Danny on WEEI @5PM(won't give up best assets for players in their 30's)

[LarBrd33]

The more I hear, the more I'm convinced we'll do nothing unless a no-brainer option falls in our lap.  Ainge wants that double-max cap space so he can go after Durant + Horford this summer. 

Sure, we'll maybe take someone like Gallinari if we give up nothing to get him, but it's best to maintain our flexibility for this Summer.

You say this every year.

But I agree the Cs are highly unlikely to take on significant salary unless it's for a really good player.

I don't say it every year.  Specifically this year i've heard multiple times that Ainge is unlikely to trade for a contract like Gallo, because he wants to put this team in position to have double max cap space. 

Up until last year, this team literally never had cap space.  We can be a factor in free agency.  Danny knows it.  No sense in overpaying for someone in a trade when you can just land someone without giving up assets this summer.   Unless it's Boogie, Blake or Love, I'd be surprised to see us bring in a guy making big money.  I don't think any of those 3 guys are going to get traded.

[ssspence]

The more I hear, the more I'm convinced we'll do nothing unless a no-brainer option falls in our lap.  Ainge wants that double-max cap space so he can go after Durant + Horford this summer. 

Sure, we'll maybe take someone like Gallinari if we give up nothing to get him, but it's best to maintain our flexibility for this Summer.

You say this every year.

But I agree the Cs are highly unlikely to take on significant salary unless it's for a really good player.

I don't say it every year.  Specifically this year i've heard multiple times that Ainge is unlikely to trade for a contract like Gallo, because he wants to put this team in position to have double max cap space. 

Up until last year, this team literally never had cap space.  We can be a factor in free agency.  Danny knows it.  No sense in overpaying for someone in a trade when you can just land someone without giving up assets this summer.   Unless it's Boogie, Blake or Love, I'd be surprised to see us bring in a guy making big money.  I don't think any of those 3 guys are going to get traded.

I follow the reasoning on cap. What I meant was, I feel like you say every year that you're starting to feel like nothing will happen before the deadline a couple weeks out, because: 1) you love trades, and therefore, 2) you wanna jinx it in the other direction 

By the way, I notice you mentioning Danillo a lot. I don't really see him as a Cs target.

[mctyson]

Nothing earth-shattering with Danny's statements there.  He is in the ultimate driver's seat.  Outside of franchises with young All-Stars, the Cs have the best players and draft picks to make trades with. 

I predict a shoe will drop though.  A team will get desperate and there's a chance that Brooklyn pick is #1 in the draft.

[oldtype]

LarBrd is correct. We're not going to do a deal for Gallinari that would take away whatever small chance we have of getting Durant + Hoford.

It's much more likely that we go for a rental like Howard or maybe even Hoford himself if we can get them without giving up premium assets (Smart, Crowder, Brooklyn picks). That way we can give ourselves a better chance of a deep playoff run this year while maintaining the flexibility we need to execute the double-max hail mary.

[Kane3387]

The more I hear, the more I'm convinced we'll do nothing unless a no-brainer option falls in our lap.  Ainge wants that double-max cap space so he can go after Durant + Horford this summer. 

Sure, we'll maybe take someone like Gallinari if we give up nothing to get him, but it's best to maintain our flexibility for this Summer.

Don't get your hopes up for KD.

You're looking at a potential Sign and Trade of Harrison Barnes if he pulls a harden and isn't willing to leave $ on the table to stay in GS.

[LarBrd33]

The more I hear, the more I'm convinced we'll do nothing unless a no-brainer option falls in our lap.  Ainge wants that double-max cap space so he can go after Durant + Horford this summer. 

Sure, we'll maybe take someone like Gallinari if we give up nothing to get him, but it's best to maintain our flexibility for this Summer.

Don't get your hopes up for KD.

You're looking at a potential Sign and Trade of Harrison Barnes if he pulls a harden and isn't willing to leave $ on the table to stay in GS.

Not counting on us signing KD at all... but I think Ainge wants to maintain as much flexibility as possible.  He has to take a shot at KD.  It's insane not to.  And if you have a decent 45-50 win team with double-max cap space and some valuable trade assets, it's an outstanding option if a guy like Durant is looking for a new home and want to bring a buddy.

[rondohondo]

The more I hear, the more I'm convinced we'll do nothing unless a no-brainer option falls in our lap.  Ainge wants that double-max cap space so he can go after Durant + Horford this summer. 

Sure, we'll maybe take someone like Gallinari if we give up nothing to get him, but it's best to maintain our flexibility for this Summer.

Don't get your hopes up for KD.

You're looking at a potential Sign and Trade of Harrison Barnes if he pulls a harden and isn't willing to leave $ on the table to stay in GS.

Crowder seems just as good as Barnes , if not better . I wouldn't spend Max money on him when we have crowder signed to one of the best contracts in the league .

[LarBrd33]

LarBrd is correct. We're not going to do a deal for Gallinari that would take away whatever small chance we have of getting Durant + Hoford.

It's much more likely that we go for a rental like Howard or maybe even Hoford himself if we can get them without giving up premium assets (Smart, Crowder, Brooklyn picks). That way we can give ourselves a better chance of a deep playoff run this year while maintaining the flexibility we need to execute the double-max hail mary.

I could see us going after a Horford rental at an expense of a 1st rounder (one we can afford to lose like the Dallas pick) and some of the "assets" that we probably will not re-sign... like Jared Sullinger, Zeller and Turner.

Those 3 guys would likely need to be renounced this summer if we were to sign two max contracts... so I could see the logic in just letting them go now for a HOrford rental.  Obviously, Jerebko, Amir and Lee are salary filler options.

[jr_3421]

Nothing earth-shattering with Danny's statements there.  He is in the ultimate driver's seat.  Outside of franchises with young All-Stars, the Cs have the best players and draft picks to make trades with. 

I predict a shoe will drop though.  A team will get desperate and there's a chance that Brooklyn pick is #1 in the draft.

Did you hear Windhorst on a TrueHoop podcast? He basically said teams know that we offered 4 picks for Winslow and that whoever comes to us 1st with a superstar will get a huge return. He said that he wouldn't be surprised if at the deadline a superstar was linked to us.

It kind of goes against the narrative that we are the ones going to teams offering assets instead of the other way around which is why I found it interesting.

[oldtype]

LarBrd is correct. We're not going to do a deal for Gallinari that would take away whatever small chance we have of getting Durant + Hoford.

It's much more likely that we go for a rental like Howard or maybe even Hoford himself if we can get them without giving up premium assets (Smart, Crowder, Brooklyn picks). That way we can give ourselves a better chance of a deep playoff run this year while maintaining the flexibility we need to execute the double-max hail mary.

I could see us going after a Horford rental at an expense of a 1st rounder (one we can afford to lose like the Dallas pick) and some of the "assets" that we probably will not re-sign... like Jared Sullinger, Zeller and Turner.

Those 3 guys would likely need to be renounced this summer if we were to sign two max contracts... so I could see the logic in just letting them go now for a HOrford rental.  Obviously, Jerebko, Amir and Lee are salary filler options.

Yeah something like Sullinger + Lee + our pick and the Dallas pick for Hoford would probably be on the table for Atlanta if they wanted it.

Given the need for wing depth, could also see us taking on a serviceable expiring wing like Batum, Deng, or even Jeff Green if we could get them for nothing or close to nothing.

[Evantime34]

I expect minimal movement at the deadline this year. I however am very optimistic that we can make a splash trade in the off-season.

Even if we don't do anything at the deadline we could end the season with home court advantage in the first round. Then we could have the opportunity to add a top draft pick, add a good player in a trade and upgrade the roster in free agency.

[walker834]

I don't think Ainge is ruling out these guys.  But if we trade for them it would be more to have them as 3rd, 4th wheels where we can add another piece somehow to go with them. Howard also probably wants a max contract.  Whether he would get it is something else but there are a ton of details to think about. Gallinari probably wouldn't command that. 

Having Howard as our center if we have a really good starting 5 might be good even still.  I think Ainge is basically looking at it from that angle.  Howard might just not be worth the headache though.

Having Isaiah, Gallo, Howard, a young superstar and a guy like Marcus as our starting 5 is probably more what he is seeing there though where we can possibly get a top 2 pick this year or a top PF or SF as well.  I think KO and Crowder are pretty underrated personally but he probably just doesn't want to give up all his assets.

He's probably just trying to put the puzzle together himself where it would be a situation where we keep those assets and aren't as constrained.

Houston's asking price right now is probably too high is what he is saying as well.

[Vegas Green]

The more I hear, the more I'm convinced we'll do nothing unless a no-brainer option falls in our lap.  Ainge wants that double-max cap space so he can go after Durant + Horford this summer. 

Sure, we'll maybe take someone like Gallinari if we give up nothing to get him, but it's best to maintain our flexibility for this Summer.

Don't get your hopes up for KD.

You're looking at a potential Sign and Trade of Harrison Barnes if he pulls a harden and isn't willing to leave $ on the table to stay in GS.

Why is everyone so sure that KD won't sign with Boston?  I mean has come out and said so?

[crimson_stallion]

To be honest, I think Howard is fairly within his rights to want another max contract. 

I mean seriously, look at the type of money people are throwing around to bigs these days.  Tristan-bloody-Thompson got a ~$17M a year max deal, and he is a straight up role player.

DeAndre Jordan got a $20M/year max deal and had two teams fighting over him despite that.

What Dwight Howard brings is really not that far off what DeAndre Jordan brings.  Dwight is a comparable defensive player and a comparable rebounder, but is a significantly better offensive player. 

The age and injury history obviously hurt, but he's still a 14/12 guy with elite defensive ability, and it's pretty hard to argue against that being max-contract worthy.  Especially at a time when every team has cap space to burn. 

Dwight has his issues, but he can still do a LOT to help a team, and he's got at least another 3-4 years of good basketball left in him, assuming his back doesn't give out.  If it does then he likely retires, in which case that contract is void anyway.

I'm just imaging a starting five of Thomas, Bradley, Crowder, Simmons and Howard with Smart, Turner, Jerebko, Amir and Olynyk on the second unit.  That would be one hell of a team!

[Boris Badenov]

LarBrd is correct. We're not going to do a deal for Gallinari that would take away whatever small chance we have of getting Durant + Hoford.

It's much more likely that we go for a rental like Howard or maybe even Hoford himself if we can get them without giving up premium assets (Smart, Crowder, Brooklyn picks). That way we can give ourselves a better chance of a deep playoff run this year while maintaining the flexibility we need to execute the double-max hail mary.

I could see us going after a Horford rental at an expense of a 1st rounder (one we can afford to lose like the Dallas pick) and some of the "assets" that we probably will not re-sign... like Jared Sullinger, Zeller and Turner.

Those 3 guys would likely need to be renounced this summer if we were to sign two max contracts... so I could see the logic in just letting them go now for a HOrford rental.  Obviously, Jerebko, Amir and Lee are salary filler options.

The Horford rental adds to our FA appeal, I think. Howard does not.

If we don't renounce Horford what's his cap hold? Would we still have enough to max someone else?

I agree with your thinking though, that Danny's not going to make any big moves. Even the younger guys he might be able to swing with a BKN pick (Jabari Parker?) are not worth giving up a shot at #1 or #2 in this draft.