The C's had ZERO leverage in trades for Bradley. That's 100% Danny's fault.

[BitterJim]

I'd much rather have half a season plus the whole post season of Bradley than the difference between what we got for Bradley and what we could have gotten at the deadline. Without Bradley we would have been lucky to make the second round. Do you really think that would have been enough to convince Hayward to come here?

Sure, getting a better return for Bradley would have been nice. But at some point you need to play the actual games, and having a guy like Bradley around for that has value. While nearly everyone here would have prefer a better return for Bradley, the reality is that a one year rental of him wasn't going to get us a whole lot in return. We could likely have gotten a bit more had we made the deal at draft night, but would that really have been worth the risk of not having him or Hayward? I don't think so

[Banner18now!]

There is no doubt in my mind that Detroit won the Bradley trade. Danny had no leverage in trades for AB, but that's 100% his fault. He should have planned ahead. We all knew the C's had to trade one of AB-Smart-IT cause we couldn't just resing all 3 of them. If Danny believed AB was the odd man out, he should have traded him much earlier than he did (regardless of what would happen with Hayward). For instance, according to Woj, the Sixers were interested in Bradley at the trade deadline.

Adrian Wojnarowski@wojespn

Sources: Philadelphia searching for defensive-minded guards to play with Ben Simmons. One target: Boston's Avery Bradley. No traction.

https://www.libertyballers.com/2017/2/23/14716060/nba-trade-rumors-sixers-trade-celtics-avery-bradley-no-traction-danny-ainge-ben-simmons

Given that we were in no rush to trade him at the time, it's only logical to assume that we would have been negotiating from a position of strength. Heck, AB for Saric straight up sounds like a pretty good deal right now, doesn't it? And that's just one option, based on info from a single source.

Worst case scenario, we should have traded one of Smart-AB on draft night (by then we knew that the cap projection had been reduced to $99 million). I bet we would have gotten a better return than Morris.

How angry would you be if they traded Bradley at the deadline and they didn't make the ECF? And then on top of that Hayward resigned with Utah? In a vacuum yes Ainge could have received more in a trade last deadline but no one knew how things were going to play out. The fact Ainge received Morris who is a good role player on a cheap contract with knowing they weren't going to sign Bradley for 25 million is actually not as bad as you think. Morris also defends Lebron well and brings some toughness to the front court.

[JohnBoy65]

Is this trade really that much worse than what the Pacers got for an expiring PG13? I take Morris over Sabonis and Oladipo all day. When you look at comparatively I think we made out ok for an expiring.

[CelticsElite]

Its now Dannys fault for having too many assets lol. You don't make trades to please others or m gain leverage later. Danny knows what he's doing

[spikelovetheCelts]

There is no doubt in my mind that Detroit won the Bradley trade. Danny had no leverage in trades for AB, but that's 100% his fault. He should have planned ahead. We all knew the C's had to trade one of AB-Smart-IT cause we couldn't just resing all 3 of them. If Danny believed AB was the odd man out, he should have traded him much earlier than he did (regardless of what would happen with Hayward). For instance, according to Woj, the Sixers were interested in Bradley at the trade deadline.

Adrian Wojnarowski@wojespn

Sources: Philadelphia searching for defensive-minded guards to play with Ben Simmons. One target: Boston's Avery Bradley. No traction.

https://www.libertyballers.com/2017/2/23/14716060/nba-trade-rumors-sixers-trade-celtics-avery-bradley-no-traction-danny-ainge-ben-simmons

Given that we were in no rush to trade him at the time, it's only logical to assume that we would have been negotiating from a position of strength. Heck, AB for Saric straight up sounds like a pretty good deal right now, doesn't it? And that's just one option, based on info from a single source.

Worst case scenario, we should have traded one of Smart-AB on draft night (by then we knew that the cap projection had been reduced to $99 million). I bet we would have gotten a better return than Morris.

Morris about the best offer DA could have gotten. I love AB but we can move Morris still too with a pick for something better. He is tough and will help us out too. He had some great games last year too. AB can't play point and we need a scorer like IT. Smart and Rozier can replace most of AB.

[spikelovetheCelts]

Danny Ainge has built a contender without blowing up the budget, and has retained some youth together with experience. We still have multiple future draft picks from other teams, including potentially two lottery picks.

For this, Danny Ainge gets blasted, arguably for having to throw in a 2nd rounder in a trade.

Yep, its the good old Celticsblog!

Some people will find fault with any decison. I love AB but DA did well with this one too. Morris is hard nose player. He will rebound if told to do more of it. Drummond was given rebounds last year.

[IDreamCeltics]

Danny Ainge has built a contender without blowing up the budget, and has retained some youth together with experience. We still have multiple future draft picks from other teams, including potentially two lottery picks.

For this, Danny Ainge gets blasted, arguably for having to throw in a 2nd rounder in a trade.

Yep, its the good old Celticsblog!

I wouldn't say he's built a contender.  Had Rondo not gotten injured they were on pace to get swept by the 8th seeded Chicago Bulls this year.  They then won a hotly contested series against the Wizards in the second round and followed that up by losing a series 4-1 to the Cavs in the ECF.

What Danny's built so far would basically be like a 5th or 6th seed in the West.  They're more like the Portland Trailblazers then any other team right now.

Danny's done a good job of improving incrementally while maintaining assets and avoiding really stupid contracts (except maybe for Al Horford?).  He's missed some big opportunities (for example acquiring Jimmy Butler would have left him an extra 12-13 million in cap space to extend either Bradley or Isaiah when the time came).  All in all he's done a fine job, but will be remembered for 1 championship and a 15 year treadmill of mediocrity if he doesn't make a move that actually puts the Celtics in contention within the next year or two.   

Sorry for bringing realism to this thread.

[Surferdad]

I didn't read the whole thread.  Sorry, I'm just sick of all the Monday morning quarterbacking, and bellyaching too, so maybe the following has already been pointed out.

It is not true that C's had zero leverage.  Ainge did not have to trade Bradley alone.  This was NOT like the Paul George situation at all.  He shopped AB, Smart and Crowder.  He had the flexibility to listen to other teams about any of those guys.  Now obviously the parameters would have been different in each case, but he did not have to trade Bradley specifically.  Also, it is false to assume that Crowder, for example, had no value around the league, I've heard that stated too, and it is simply not correct.  So, there's more leverage.  Furthermore, he only needed 2 teams to be interested in any particular guy to create additional bargaining power.  The fact that the trade came on the first day of open trading was more driven by the desire to close out the Hayward signing, not because he was up against a wall.

[OldSchoolDude]

Danny did have leverage.  He had to make exactly one deal.  He was working with Utah on a deal for Crowder.  He was working with NY on a deal for Smart.  Also, he was supposed to have contacted 6 teams about Smart.  Who knows who else he was talking to.  I never heard anything about the Detroit deal until it was done.  Danny had options and therefor Danny had leverage. 

Utah probably thought they could get Crowder for nothing, but Danny showed that he always has leverage and made a different deal.  There were reports of possibly working it so we would get back Exum or Favors.  Utah, probably thinking we were desperate, didn't think they would have to give up any value so the deal died.   

I actually really like the move to get Morris (provided he doesn't have to do jail time, and I don't think he will).   I think that the people really have to look at the contract we are getting for two years and the fact we could not afford to keep Bradley on the team next year.   It's better to get something than nothing and Morris is actually a really good player.  He is tough, can shoot the 3, plays D, and can create his own shot.  He averaged 14 points a game and I can see that easily rising to the 16 that Bradley gave us.  I'm telling you now Morris, Crowder, and Smart on the court together is going to be fierce.   

[pearljammer10]

Hindsight is 20/20.   

We already knew that one of Bradley-Smart-IT had to be traded cause we couldn't just resign all 3 of them. What's the point in delaying the inevitable? Worst case scenario, Danny should have pulled the trigger on draft night. Common sense says the more you postpone the decision the less valuable the return becomes.



@ Darío SpanishFan, Moranis

Saric was just an example. I bet there would have been plenty of teams willing to trade for AB at the deadline. My point is that if Danny had planned ahead, we would have gotten a far better return than Morris.

This isn't even true, though. We didn't know we'd have to move one of these guys until the cap figure came in. Ainge has only known he'd have to trade one of Bradley/Crowder/Smart for a short amount of time.

Max nails it.

Also: No way the 76ers trade Bradley for Saric.

2. A starting, two way power forward who averages 14 and 6 and plays Danny's style on a 5 mil per year contract isn't valueable? Love the move.

[Darío SpanishFan]

Danny did have leverage.  He had to make exactly one deal.  He was working with Utah on a deal for Crowder.  He was working with NY on a deal for Smart.

Utah knew he HAD TO make a deal. And quickly. That's why they offered nothing to get Crowder's contract. And so the Knicks for Smart or the LA teams for Bradley.

So no, Danny did NOT have any kind of leverage. In fact, the trade we made was a pretty good one given the urgency of the situation to make room for Hayward.

[Surferdad]

Danny did have leverage.  He had to make exactly one deal.  He was working with Utah on a deal for Crowder.  He was working with NY on a deal for Smart.  Also, he was supposed to have contacted 6 teams about Smart.  Who knows who else he was talking to.  I never heard anything about the Detroit deal until it was done.  Danny had options and therefor Danny had leverage. 

Utah probably thought they could get Crowder for nothing, but Danny showed that he always has leverage and made a different deal.  There were reports of possibly working it so we would get back Exum or Favors.  Utah, probably thinking we were desperate, didn't think they would have to give up any value so the deal died.   

I actually really like the move to get Morris (provided he doesn't have to do jail time, and I don't think he will).   I think that the people really have to look at the contract we are getting for two years and the fact we could not afford to keep Bradley on the team next year.   It's better to get something than nothing and Morris is actually a really good player.  He is tough, can shoot the 3, plays D, and can create his own shot.  He averaged 14 points a game and I can see that easily rising to the 16 that Bradley gave us.  I'm telling you now Morris, Crowder, and Smart on the court together is going to be fierce.

TP, OldSchoolDude, see my post just above yours!

[mctyson]

There is no doubt in my mind that Detroit won the Bradley trade.

If Bradley leaves Detroit after next year, will you change your position.

[BostonClamCrowdah]

You cry babies

We upgraded to Hayward from Bradley

Bradley is a nice role player but not a difference maker

My god the green teamers are annoying, Felger and Mazz are right about that

[Surferdad]

Danny did have leverage.  He had to make exactly one deal.  He was working with Utah on a deal for Crowder.  He was working with NY on a deal for Smart.

Utah knew he HAD TO make a deal. And quickly. That's why they offered nothing to get Crowder's contract. And so the Knicks for Smart or the LA teams for Bradley.

So no, Danny did NOT have any kind of leverage. In fact, the trade we made was a pretty good one given the urgency of the situation to make room for Hayward.

Um, incorrect, see multiple posts before and after yours.