesterday, I think they are content with just doing something small.


---Looks like someone is taking back their tweet from yesterday!!!

They were desperate yesterday now not so much.  This guy is a hack of epic proportions.

Welcome to the media world.  Where pencils and pens happen.

[celticinorlando]

doing something small (if anything is done at all) isn't good enough to make boston contenders. they need a big move and it looks like that will not happen (which isn't a surprise). looks like we are stuck with ray allen for the rest of the season. i love ray but keeping him really hurts the offseason prospects. ray should not under any circumstance be given more than 1 year with the celtics after this season...keeping him puts a dent in getting younger. we no longer have that huge expiring contract to deal and it looks like we are pretty much stuck with this group until 2012. with their injuries and age...that isn't a nice thought because they most likely will be good enough to make the playoffs but no longer are legit threats to win a title....

[hpantazo]

doing something small (if anything is done at all) isn't good enough to make boston contenders. they need a big move and it looks like that will not happen (which isn't a surprise). looks like we are stuck with ray allen for the rest of the season. i love ray but keeping him really hurts the offseason prospects. ray should not under any circumstance be given more than 1 year with the celtics after this season...keeping him puts a dent in getting younger. we no longer have that huge expiring contract to deal and it looks like we are pretty much stuck with this group until 2012. with their injuries and age...that isn't a nice thought because they most likely will be good enough to make the playoffs but no longer are legit threats to win a title....

we are a contender this year as we are now. Doing something small helps, but not trading Ray doesn't hurt our chances for this year. It kills our chances for the future however.

[Kuberski33]

You know who would have helped this trainwreck in the making?

Marcus Camby.  Not sure if we matched up contract-wise, but he's what could turn this mess around.

The problem is defense.

[celticinorlando]

doing something small (if anything is done at all) isn't good enough to make boston contenders. they need a big move and it looks like that will not happen (which isn't a surprise). looks like we are stuck with ray allen for the rest of the season. i love ray but keeping him really hurts the offseason prospects. ray should not under any circumstance be given more than 1 year with the celtics after this season...keeping him puts a dent in getting younger. we no longer have that huge expiring contract to deal and it looks like we are pretty much stuck with this group until 2012. with their injuries and age...that isn't a nice thought because they most likely will be good enough to make the playoffs but no longer are legit threats to win a title....

we are a contender this year as we are now. Doing something small helps, but not trading Ray doesn't hurt our chances for this year. It kills our chances for the future however.

what has this team done this season to convince you they are legit contenders? they can't finish...they look old and gimpy and they have a bench full of holes. they are a horrible rebounding team. the idea that they can just turn the switch on is laughable to me.

at this point we need to gear for the future. keeping ray kills that big time. i dont see the point of keeping ray allen, losing in the second round of the playoff and then having 7 guys to replace in the offseason (ray, tony, daniels, sheldon, giddens, scal and eddie). just not smart at all.

[BballTim]

doing something small (if anything is done at all) isn't good enough to make boston contenders. they need a big move and it looks like that will not happen (which isn't a surprise). looks like we are stuck with ray allen for the rest of the season. i love ray but keeping him really hurts the offseason prospects. ray should not under any circumstance be given more than 1 year with the celtics after this season...keeping him puts a dent in getting younger. we no longer have that huge expiring contract to deal and it looks like we are pretty much stuck with this group until 2012. with their injuries and age...that isn't a nice thought because they most likely will be good enough to make the playoffs but no longer are legit threats to win a title....

we are a contender this year as we are now. Doing something small helps, but not trading Ray doesn't hurt our chances for this year. It kills our chances for the future however.

what has this team done this season to convince you they are legit contenders? they can't finish...they look old and gimpy and they have a bench full of holes. they are a horrible rebounding team. the idea that they can just turn the switch on is laughable to me.

  I'd say playing like contenders until the PP/KG injuries should qualify.

[Fan from VT]

Chris (OKC)


Have you heard if the Thunder are trying to make any moves?
Chad Ford
  (1:45 PM)


They are doing the same thing they do every year, sitting back and waiting for someone desperate to come along. They have expiring contracts. They have two first round picks. They have young assets. They could do just about anything. But they are dealing from a position of strength. They don't have to do anything. But here's one deal I think they'd do. Take Nick Collison off their hands for an expiring contract and get one of their first round picks.

I do that, for sure. Scal and Tony Allen for Collison and a 1st? Sign me up.

Follow that up with Davis and Giddens for Augustin. You've now got backups at PG and PF/C. Done.

Man, if true, i'd be all over it. THough I'd rather include Eddie and make a BBD for Augustin trade in conjunction.

I'd be surprised if it happened though...they've been building through the draft and haven't demonstrated that they're making an FA moves, so why do they need cap space? On the other hand, maybe they want to maintain cap space into the regular season so they can provide tax relief for other teams and pick up guys like Maynor in return. So maybe they would do such a deal.

[celticinorlando]

doing something small (if anything is done at all) isn't good enough to make boston contenders. they need a big move and it looks like that will not happen (which isn't a surprise). looks like we are stuck with ray allen for the rest of the season. i love ray but keeping him really hurts the offseason prospects. ray should not under any circumstance be given more than 1 year with the celtics after this season...keeping him puts a dent in getting younger. we no longer have that huge expiring contract to deal and it looks like we are pretty much stuck with this group until 2012. with their injuries and age...that isn't a nice thought because they most likely will be good enough to make the playoffs but no longer are legit threats to win a title....

we are a contender this year as we are now. Doing something small helps, but not trading Ray doesn't hurt our chances for this year. It kills our chances for the future however.

what has this team done this season to convince you they are legit contenders? they can't finish...they look old and gimpy and they have a bench full of holes. they are a horrible rebounding team. the idea that they can just turn the switch on is laughable to me.

  I'd say playing like contenders until the PP/KG injuries should qualify.

not so sure....they started blowing leads with everyone except baby healthy. they got out to a great start but many on here feel like it was somewhat hollow. any means...it is half through the season and boston is regressing. something has to give

[BballTim]

doing something small (if anything is done at all) isn't good enough to make boston contenders. they need a big move and it looks like that will not happen (which isn't a surprise). looks like we are stuck with ray allen for the rest of the season. i love ray but keeping him really hurts the offseason prospects. ray should not under any circumstance be given more than 1 year with the celtics after this season...keeping him puts a dent in getting younger. we no longer have that huge expiring contract to deal and it looks like we are pretty much stuck with this group until 2012. with their injuries and age...that isn't a nice thought because they most likely will be good enough to make the playoffs but no longer are legit threats to win a title....

we are a contender this year as we are now. Doing something small helps, but not trading Ray doesn't hurt our chances for this year. It kills our chances for the future however.

what has this team done this season to convince you they are legit contenders? they can't finish...they look old and gimpy and they have a bench full of holes. they are a horrible rebounding team. the idea that they can just turn the switch on is laughable to me.

  I'd say playing like contenders until the PP/KG injuries should qualify.

not so sure....they started blowing leads with everyone except baby healthy. they got out to a great start but many on here feel like it was somewhat hollow. any means...it is half through the season and boston is regressing. something has to give

  They were on a 13-1 streak when PP got hurt and they were 22-5. What leads had they blown. And many here might feel that their good start was hollow but it's also true that many people feel that their recent struggles are greatly related to health problems and the lack of a consistent lineup.

[Tai]

You know who would have helped this trainwreck in the making?

Marcus Camby.  Not sure if we matched up contract-wise, but he's what could turn this mess around.

The problem is defense.

...We don't need more bigs.

[Fafnir]

You know who would have helped this trainwreck in the making?

Marcus Camby.  Not sure if we matched up contract-wise, but he's what could turn this mess around.

The problem is defense.

...We don't need more bigs.

We need a big who's a plus rebounder though.

We definitely could have used Camby, but didn't really have the pieces to get him.

[celticinorlando]

doing something small (if anything is done at all) isn't good enough to make boston contenders. they need a big move and it looks like that will not happen (which isn't a surprise). looks like we are stuck with ray allen for the rest of the season. i love ray but keeping him really hurts the offseason prospects. ray should not under any circumstance be given more than 1 year with the celtics after this season...keeping him puts a dent in getting younger. we no longer have that huge expiring contract to deal and it looks like we are pretty much stuck with this group until 2012. with their injuries and age...that isn't a nice thought because they most likely will be good enough to make the playoffs but no longer are legit threats to win a title....

we are a contender this year as we are now. Doing something small helps, but not trading Ray doesn't hurt our chances for this year. It kills our chances for the future however.

what has this team done this season to convince you they are legit contenders? they can't finish...they look old and gimpy and they have a bench full of holes. they are a horrible rebounding team. the idea that they can just turn the switch on is laughable to me.

  I'd say playing like contenders until the PP/KG injuries should qualify.

not so sure....they started blowing leads with everyone except baby healthy. they got out to a great start but many on here feel like it was somewhat hollow. any means...it is half through the season and boston is regressing. something has to give

  They were on a 13-1 streak when PP got hurt and they were 22-5. What leads had they blown. And many here might feel that their good start was hollow but it's also true that many people feel that their recent struggles are greatly related to health problems and the lack of a consistent lineup.

rondo was quoted about blowing the big leads back to Dec. 18th vs philly. he said that is when this trend began.and when they did play with a full line up vs orlando and the hornets (without paul) they blew big leads. and really..do you think KG is really healthy? i have a hard time believing he is going to get stronger the rest of the season....i think that is going to be an issue for the rest of the season.

[BballTim]

doing something small (if anything is done at all) isn't good enough to make boston contenders. they need a big move and it looks like that will not happen (which isn't a surprise). looks like we are stuck with ray allen for the rest of the season. i love ray but keeping him really hurts the offseason prospects. ray should not under any circumstance be given more than 1 year with the celtics after this season...keeping him puts a dent in getting younger. we no longer have that huge expiring contract to deal and it looks like we are pretty much stuck with this group until 2012. with their injuries and age...that isn't a nice thought because they most likely will be good enough to make the playoffs but no longer are legit threats to win a title....

we are a contender this year as we are now. Doing something small helps, but not trading Ray doesn't hurt our chances for this year. It kills our chances for the future however.

what has this team done this season to convince you they are legit contenders? they can't finish...they look old and gimpy and they have a bench full of holes. they are a horrible rebounding team. the idea that they can just turn the switch on is laughable to me.

  I'd say playing like contenders until the PP/KG injuries should qualify.

not so sure....they started blowing leads with everyone except baby healthy. they got out to a great start but many on here feel like it was somewhat hollow. any means...it is half through the season and boston is regressing. something has to give

  They were on a 13-1 streak when PP got hurt and they were 22-5. What leads had they blown. And many here might feel that their good start was hollow but it's also true that many people feel that their recent struggles are greatly related to health problems and the lack of a consistent lineup.

rondo was quoted about blowing the big leads back to Dec. 18th vs philly. he said that is when this trend began.and when they did play with a full line up vs orlando and the hornets (without paul) they blew big leads. and really..do you think KG is really healthy? i have a hard time believing he is going to get stronger the rest of the season....i think that is going to be an issue for the rest of the season.

  I don't know if I agree that their only loss in 15 games constitutes a trend. As for KG, I'll wait and see. I have a hard time believing that he isn't going to improve over time like he did in November/December.

[Tai]

You know who would have helped this trainwreck in the making?

Marcus Camby.  Not sure if we matched up contract-wise, but he's what could turn this mess around.

The problem is defense.

...We don't need more bigs.

We need a big who's a plus rebounder though.

We definitely could have used Camby, but didn't really have the pieces to get him.

Then let's get Nocioni.

[celticinorlando]

i am at the point that we need to make a deal for ray not for the rest of this season but for the next few seasons. keeping ray allen seriously hampers this team for the future. i love ray allen. but his contract needs to be moved to get younger for the future. forget this season. we have to think about next season and beyond