It wasnt Danny fault that Pritchard couldn't and wouldn't wait..Pacers are determined to send him out West so nothing Danny can do about it...Danny I believe would have given up the Laker pick and or Smart. Really AB Crowder Smart and or the Laker pick arr just really that much better than what they got from OKC.
Sure it was. Ainge wouldn't commit. A commitment doesn't mean an immediate trade. The trade with OKC wasn't finalized for a week.
Why would Ainge commit without Hayward? If Hayward doesnt come you have just traded your 3 best defenders or maybe 2 best defenders for him. If you are trying to go all in the plan would have to be Hayward and George. Indy wanted the deal they saw before them and took it. Im not sure how one can blame Danny for wanting to hold the space open for Hayward and then getting Hayward.
You should always trade Crowder, Smart, and a non-premium pick for Paul George. It should never be a question. Ainge totally blew the negotiations and Paul George should be a Celtic. Boston still could have acquired Hayward by just waiting to make it official. All Ainge had to say was, we have a deal no matter what, just let me use my cap space first before we make it official. Thomas, Hayward, George, and Horford is absolutely a contender even with vet minimum types surrounding them (but they would have still have Tatum and Brown). That team would not only push Cleveland, but might actually be favored against them and would be a real threat to Golden State (though GS would still be the favorite). Ainge blew this summer by not acquiring George for what the rumored price was. If Hayward didn't sign, then you end up with a nice solid 4 some of Thomas, Bradley, George, and Horford, which is better than the current 4 some anyway. Paul George would be by far the best player on the Celtics. He is a 2 way star. A legit top 10 player in the league. A guy that can not only guard the James', Durant's, and Leonard's of the world, but also forces those guys to play defense.