All in all, the best option was not to give any assets for rentals

[Darío SpanishFan]

The domino pieces have started to fall. Deron Williams, Matt Barnes, Andrew Bogut... And, surprisingly  , all of them have chosen to join the Cavaliers or Warriors. Well, you also have others like Jennings going to different teams, just a mathematic issue.

So, I am happier than ever with the route taken by our management. Not only for not trading most of our assets for Butler/George (Cousins may be another point, a tough one), but for not giving up "minor" pieces for rentals such as Ibaka, PJ Tucker and so on.

We have no chance at all to win a 7-game series against these Warriors or Cavaliers, so why giving up Rozier and second rounders just to be swept in the ECF? I prefer to go home in the second round and having a summer to set the pieces for something big. As I said on another thread, for every ten Josip Sesars you can find a Ginobili, for every ten JR Giddens you may find a Butler. So I fully support Danny for what he did, keeping all our future alive.

You can think of conspiracy theories from Ainge, such as not giving IT help to lower his max contract expectations or so on; however, I simply believe that he thought this year it was impossible to get into the NBA Finals and keeping all the doors open can bring something good next summer (I hope). Ping pong balls, be good to us 

[Spilling Green Dye]

I 50% agree..  At the end of the day every player that plays is a rental.  And every year you can make the case that these Celtics aren't going to beat Lebron or win the Finals.  But the Celtics are 2nd in the East and have a TON of untapped resources (draft picks, Jaylen, etc.) that using just 1/2 of it could have propelled them into the conversation.

You never know what is going to happen, and you can't win unless you put yourself in the situation to win.  Let's say the Celtics made a big move to get Cousins for Jaylen, the 2017 Nets pick, and Memphis' #1 pick.  How much production would we have lost?  Almost nothing, and we'd still have a lot of untapped assets (2018 nets, etc.) and great contracts (Crowder, Rozier..).  If Kevin Love isn't 100% for the finals then this Celtics team would have a decent chance to make it to THE NBA FINALS with that lineup.  And who knows what happens in the Finals.  Kevin Durant could hurt his knee... oh wait, he just did! 

The Celtics gave away all of their assets in 2007 for relative rentals in Allen and KG.  The result was an enormous turnaround in wins, contending during those rental years, and of course a Championship.  This team didn't need to mortgage all of their assets, nor did they need an enormous turnaround in wins to become contenders.  I'm not upset that the Celtics did nothing, but I think you could definitely make the case that the right move(s) would have put the Celtics into the conversation... and once there you never know what will happen, or who will come to join your cause (Bogut, etc.).

[TheSundanceKid]

I 50% agree..  At the end of the day every player that plays is a rental.  And every year you can make the case that these Celtics aren't going to beat Lebron or win the Finals.  But the Celtics are 2nd in the East and have a TON of untapped resources (draft picks, Jaylen, etc.) that using just 1/2 of it could have propelled them into the conversation.

You never know what is going to happen, and you can't win unless you put yourself in the situation to win.  Let's say the Celtics made a big move to get Cousins for Jaylen, the 2017 Nets pick, and Memphis' #1 pick.  How much production would we have lost?  Almost nothing, and we'd still have a lot of untapped assets (2018 nets, etc.) and great contracts (Crowder, Rozier..).  If Kevin Love isn't 100% for the finals then this Celtics team would have a decent chance to make it to THE NBA FINALS with that lineup.  And who knows what happens in the Finals.  Kevin Durant could hurt his knee... oh wait, he just did! 

The Celtics gave away all of their assets in 2007 for relative rentals in Allen and KG.  The result was an enormous turnaround in wins, contending during those rental years, and of course a Championship.  This team didn't need to mortgage all of their assets, nor did they need an enormous turnaround in wins to become contenders.  I'm not upset that the Celtics did nothing, but I think you could definitely make the case that the right move(s) would have put the Celtics into the conversation... and once there you never know what will happen, or who will come to join your cause (Bogut, etc.).

The problem is, you make that trade and you have traded away your future. The Nets 18 pick and Smart would not be the two core pieces of a future rebuild. They could well be a part of it but Brown and the Nets 17 are more likely to be the superstars in that regard.

I think it's becoming increasingly important to hold onto at least 2 of the Nets picks (Jaylen + one). Jaylen is proving to be more and more effective each game, by year 3 he should b a fully fledged starter for us, if not earlier.

The question is on draft night do we cash in on the Nets 17 pick to chase someone like Butler or George? Or possibly an unknown star? Keeping the Nets18 pick has the advantage of staggering the top picks and give us better cap management. The Nets 17 has the advantage of being a known entity going into draft night.

Let's say we met the extremely steep asking price of Bradley, Crowder, Nets 17 for Butler, we would still have the cap space to sig Hayward or Griffin. Then you have a monster team entering the season and still have two Nets picks to build a future around. Big ifs there though

[Darío SpanishFan]

I 50% agree..  At the end of the day every player that plays is a rental.  And every year you can make the case that these Celtics aren't going to beat Lebron or win the Finals.  But the Celtics are 2nd in the East and have a TON of untapped resources (draft picks, Jaylen, etc.) that using just 1/2 of it could have propelled them into the conversation.

You never know what is going to happen, and you can't win unless you put yourself in the situation to win.  Let's say the Celtics made a big move to get Cousins for Jaylen, the 2017 Nets pick, and Memphis' #1 pick.  How much production would we have lost?  Almost nothing, and we'd still have a lot of untapped assets (2018 nets, etc.) and great contracts (Crowder, Rozier..).  If Kevin Love isn't 100% for the finals then this Celtics team would have a decent chance to make it to THE NBA FINALS with that lineup.  And who knows what happens in the Finals.  Kevin Durant could hurt his knee... oh wait, he just did! 

The Celtics gave away all of their assets in 2007 for relative rentals in Allen and KG.  The result was an enormous turnaround in wins, contending during those rental years, and of course a Championship.  This team didn't need to mortgage all of their assets, nor did they need an enormous turnaround in wins to become contenders.  I'm not upset that the Celtics did nothing, but I think you could definitely make the case that the right move(s) would have put the Celtics into the conversation... and once there you never know what will happen, or who will come to join your cause (Bogut, etc.).

I mostly agree, but you have to bear in mind something. Circunstances have changed from ten years ago: now we have two superteams. Cleveland has LeBron, Irving and a strong supporting cast even with Love injured: Korver, Bogut, Tristan Thompson, D-Will... And the Warriors, even without Durant, won 73 games last year and the title two years ago. Back to 2007, we had a clear chance to get two or three rings; the best team in the East, Pistons, wasn't half as good as these Cavaliers, for example. So the opportunity was there.

Even with possible casualties such as Love or Durant, they were too much and we are two stars away, as Wyc said, from them. Were they Butler and Cousins? Could we have gotten both at the deadline emptying our house? Maybe. Maybe not. We don't know many inside aspects. So far, Cousins' effect has ruined the Pelicans   

[Moranis]

Boston has too many draft picks and too many young players to have them all on the team long term.  There is absolutely no reason at all that Boston shouldn't have made some minor moves for players like PJ Tucker that could have been acquired for some 2nd round picks.  As is, Boston will have to make another consolidating trade at the draft as it just has too many 2nd round picks to use them all anyway.

[Roy H.]

I disagree somewhat. If we had added to the team, that shows free agents we're not complacent. If a rental gets us one round further in the playoffs, that's a message to free agents that we're a threat.

Assume you're Gordon Hayward. If Utah makes it to the second round, and the Celts lose in the first, does that tip the scales? If so, wouldn't it have made sense to trade some second rounders for Tucker or Noel?

[jpotter33]

I disagree somewhat. If we had added to the team, that shows free agents we're not complacent. If a rental gets us one round further in the playoffs, that's a message to free agents that we're a threat.

Assume you're Gordon Hayward. If Utah makes it to the second round, and the Celts lose in the first, does that tip the scales? If so, wouldn't it have made sense to trade some second rounders for Tucker or Noel?

Bingo. Not only do we have too many of these lesser assets to use/keep anyways (RJ Hunter anyone?), but it also would've bolstered our playoff run this year. A potential first or second round loss is a much harder sell to a Griffin or Hayward this summer than an ECF Finsls berth. And the price/cost to potential reward ratio of these types of deals (Tucker, Noel, and even Ibaka) were still very favorable to the club taking the chance on them.

As evidence of this, look how helpful both Tucker and Ibaka have been so far in Toronto, and Noel has had nothing but glowing reviews out of Dallas so far. All three of them would've been super beneficial to us, and Noel would've ended up a long-term core piece for us, too.

[SHAQATTACK]

Danny will regret not signing Cousins or Noel when he could.

[TheSundanceKid]

I disagree somewhat. If we had added to the team, that shows free agents we're not complacent. If a rental gets us one round further in the playoffs, that's a message to free agents that we're a threat.

Assume you're Gordon Hayward. If Utah makes it to the second round, and the Celts lose in the first, does that tip the scales? If so, wouldn't it have made sense to trade some second rounders for Tucker or Noel?

Bingo. Not only do we have too many of these lesser assets to use/keep anyways (RJ Hunter anyone?), but it also would've bolstered our playoff run this year. A potential first or second round loss is a much harder sell to a Griffin or Hayward this summer than an ECF Finsls berth. And the price/cost to potential reward ratio of these types of deals (Tucker, Noel, and even Ibaka) were still very favorable to the club taking the chance on them.

As evidence of this, look how helpful both Tucker and Ibaka have been so far in Toronto, and Noel has had nothing but glowing reviews out of Dallas so far. All three of them would've been super beneficial to us, and Noel would've ended up a long-term core piece for us, too.

Tucker is the only one that qualifies here. If we are talking about the non factor assets that he was acquired for, the 2nd round picks, then fine. But Ibaka cost Terrence Ross and a 1st. It's very reasonable to not want to give that up for a guy not in your long term plan. As for Noel, he completely ruins any cap space options this summer. I get that some fans love the idea of his blocks and his defense but in reality he would have detracted from this team and what its strengths are.

The issue with Tuxker is where do his minutes come from? In Toronto they are relatively easy to come by. In Boston the only guy who I would take minutes from is JJ, but then we play even smaller which could be a problem. He isn't taking minutes from Crowder, Brown, Smart or Bradley

[Roy H.]

I disagree somewhat. If we had added to the team, that shows free agents we're not complacent. If a rental gets us one round further in the playoffs, that's a message to free agents that we're a threat.

Assume you're Gordon Hayward. If Utah makes it to the second round, and the Celts lose in the first, does that tip the scales? If so, wouldn't it have made sense to trade some second rounders for Tucker or Noel?

Bingo. Not only do we have too many of these lesser assets to use/keep anyways (RJ Hunter anyone?), but it also would've bolstered our playoff run this year. A potential first or second round loss is a much harder sell to a Griffin or Hayward this summer than an ECF Finsls berth. And the price/cost to potential reward ratio of these types of deals (Tucker, Noel, and even Ibaka) were still very favorable to the club taking the chance on them.

As evidence of this, look how helpful both Tucker and Ibaka have been so far in Toronto, and Noel has had nothing but glowing reviews out of Dallas so far. All three of them would've been super beneficial to us, and Noel would've ended up a long-term core piece for us, too.

Tucker is the only one that qualifies here. If we are talking about the non factor assets that he was acquired for, the 2nd round picks, then fine. But Ibaka cost Terrence Ross and a 1st. It's very reasonable to not want to give that up for a guy not in your long term plan. As for Noel, he completely ruins any cap space options this summer. I get that some fans love the idea of his blocks and his defense but in reality he would have detracted from this team and what its strengths are.

The issue with Tuxker is where do his minutes come from? In Toronto they are relatively easy to come by. In Boston the only guy who I would take minutes from is JJ, but then we play even smaller which could be a problem. He isn't taking minutes from Crowder, Brown, Smart or Bradley

We had the option of using Noel strictly as a rental / backup option. The price was so low that it was worth it.

[Darío SpanishFan]

We had the option of using Noel strictly as a rental / backup option. The price was so low that it was worth it.

Let me be doubtful that the price asked was the same for us.

[Surferdad]

Danny will regret not signing Cousins or Noel when he could.

Maybe Cousins, but not Noel.  I say this and I'm a big Noel fan.  He would have helped the front court this season, but Cousins would have been a transformational player.

[Roy H.]

We had the option of using Noel strictly as a rental / backup option. The price was so low that it was worth it.

Let me be doubtful that the price asked was the same for us.

The idea that teams will take inferior deals just to avoid dealing with the Celtics is nothing but nonsensical propaganda fed to the media by the team.

[Ed Hollison]

I think it's becoming increasingly important to hold onto at least 2 of the Nets picks (Jaylen + one).

James Young called to say "Hey guys, I'm over here!"

[Somebody]

I think it's becoming increasingly important to hold onto at least 2 of the Nets picks (Jaylen + one).

James Young called to say "Hey guys, I'm over here!"

LOL yeah he's a nets pick as well. That being said he does still have a nice upside so I hope he develops well