Kyrie, I Hope

[Granath]

I still don't like this deal. We just bet the farm on a guy who:

- Has never been a #1 in his NBA career (or even college)
- Demanded to leave a team that has made the NBA finals 3 years in a row because he's playing with the greatest player of this generation
- Said multiple amazingly stupid things in the past
- Supposedly was a locker room problem during the playoffs
- That we have no certainty of re-signing (though I think that will happen)
- Who either couldn't or wouldn't play defense for entire seasons at a time
- Who couldn't win games without Lebron

Ouch. Wince. Groan.

With all of that said, I hope he proves my fears unwarranted. I hope he enjoys his new-found freedom and playing for one of the best coaches in the league helps him elevate his game. I hope he develops into the kind of locker-room leader that every team needs. I hope that he decide to re-sign with the team. I hope that he learns to play defense.  I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.

[BostonClamCrowdah]

"Traded the farm"

Meanwhile Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and the 76er/Laker pick look at you like you're slow.

[CelticsElite]

We got A certified top 15 player with room to grow in exchange for a gamble pick that could become Anthony bennett, a damaged undersized pg who wants max deal, and filler

[Granath]

"Traded the farm"

Meanwhile Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and the 76er/Laker pick look at you like you're slow.

Bet the farm. And you think I'm the slow one.   

[Granath]

We got A certified top 15 player with room to grow in exchange for a gamble pick that could become Anthony bennett, a damaged undersized pg who wants max deal, and filler

If we want to talk about what-if scenarios, it could be we made the deal trading the next Michael Jordan, an MVP candidate, the best contract in the league and a big man who averages 14/10 over the next decade. How about we meet somewhere in the middle where reality usually plays? Or shall we each hang around in Fantasyland? At this point, Disney is ready to charge you rent for being there so long.

[gift]

I don't understand the "bet the farm" part. That phrase usually indicates you have little to nothing left, which isn't close to the case here.

[fairweatherfan]

These posts are funny. First you hate 'em, then you get used to 'em. Enough time passes, you get so you depend on them. That's Celticsblogalized.

[Ilikesports17]

"Traded the farm"

Meanwhile Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and the 76er/Laker pick look at you like you're slow.

Bet the farm. And you think I'm the slow one.   

the word change doesnt make you any less wrong.

More than half the farm is still here.

[RJ87]

- Has never been a #1 in his NBA career (or even college)
- Demanded to leave a team that has made the NBA finals 3 years in a row because he's playing with the greatest player of this generation
- Said multiple amazingly stupid things in the past
- Supposedly was a locker room problem during the playoffs
- That we have no certainty of re-signing (though I think that will happen)
- Who either couldn't or wouldn't play defense for entire seasons at a time
- Who couldn't win games without Lebron

- I mean... He was the #1 pick in the Draft
- This entire season is going to be about whether or not Lebron is leaving Cleveland and Lebron will play up every single second of it, who wants to deal with that?
- He was trolling, he said shortly after he was well aware of how scientifically impossible it would be for the world to be flat.
- Keyword: supposedly. That story only leaked after he requested a trade. Funny how that happens.
- He's excited about coming here. His commitment was enough to convince Danny to give up the Nets pick. That's good enough for me right now.
- Still a defensive upgrade - even marginal - at PG
- Isaiah didn't win before Brad Stevens. Just saying.

[droopdog7]

It's a good deal for us (both teams frankly).  How many of us were moaning and groaning about needing to sign IT to a max contract at the end of the year?  Lot's of us were, and for good reason.  no telling how much longer he could sustain that level and the injury now makes it a slam dunk for us.

And yeah, projecting what kind of player that Kyrie will be is part of the job. If you can't handle it, perhaps you should stay in the shallow end.

And that's a far cry from trying to predict and as yet known draft pick at an as yet know position drawing from an as yet know talent pool.  Sure, some of those high school guys may be good.  But if history is any indication, some of them will disappoint and the odds of anyone of them becoming a franchise player (or even as good as Kyrie) are not nearly as high as you think even in the top 3. 

So sure, I'll take my chances on a bird in the hand who's a gold medalist, champion, perennial all star at the age of 25 over the possibility of maybe getting some guy that will be good in three years.  Hell, we still have the lakers/king pick and we already have too many young guys anyway. 

[johnnygreen]

Anyone who can go from saying negative comments about a player and then making the transition to positive ones, while at the same time also making the transition into paraphrasing The Shawshank Redemption, gets a TP in my book.

[Granath]

"Traded the farm"

Meanwhile Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and the 76er/Laker pick look at you like you're slow.

Bet the farm. And you think I'm the slow one.   

the word change doesnt make you any less wrong.

More than half the farm is still here.

Bet the Farm = "To risk everything on a venture that one thinks will be successful." Success = NBA Championship. I'm going to assume you follow me so far.

If Kyrie was being carried by Lebron and/or is a locker room issue and/or leaves after two years, do you think we really have the firepower to win an NBA Championship? Personally, I'm not very confident that we do (without a lot of luck). We're not going to be getting top FAs anytime soon due to the cap. We have one pick really good pick left and it's never going to be #1 overall and thus it may not even be in the top 5 when it's all said and done. I'm not saying the door is firmly closed on getting future impact players but it's going to require a lot more luck than it did before. Let's say we don't win in two years and Kyrie leaves. No, I don't think we win a Championship with Smart - Brown - Tatum - Hayward without a tremendous amount of luck and player development at the very maximum of current projections.

So yeah, this was the All-In bet. The poker game doesn't end here but if we lose this one - as unlikely as you believe it happening - there really isn't a good chance at success. Since nothing else matters, everything is lost. Thus we just Bet the Farm.

I'm glad I could help with the lesson on idioms. Stay tuned and next week we'll discuss this trade and how "costs an arm and a leg" applies to it. 

[nickagneta]

Has any player besides James Jones, who has been hired by Phoenix, a team that was interested in trading for Irving, on the Cavs confirmed that Kyrie wasn't talking to anyone for two days?

[Granath]

Anyone who can go from saying negative comments about a player and then making the transition to positive ones, while at the same time also making the transition into paraphrasing The Shawshank Redemption, gets a TP in my book.

TYVM.

The post is ultimately supposed to be positive. I'm obviously more nervous about it than a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Kyrie obviously doesn't really float my boat and I think we were barking up the wrong tree. Some here see him as the best thing since sliced bread while I'm not sure he can cut the mustard. I'm kind of sitting on the fence about the whole thing and it's making feel a bit under the weather.

Maybe I'm missing the boat. Drastic times call for drastic measures. Every cloud has a silver lining and there's no use crying over spilt milk. So I guess I'll hop on the bandwagon and some people need to take posts with a grain of salt. That way we can all be as happy as fleas in a doghouse.

Elvis has left the building.

 

[BostonClamCrowdah]

"Traded the farm"

Meanwhile Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and the 76er/Laker pick look at you like you're slow.

Bet the farm. And you think I'm the slow one.   

Same concept. You're still wrong and look like a 11 year old IT fanboy