Are you kidding me?

[KCattheStripe]

What exactly were people expecting the Cs to do?

Seriously...

to get picks or young players for one of the big 3, they would have had to take back equal contracts. If they werent expiring, I dont blame Danny for not doing anyhting.

Plus 1000.

[tyrone biggums]

What exactly were people expecting the Cs to do?

1) Tank
2) Take on bad contracts for draft picks so people could whine about player x down the road and his awful contract.

I thought people would be thrilled the Celts did nothing, They need a few tweaks to get back into it, didn't happen. Now the middle of the draft we go instead of late. Not doing anything improved our pick. Now if for whatever reason somehow this team makes it to say the ECF, you will have the most miserable fan base in sports.

[KCattheStripe]

What exactly were people expecting the Cs to do?

1) Tank
2) Take on bad contracts for draft picks so people could whine about player x down the road and his awful contract.

I thought people would be thrilled the Celts did nothing, They need a few tweaks to get back into it, didn't happen. Now the middle of the draft we go instead of late. Not doing anything improved our pick. Now if for whatever reason somehow this team makes it to say the ECF, you will have the most miserable fan base in sports.

Plus 2000.

[MosheP]

It's obvious Ainge still believes this team can contend, otherwise he'd have done what the Blazers did - ship out veterans for picks without taking back any contracts.

Plus, that they can contend as it is - otherwise he'd have done some small trade, like Wilcox and second for some big that can eat some minutes.

We'll see if he's right or not.

IMO, it's not as idiotic as what he did 1 year ago or when he decided to sign Jermaine O'Neal (even though those who are Ainge fans first and Celtics fans second will still rationalize those as great decisions), but it's close.

[phonic1]

What exactly were people expecting the Cs to do?

Honestly?  ANYTHING.  I don't care if we received a 2nd round pick (a high 2nd pick from playoff teams) in return for Ray.  Even if it means taking a player with another year left on his contract, since we're not gonna be good for a while.  It would give Ray a shot at another title and would make us a worse team this year, in order to move up the draft.  But no, let's just get NOTHING in return and get bounced, in embarrassing fashion, by the Heat in the first round.

[KCattheStripe]

What exactly were people expecting the Cs to do?

Honestly?  ANYTHING.  I don't care if we received a 2nd round pick (a high 2nd pick from playoff teams) in return for Ray.  Even if it means taking a player with another year left on his contract, since we're not gonna be good for a while.  It would give Ray a shot at another title and would make us a worse team this year, in order to move up the draft.  But no, let's just get NOTHING in return and get bounced, in embarrassing fashion, by the Heat in the first round.

Why not just sign a better calibre player this summer? Why take on an extra year of a cruddy player just for a second round pick when you can just sign a higher calibre player this offseason?

[Tai]

What exactly were people expecting the Cs to do?

Honestly?  ANYTHING.  I don't care if we received a 2nd round pick (a high 2nd pick from playoff teams) in return for Ray.  Even if it means taking a player with another year left on his contract, since we're not gonna be good for a while.  It would give Ray a shot at another title and would make us a worse team this year, in order to move up the draft.  But no, let's just get NOTHING in return and get bounced, in embarrassing fashion, by the Heat in the first round.

I don't like a premise stating "I don't care" where disappointment is implied or expressed. Maybe you should ask why you wouldn't care if Danny essentially traded for the sake of trading, and then see if it affects why you're disappointed.

[phonic1]

Why not just sign a better calibre player this summer? Why take on an extra year of a cruddy player just for a second round pick when you can just sign a higher calibre player this offseason?

I don't know.. Boston is not exactly a hot spot for free agents.  Plus, what's the sell gonna be?  Come win with a 35 year old Paul Pierce!  Rondo is great play maker, just don't look him in the eye, or he might throw a water bottle at you!  Rondo's bad rep has spread through the league and some guys might not want to play with him.  Also, someone remind me why the hell we signed Pierce to that extension?  I'm sure he's wondering the same thing.  Sorry, but Boston has been not a desirable location, and the current situation is not any better.  Name the last free agent, in their prime, to come to Boston.

[phonic1]

What exactly were people expecting the Cs to do?

Honestly?  ANYTHING.  I don't care if we received a 2nd round pick (a high 2nd pick from playoff teams) in return for Ray.  Even if it means taking a player with another year left on his contract, since we're not gonna be good for a while.  It would give Ray a shot at another title and would make us a worse team this year, in order to move up the draft.  But no, let's just get NOTHING in return and get bounced, in embarrassing fashion, by the Heat in the first round.

I don't like a premise stating "I don't care" where disappointment is implied or expressed. Maybe you should ask why you wouldn't care if Danny essentially traded for the sake of trading, and then see if it affects why you're disappointed.

Huh?  I didn't say I didn't care.  And after I said "anything", I went on to explain what I would have found acceptable.

[KCattheStripe]

Why not just sign a better calibre player this summer? Why take on an extra year of a cruddy player just for a second round pick when you can just sign a higher calibre player this offseason?

I don't know.. Boston is not exactly a hot spot for free agents.  Plus, what's the sell gonna be?  Come win with a 35 year old Paul Pierce!  Rondo is great play maker, just don't look him in the eye, or he might throw a water bottle at you!  Rondo's bad rep has spread through the league, and someone remind why the hell we signed Pierce to that extension?  Sorry, but Boston has been not a desirable location, and the current situation is not any better.  Name the last free agent, in their prime, to come to Boston.

So we should pay some cruddy player 10 mil for another year so we can get a 2nd round pick and have the same issue of nobody wanting to come to Boston next summer as opposed to this one?

[MosheP]

What exactly were people expecting the Cs to do?

Honestly?  ANYTHING.  I don't care if we received a 2nd round pick (a high 2nd pick from playoff teams) in return for Ray.  Even if it means taking a player with another year left on his contract, since we're not gonna be good for a while.  It would give Ray a shot at another title and would make us a worse team this year, in order to move up the draft.  But no, let's just get NOTHING in return and get bounced, in embarrassing fashion, by the Heat in the first round.

Why not just sign a better calibre player this summer? Why take on an extra year of a cruddy player just for a second round pick when you can just sign a higher calibre player this offseason?

Are you really claiming that Ray Allen value is so low you can't trade him for expiring+pick? He has less value than Camby, Young, Barbosa, etc?

I have a hard time believing in that. Especially when there are reports saying teams were offering either picks or young players but Ainge was asking for both.

[Lucky17]

What exactly were people expecting the Cs to do?

Honestly?  ANYTHING.  I don't care if we received a 2nd round pick (a high 2nd pick from playoff teams) in return for Ray.  Even if it means taking a player with another year left on his contract, since we're not gonna be good for a while.  It would give Ray a shot at another title and would make us a worse team this year, in order to move up the draft.  But no, let's just get NOTHING in return and get bounced, in embarrassing fashion, by the Heat in the first round.

Why not just sign a better calibre player this summer? Why take on an extra year of a cruddy player just for a second round pick when you can just sign a higher calibre player this offseason?

Are you really claiming that Ray Allen value is so low you can't trade him for expiring+pick? He has less value than Camby, Young, Barbosa, etc?

I have a hard time believing in that. Especially when there are reports saying teams were offering either picks or young players but Ainge was asking for both.

None of the players you mention above were traded for 1st round picks.

All were traded for expiring contracts and/or 2nd rounders. Ray Allen is worth more than that.

[phonic1]

Why not just sign a better calibre player this summer? Why take on an extra year of a cruddy player just for a second round pick when you can just sign a higher calibre player this offseason?

I don't know.. Boston is not exactly a hot spot for free agents.  Plus, what's the sell gonna be?  Come win with a 35 year old Paul Pierce!  Rondo is great play maker, just don't look him in the eye, or he might throw a water bottle at you!  Rondo's bad rep has spread through the league, and someone remind why the hell we signed Pierce to that extension?  Sorry, but Boston has been not a desirable location, and the current situation is not any better.  Name the last free agent, in their prime, to come to Boston.

So we should pay some cruddy player 10 mil for another year so we can get a 2nd round pick and have the same issue of nobody wanting to come to Boston next summer as opposed to this one?

Who says it has to be one player making $10M per year in return for Ray? We could take, and give, multiple players, and some will have expiring contracts.  It's not like we'd have pay some scrub $10M again next season.  That wouldn't be very smart.  Oh and you didn't tell me the last FA in his prime to sign with the C's.    

I think we need to build through the draft, which is why I'm all about gobbling up picks.

[LooseCannon]

All were traded for expiring contracts and/or 2nd rounders. Ray Allen is worth more than that.

Ray Allen is worth maybe two second round picks, then, but probably not a first.

[colincb]

Rather than wail about lost opportunities, maybe some one can try the ESPN trade machine and come up with a trade that works where the Cs could even trade Garnett, or trade Ray or Paul and get something useful as far as a young talent and a first rounder. If you're willing to send these guys out of town for junk and second rounders, don't waste your time.

Try Ray Allen to the Clippers who were most closely associated with him in trade rumors and see if you can come up with anything that makes sense. Bet you can't.

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine

I agree with what Ainge did.  We have a slim chance this year and are getting out of cap hell next summer.  We will have roughly $50 million to play with, 2 first rounders in what is forecast to be a strong draft, and the expected improvement from AB and JJ.  Ray may well be back at a lower number and perhaps KG too at a much lower number. If things break well and we can get some good pieces like, we could be back in contention next season.