Ainge & Mannix interviews on Toucher and Rich

[CoachBo]

Ainge getting roasted by Fox Sports.

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/gallery/nba-trade-rumors-deadline-one-week-bulls-nets-celtics-021617

[LilRip]

All this recent talk about Drummond makes me really wish the C's could land him. We'd be a scary team for sure.

[Eddie20]

Ainge getting roasted by Fox Sports.

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/gallery/nba-trade-rumors-deadline-one-week-bulls-nets-celtics-021617

It's almost as if you didn't read what Ainge said in the interview.

[wdleehi]

Ainge getting roasted by Fox Sports.

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/gallery/nba-trade-rumors-deadline-one-week-bulls-nets-celtics-021617

Another quick article suggesting the Celtics trade everything away for a rental.

[jbpats]

Mannix
- Does not believe Isaiah is a max player.

I'm sorry, if Mike effing Conley is a max contract player in this league, you can bet Isaiah is. Scorers like him are hard to come by. And they ALL get paid.

Yea seriously that's crazy talk, IT is a max player period!

I agree with Mannix but i'll phrase it differently. IT is not a max player in Boston, he is a Max player on say Orlando or any other small market team that has no immediate championship aspirations

There are a few things to consider here
The primary thing being that Boston is a championship city. Maxing out Thomas is not going to win us a championship. If the goal is to sell tickets then yes, Thomas is a max player (hence why I said Orlando). Thomas is unbelievable, but look at the other two MVP candidates.. Harden and Westbrick, neither of those guys are leading a team to a championship anytime soon.
Secondarily we are more likely than not landing Fultz or Ball this off season. If we want to build around Thomas we should trade the pick for one more complimentary piece, say Drummond. If we don’t want to trade it then our focus should be building around either of those guys and Jalen, not Thomas. Signing Thomas to a five year max the season after next makes no sense whatsoever if this is the direction we are going in.
I think Ainge just needs to pick a direction and stick with it, either max out what he can with the current core by adding a third piece or moving on when its time and develop through the draft. If it’s the latter maxing out Thomas makes no sense.

[Geo123]

Ainge getting roasted by Fox Sports.

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/gallery/nba-trade-rumors-deadline-one-week-bulls-nets-celtics-021617

Another quick article suggesting the Celtics trade everything away for a rental.

Not exactly true.  Butler wouldn't be a rental....

[Bobshot]

Reading highlights from tweets, Ainge said their biggest need was rebounder/rim protector, and he would trade Nets pick for Drummond, but doesn't think he's available. What some of us have been saying here.

I think there's a bit of truth in that Fox link. Danny has to get off his assets, and make a serious run at the Cavs. Rozier should not be a barrier to ANY trade.

I'm not so sure about Ibaka, after listening to NBA TV last night. The feeling around the league is Ibaka is not the defensive player he was in OKC. Toronto is making a desperation move to try to get him back to the player of a few years ago.

The Celtics have to do something. They are barely beating mediocre teams right now. Winning,
but barely. Bradley is clearly expendable in a deal. So are the Nets picks, which is throwing the dice in the lottery system.

[CoachBo]

Ainge getting roasted by Fox Sports.

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/gallery/nba-trade-rumors-deadline-one-week-bulls-nets-celtics-021617

It's almost as if you didn't read what Ainge said in the interview.

I don't care what Ainge says. I'm not that gullible, nor am I prone as many Americans are to fall in love with rhetoric that I want to believe.

I care what he does.

[CelticGuardian]

Mannix
- Does not believe Isaiah is a max player.

I'm sorry, if Mike effing Conley is a max contract player in this league, you can bet Isaiah is. Scorers like him are hard to come by. And they ALL get paid.

Yea seriously that's crazy talk, IT is a max player period!

I agree with Mannix but i'll phrase it differently. IT is not a max player in Boston, he is a Max player on say Orlando or any other small market team that has no immediate championship aspirations

There are a few things to consider here
The primary thing being that Boston is a championship city. Maxing out Thomas is not going to win us a championship. If the goal is to sell tickets then yes, Thomas is a max player (hence why I said Orlando). Thomas is unbelievable, but look at the other two MVP candidates.. Harden and Westbrick, neither of those guys are leading a team to a championship anytime soon.
Secondarily we are more likely than not landing Fultz or Ball this off season. If we want to build around Thomas we should trade the pick for one more complimentary piece, say Drummond. If we don’t want to trade it then our focus should be building around either of those guys and Jalen, not Thomas. Signing Thomas to a five year max the season after next makes no sense whatsoever if this is the direction we are going in.
I think Ainge just needs to pick a direction and stick with it, either max out what he can with the current core by adding a third piece or moving on when its time and develop through the draft. If it’s the latter maxing out Thomas makes no sense.

Out of respect for Thomas and his hard work, I would like to see Ainge give him the max for two years and a player option. I don't see neither Fultz or Ball ready to step in and run the Stevens machine to it's current success, at least not in year 1.

[CoachBo]

Ainge getting roasted by Fox Sports.

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/gallery/nba-trade-rumors-deadline-one-week-bulls-nets-celtics-021617

Another quick article suggesting the Celtics trade everything away for a rental.

Not exactly true.  Butler wouldn't be a rental....

But he would be the end of the "forever rebuild."

[danglertx]

IT deserves the max more than a lot of guys who have received it, and deserves it more than a lot of guys who will receive it.

I mean, the guy is a top-10 MVP candidate. Horford gets a max deal but IT doesn't? That's borderline lunacy.

I also want to note that I'm in favor of giving IT a max extension this summer if we miss the home run in free agency.  He'll only have 6 years experience, which means he's eligible for only a 25% max, not a 30% max.  Also, since he'd be getting a large pay increase over his contracted value next season, he'd make about the same over 5 seasons by signing for the lower max now as he would by waiting for free agency in 2018.

Don't you get your max free agent, they go over to give IT his money?  It isn't one or the other.

[Kuberski33]

Reading highlights from tweets, Ainge said their biggest need was rebounder/rim protector, and he would trade Nets pick for Drummond, but doesn't think he's available. What some of us have been saying here.

Because contrary to what many on these boards believe, top level young stars do not get traded. Its hard enough to find those guys why would you trade one when you have one unless the guy wants out? How do you justify dealing a franchise player to your season ticket holders and advertisers?  This is the reason Butler, Cousins and probably Hayward are going nowhere.

Look at the economics.  Don't believe sports writers who have no concept of how a successful business operates.

[jbpats]

Mannix
- Does not believe Isaiah is a max player.

I'm sorry, if Mike effing Conley is a max contract player in this league, you can bet Isaiah is. Scorers like him are hard to come by. And they ALL get paid.

Yea seriously that's crazy talk, IT is a max player period!

I agree with Mannix but i'll phrase it differently. IT is not a max player in Boston, he is a Max player on say Orlando or any other small market team that has no immediate championship aspirations

There are a few things to consider here
The primary thing being that Boston is a championship city. Maxing out Thomas is not going to win us a championship. If the goal is to sell tickets then yes, Thomas is a max player (hence why I said Orlando). Thomas is unbelievable, but look at the other two MVP candidates.. Harden and Westbrick, neither of those guys are leading a team to a championship anytime soon.
Secondarily we are more likely than not landing Fultz or Ball this off season. If we want to build around Thomas we should trade the pick for one more complimentary piece, say Drummond. If we don’t want to trade it then our focus should be building around either of those guys and Jalen, not Thomas. Signing Thomas to a five year max the season after next makes no sense whatsoever if this is the direction we are going in.
I think Ainge just needs to pick a direction and stick with it, either max out what he can with the current core by adding a third piece or moving on when its time and develop through the draft. If it’s the latter maxing out Thomas makes no sense.

Out of respect for Thomas and his hard work, I would like to see Ainge give him the max for two years and a player option. I don't see neither Fultz or Ball ready to step in and run the Stevens machine to it's current success, at least not in year 1.

and I'd agree if this is an option, but I just don't see Thomas NOT getting a 4 year max from another team. There is a lot of money in today's NBA and a lot of teams that have a good chunk of change to throw around. I think Thomas would expect the 4-5 year max from us, I can see him being insulted with a shorter termed deal.

[GratefulCs]

Ainge getting roasted by Fox Sports.

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/gallery/nba-trade-rumors-deadline-one-week-bulls-nets-celtics-021617

Another quick article suggesting the Celtics trade everything away for a rental.

Not exactly true.  Butler wouldn't be a rental....

But he would be the end of the "forever rebuild."

what are you even talking about

Forever rebuild?

You'd think we were a bottom 5 team or something


Instead we're a top five ish team with top picks. SUCH an enviable position...

..

But I guess I'm just an ainge apologist..

[BitterJim]

IT deserves the max more than a lot of guys who have received it, and deserves it more than a lot of guys who will receive it.

I mean, the guy is a top-10 MVP candidate. Horford gets a max deal but IT doesn't? That's borderline lunacy.

I also want to note that I'm in favor of giving IT a max extension this summer if we miss the home run in free agency.  He'll only have 6 years experience, which means he's eligible for only a 25% max, not a 30% max.  Also, since he'd be getting a large pay increase over his contracted value next season, he'd make about the same over 5 seasons by signing for the lower max now as he would by waiting for free agency in 2018.

Don't you get your max free agent, they go over to give IT his money? It isn't one or the other.

In this case, it IS one or the other. Renegotiating his contract and adding more years (like Harden did this summer) would be the only way to increase his salary for next year, and to do so would require cap room.  If we sign a max FA, we will use up our cap room, which would prevent us from renegotiating IT's contract.  We could still resign him with his Bird Rights in 2018, though