Ray was almost traded for OJ Mayo and Pierce for a lottery pick

[indeedproceed]

What a class act Ray Allen is.  He has been constantly disrespected by this organization and he keeps it all to himself.

How is he disrespected? If Randolph can up his level of play Memphis could very well win the whole thing. They're probably the most well rounded team in the league. Ray would have had a great shot at a title with them.

Pierce would have been the one who got hung out to dry.

Also, being open to trading a guy doesn't mean you don't respect him.

[ScoobyDoo]

As much as I like Ray and Paul, both of those trades would have been pretty decent.

Ray for a decent young off guard in OJ Mayo - and a draft pick?
Nice...

Paul for an expiring contract, giving us yet even more cash to go after young, big name free agents as they come available over the next 1-3 years - and a "potential" franchise guy, or at worst a true blue chipper, with a pick somewhere from 3-7 in this year's draft?
Very Nice as well...

That's called jump starting your rebuilding plan.

I would have had no problem with the Ray trade, even as much as I like / respect Ray.

The Pierce trade would have been more difficult.

Either way, I still think we are in excellent shape moving forward.

If we can bring KG and Ray back fro the right money, get yeat another nice young player or two to go with Rondo, Bradley, Green, Bass, Pietrus and Steimsma. And then we have some decent cap space as well...

Bright future either way. 

[slamtheking]

On board with the Ray deal 100% if it was a 1st round pick.  hard to believe he'd return that much in a deal.  Even a second rounder would probably be a good deal since Ray's missed a number of games and Mayo would have been able to play.

The PP deal was not enough.  a salary dump and a single 1st rounder?  no way.  PP has been showing he's still got a lot in the tank.  There's no way he'd bring in less than Ray in a deal.  I don't want to see PP go but if he does, it needs to be a deal that almost everyone would think is a steal for the C's.

[snively]

That would have been a great value for Danny. Heading in to the offseason with Rondo and 4 draft picks (two of which would probably be in the lottery, assuming we tanked after the trade) and a ton of cap space.

The fascinating what if is what we would have done with KG.  Imagine the manic bidding war between the contenders if we bought him out!

[Rondoholic]

So does this trade for OJ Mayo that was basically agreed to by Danny (according to this report) mean that Danny has solidified interest in OJ and will pursue him this offseason as a RFA? Would like to land him as our 6th/7th man.

[RAcker]

Even though there is some "freak out" going on about the pros and cons of these rumors, if they are true, we at least get an idea of where Danny is planning on going in the rebuilding phase that is inevitable.

[Celts Fan 92]

Would have been completely ok with the Mayo and a pick for Ray trade. Pierce for an expiring and a lottery pick would have made me blown a gasket however.

this rite here nobody in this draft is really worth givin up Pierce for IMO

[Chris]

Actually, I now don't completely buy this Ray rumor.  I am sure there is some truth to it, but I think Wojo must have missed some crucial information.  In order to match salaries, Memphis would have had to include a decent player or two, along with Mayo and the pick to make it work, plus Memphis was already pushing the tax line, and any deal for Ray that didn't include another major player would have put them over the tax line...a place Memphis does not go.

I wouldn't be surprised if there was a third team involved, which also complicated the whole process.

[chambers]

I would take both of those in a heartbeat.
Pierce for lottery pick? He can retire as soon as we trade him- that's probably why NJ didn't go through with it.

We'd get 2 more first round picks (one in the lottery- potentially the number 4 pick!)
We could use those to go after Howard or Bynum or anyone next off season.

Sorry I love Paul and he'll die a Celtic but you cannot turn down that lottery pick for Pierce.
It would mean so much for our future and could take 5 years off the rebuild when it eventually happens.

[the_Bird]

So does this trade for OJ Mayo that was basically agreed to by Danny (according to this report) mean that Danny has solidified interest in OJ and will pursue him this offseason as a RFA? Would like to land him as our 6th/7th man.

See, that would make me nervous.  Do you commit cap space to Mayo, expecting that he's a bench guy, or do you hold onto it?  I don't know Memphis' intentions with him, but you usually need to overpay to sign an RFA.  Doesn't signing Mayo have all the risk of the Pistons wasting their cap space on Ben Gordon?

[chambers]

So does this trade for OJ Mayo that was basically agreed to by Danny (according to this report) mean that Danny has solidified interest in OJ and will pursue him this offseason as a RFA? Would like to land him as our 6th/7th man.

See, that would make me nervous.  Do you commit cap space to Mayo, expecting that he's a bench guy, or do you hold onto it?  I don't know Memphis' intentions with him, but you usually need to overpay to sign an RFA.  Doesn't signing Mayo have all the risk of the Pistons wasting their cap space on Ben Gordon?

He ain't getting Ben Gordon money. Maybe $6-8 million, in the Jeff Green pre-surgery range. Probably comes in as the back up guard for Avery and Rondo for life. We then move him or Avery at some point down the road. Mayo will become much better with the Celtics organsisation. Things like this are why we MUST pay KG whatever he wants next year up to $12-15 million if we have to. Having him around the locker room is worth millions in future equity.

[bbd24]

Nobody knows the entire situation.  Especially not some writer from Yahoo or media in general.

I would be on board with both deals if the idea is to rebuild. Does everybody understand how deep this draft is ?  You can find starters in the twenty-somethings in this draft.  Having 4 picks would be huge and leverage to rebuild quickly.  Including adding through free agency.

What's so bad about the Pierce trade ?  A lottery pick in a deep draft plus an expiring ?  That brings you two able bodies for the price of one.  Got to pull the trigger on that if all you give up is an aging star.  Make the lottery pick your next Paul Pierce (I know, easy to say, tougher to do.  Easier to do in a deep draft however).

I'm glad Ainge kept the band together regardless.  They can beat anybody, anytime, especially in a 7 game series.

I'm not so sure a Pierce deal come draft time is off the table.  If Ainge has his player in mind, and is willing to get 2-3 bodies for Pierce, he's all over it.  

My gut feeling is that Ainge does the opposite and trades picks for known bodies (a la the Ray Allen trade), & puts them around Rondo, Bradley, Pierce, Bass (resign), Green (resign), JJJ, Moore, Stiemsma, & KG (resign).

I think Allen is gone, and I'm ok with that, but he's welcomed back if he wants to accept the hometown bargain bin.  Would be tough to do though if were resigning the likes of KG, Bass, & Green.

Bottom line, Ainge has this team setup perfectly & has done one helluva job.  Loving this GM.

[bbd24]

So does this trade for OJ Mayo that was basically agreed to by Danny (according to this report) mean that Danny has solidified interest in OJ and will pursue him this offseason as a RFA? Would like to land him as our 6th/7th man.

See, that would make me nervous.  Do you commit cap space to Mayo, expecting that he's a bench guy, or do you hold onto it?  I don't know Memphis' intentions with him, but you usually need to overpay to sign an RFA.  Doesn't signing Mayo have all the risk of the Pistons wasting their cap space on Ben Gordon?

He ain't getting Ben Gordon money. Maybe $6-8 million, in the Jeff Green pre-surgery range. Probably comes in as the back up guard for Avery and Rondo for life. We then move him or Avery at some point down the road. Mayo will become much better with the Celtics organsisation. Things like this are why we MUST pay KG whatever he wants next year up to $12-15 million if we have to. Having him around the locker room is worth millions in future equity.

When we talk commitment, that's the only thing you're committed to do next year, resign KG.  Like you state, that's a must and the only must.

Ainge is wide open for everything else.

[Donoghus]

Never been a fan of Mayo. 

[Moranis]

On board with the Ray deal 100% if it was a 1st round pick.  hard to believe he'd return that much in a deal.  Even a second rounder would probably be a good deal since Ray's missed a number of games and Mayo would have been able to play.

The PP deal was not enough.  a salary dump and a single 1st rounder?  no way.  PP has been showing he's still got a lot in the tank.  There's no way he'd bring in less than Ray in a deal.  I don't want to see PP go but if he does, it needs to be a deal that almost everyone would think is a steal for the C's.

a single first round that was likely in the top ten, that is worth at least 3 late first round picks.