Celtics trade for David Lee

[littleteapot]

We could've never gotten into that trade anyway. You really think Sacto agrees to that trade, centered around pick swaps and ONE top-ten protected pick? For one, we wouldn't have the cap space after the Johnson signing and the re-ups for Crowder and Jerebko to swallow the Thompson AND Landry contracts.

That's kind of the point. This is the problem with all the move-sideways moves ainge has made - they are taking us out of the running for moves we should be making.

Two, if we took on those two guys and Stauskus (He's the centerpiece of that trade) in a salary dump for Sacto, we'd have a roster so log-jammed with players we would be forced to move them. We can't have an almost full roster, 4 new rookies, Stauskus and Thompson+Landry. You'd be in a position where your gonna have to try and consolidate assets and move guys, but when your being forced you make bad deals. Ainge is notorious for maintaining flexibility. Making that deal hurts that.

Assets>flexibility. I'll just put it that way.

Three, Sacto wouldn't be willing to make a deal like that with us anyway. They centered the picks around swaps because in Sacramento's eyes, they're gonna build a competitive team around DMC. To them, the chances that Philly is better than them are really low. You gotta figure they're at least gonna be a late lottery team.

I don't think the rest of the league really things we're better set up to be good in 2 years than Philly.

Unless they manage to win the lottery from that spot, which is highly unlikely, Philly probably won't even use those pick swaps. Even if the worst happens and Philly does use them, chances are Philly is still a high lottery team the next couple years, so the pick they get back in the swap won't be an awful pick. They couldn't do any of that with us. I know they have DMC, but we were a MUCH better team than they were, and most people expect that to continue. Even if they're optimistic enough to think they're team will fight for the 8th seed, there's a really good chance Boston is the 6th seed in the East with a better record than you. You get. #12, Boston gets #19 and bam, late lottery to late 1st round. That trade only goes through if the Sixers are involved.

In any year where Philly agreed to a potential pick swap, they wouldn't bother tanking. They would start putting legitimate pieces around their superior young talents.

[cltc5]

Heh... are there people upset with this? 

He's 32 and he's a season removed from averaging 18 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2 assists as the 2nd best player on 50 win playoff team.

I actually can't remember ever seeing a situation like David Lee's this year.  He's arguably the 2nd or 3rd best player on the Warriors and yet they stuck him on the bench, because the team was rolling and chemistry was off-the-charts.   Lee isn't a good defender and he sacrificed a lot this season for the greater good... but he can clearly still play basketball.  At least Iggy got an opportunity to show his skillset in the FInals... Lee unfortunately had to remain on the bench.  Guy is a heck of a sport to let that happen.  Good for Golden State for finding him a new home instead of letting him rot on their bench.  He's a talented guy.  We should be happy to have him (if the intention is to make the playoffs).

 He's possibly the best player on the Celtics right now.  Like Wallace, he's an expiring contract.   There was literally no reason to NOT do this trade.   It's a total no-brainer.   It'll be interesting to see if Ainge addresses the PF jam this summer of if he just did this trade, because he'd be stupid not to.

It's amazing that common sense can actually still be found on this blog.  Well said.

[SHAQATTACK]

Yes!
 
A player who's consistent and a scoring threat. Awesome sauce! Love to have David Lee. I understand we still have a log jam of PF's, but it doesn't hurt adding a very talented player to the squad.

So much better for the fan s , than paying all that money to Wallace to watch from the bench ......at least Lee should see the court ... Woo hoo !

Yes. David Lee is a very good player. Defense has holes, sure, but expect atlwat 18 and 8 every night, gives great attitude and and very unselfish with the ball, which fits our gunner guards. I'd take him over ANY PF we have right now. And he's expiring.

That's EXACLTY better than having Wallace sit on the bench. Lee will atleast command respect from defenses. He may not have the same efficiency numbers with us as he may be asked to carry a bit .ore of an offensive load, but expect consistent effort night in and night out.

I love this move.

Me too! .....I'm only half mad a Danny now.

If he trades for Nerlins .....I forgive him ...LOL

If that happens I would never doubt him ever again.

We are literally a rim protector away from being a 45 win team in the East. I hope Sully and KO all g with some of our licks can fetch something.

I was thinking the EXACT same ......a rim protector and a nice wing ( dump ET , AB , whatever )  and we are a 45 win team in the EAST .....not West LOL

[freshinthehouse]

Sorry they're not dreamy enough for you.

Hahaha TP+

[gpap]

I dont get it. What does GSW get out of making this deal?

They don't have to play David Lee.

Yeah, they just traded for a really good player only to not play him.

Makes a lot of sense.

[Celts Fan 508]

I like the move, still need a wing upgrade but this was a nice addition for nothing. 

[RJ87]

Simple deal, moveable contract and Lee can contribute despite his minutes in GS. Always respected his toughness. Pairs nicely with Amir actually. I like it.

Right there with you!

And I think he sticks around - Danny's been after him for awhile. I remember reading a few years back when Lee was a free agent that Danny was the first GM to call him.

[D.o.s.]

I dont get it. What does GSW get out of making this deal?

They don't have to play David Lee.

Yeah, they just traded for a really good player only to not play him.

Makes a lot of sense.

Just FYI: As written, your comment implies that you think Gerald Wallace is a really good player.

[gpap]

Well that is disappointing.

Don't we have enough problems finding minutes for Sullinger and Olynyk with Amir, Ty Zeller and Jerebko already on board?

Do we really need to add a PF who is going to complicate that even further?

It's called flushing out the untalented players with good players.

[walker834]

In essence this is promising for our young players and future.  Lee and Amir are locked up short term.  DA could have signed someone to a long term deal but he stayed the course and got rid of Gerald Wallace in the interm.  Sully, KO, Zeller, Lee and Amir is a solid group of big men now to go with our solid group of guards. Having jae crowder and an assortment of guards playing SF is what we are looking at now.

[fairweatherfan]

What are the other options, though?

Commit to the youth movement and don't make moves unless they make sense in the context of improving the team over the next 4-5 years as opposed to the short term.

Don't depend on the stupidity or bad luck of other teams to make acquiring a star player possible.

Look to consolidate assets rather than continuing to proliferate lesser ones.


Hey, that's just my philosophy.  Clearly it's not Danny's.  We'll see how this all works out.  I'm gonna go ahead and doubt / naysay in the meantime.


This off-season so far feels like it's been driven at least in part by a desire to appease fans who got excited by the miracle run to the playoffs and would be crestfallen if the team fell back into the lottery pack.

The two bolded statements seem contradictory to me, especially when you've also been arguing that none of our current assets have any value.  How are we supposed to consolidate crappy, low-value assets without relying on other teams making a mistake?

[cltc5]

Ken Berger ?@KBergCBS  4m4 minutes ago
No other components involved in David Lee-Gerald Wallace trade between Golden State and Boston, source says. Straight-up deal.

this I don't get.  we're helping them clear over $5 mill in salary next year.  should be worth a future second or a pick swap of one of our seconds to their first rounder.

Who cares about adding more worthless picks to our already worthless collection of picks?

We got the best player in the deal.

I'm out of Tommy points to give to u

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I absolutely loathe David Lee. Like, I can't even look at him. He just has those really creepy eyes that you just don't ever trust.

Having said that, If this is just for Wallace, it's at least a good video game trade.

Well at least the worst off-season of all time has somehow gotten worse.

Are there any more unathletic white guys we can add to our guard team?

What a ridiculous post.

Lee is a very good player and you don't like the trade because of Lee's eyes.

Sorry they're not dreamy enough for you.

There's always Tom Brady, right? 

[crownontherocks]

A source says the Celtics & Warriors are still considering several different ways to structure the David Lee/Wallace deal. There's no rush.

A league source says the Celtics did not acquire David Lee with the intention of turning around and trading him again.

Adam himmelsbach

[gpap]

I dont get it. What does GSW get out of making this deal?

They don't have to play David Lee.

Yeah, they just traded for a really good player only to not play him.

Makes a lot of sense.

Just FYI: As written, your comment implies that you think Gerald Wallace is a really good player.

When I saw the following words typed "they don't have to play David Lee", obviously I assumed you meant the Celtics don't have to play him as he now plays for the Celtics. Not sure what you and the other poster were discussing.  And no I don't think Wallace is a good player. He sucks!