If AD Doesn't Want To Come Here, Then Just Move On

[Fierce1]

If Davis is sent to LA then that is a pretty nice signal of what Boston does next: Draft young players to go with the young guys you got. Resign Kyrie. Build within and wait out the Warriors. You would have half a roster full of guys 4 years or less in the NBA.

Would be set for quite some time and would only get better. Become the new NBA model.

True.

If the 2019 Memphis pick doesn't convey this year, Celts are sitting on another golden egg.

The 2019 Kings pick could also get the Celts another quality player if the Kings don't make the playoffs.

AD and the Pelicans have more to lose here than the Celts.

[RJ87]

He's a great player. One of the best. But I've always drawn comparisons between this moment for the Cs and the moment when the Warriors could have traded some combination of Thompson, Green, and/or Barnes for Love.

They didn't, and the way those players developed and complimented one another was elite.

Kevin Love doesn't hold a candle to Anthony Davis, though. We're talking about a legitimate MVP candidate who effects the game on both ends.

There's some serious underrating of Anthony Davis going on right now.

Love was averaging 26-13-4 on 46/38/82 shooting splits, on a team that had roughly the same winning percentage as the Pelicans have had with Anthony Davis. You could argue Love's team was worst than Davis', comparing Pekovic, Kevin Martin, Corey Brewer, and rookie Ricky Rubio with Holiday, Moore, Randle, and Mirotic.

I'm well aware that Anthony Davis is better than Love, but don't revise history. People were considering Love one of the best players in the league that year. Many thought that they would definitely do Thompson and Green for Love back then.

I definitely think there are parallels, even if Davis is better.

Yeah I was going to say, while AD > Love, it's not like Love was just some scrub like it looked like when he was the third wheel on Lebron's team. When he was the alpha the guy was also putting up tremendous numbers and was the only reason MIN was relevant for a while. In a way you could also maybe worry.. how does AD transition being a potential 2nd or 3rd option on another team. Does his numbers/stats also go down like Love's did?

Unfortunately for Love especially as of recent, injuries have really killed him, and he's suffered quite a few of them in different areas too.

Where did I say Love was a scrub? Yes, he was a good, all-star player at the time. But Anthony Davis is a generational talent. He's the type of guy you go all in for.

[celticinorlando]

If Davis is sent to LA then that is a pretty nice signal of what Boston does next: Draft young players to go with the young guys you got. Resign Kyrie. Build within and wait out the Warriors. You would have half a roster full of guys 4 years or less in the NBA.

Would be set for quite some time and would only get better. Become the new NBA model.

True.

If the 2019 Memphis pick doesn't convey this year, Celts are sitting on another golden egg.

The 2019 Kings pick could also get the Celts another quality player if the Kings don't make the playoffs.

AD and the Pelicans have more to lose here than the Celts.

Boston at least 2 first round picks for sure this draft. Probably another one from the Clippers. And Memphis has been rumored to want the Cs to that protected pick this year, although I hope that they can wait it out until 2021 when Memphis is terrible and have an opportunity to add an unprotected pick.

I am cool with trading for AD but I kind of like the idea of staying the course around Kyrie, Tatum, Brown, Smart, Hayward and Williams. Prolly can resign Mook and Al also. Hayward is the wildcard...maybe he returns to form and he plays great to keep or good enough to trade. Then add three more young pieces...maybe package the picks to move up in the draft this year..maybe trade for player cheaper than AD.

[Phantom255x]

He's a great player. One of the best. But I've always drawn comparisons between this moment for the Cs and the moment when the Warriors could have traded some combination of Thompson, Green, and/or Barnes for Love.

They didn't, and the way those players developed and complimented one another was elite.

Kevin Love doesn't hold a candle to Anthony Davis, though. We're talking about a legitimate MVP candidate who effects the game on both ends.

There's some serious underrating of Anthony Davis going on right now.

Love was averaging 26-13-4 on 46/38/82 shooting splits, on a team that had roughly the same winning percentage as the Pelicans have had with Anthony Davis. You could argue Love's team was worst than Davis', comparing Pekovic, Kevin Martin, Corey Brewer, and rookie Ricky Rubio with Holiday, Moore, Randle, and Mirotic.

I'm well aware that Anthony Davis is better than Love, but don't revise history. People were considering Love one of the best players in the league that year. Many thought that they would definitely do Thompson and Green for Love back then.

I definitely think there are parallels, even if Davis is better.

Yeah I was going to say, while AD > Love, it's not like Love was just some scrub like it looked like when he was the third wheel on Lebron's team. When he was the alpha the guy was also putting up tremendous numbers and was the only reason MIN was relevant for a while. In a way you could also maybe worry.. how does AD transition being a potential 2nd or 3rd option on another team. Does his numbers/stats also go down like Love's did?

Unfortunately for Love especially as of recent, injuries have really killed him, and he's suffered quite a few of them in different areas too.

Where did I say Love was a scrub? Yes, he was a good, all-star player at the time. But Anthony Davis is a generational talent. He's the type of guy you go all in for.

You didn't, but I was mainly responding to where you said Love "doesn't hold a candle to AD" and I think that's kind of underrating Love too. Obviously if we're talking right now at this moment, of course it's not close.

[CelticsElite]

Imagine if OKC had this defeatist type mindset regarding Paul george when George only wanted LA

[Fierce1]

If Davis is sent to LA then that is a pretty nice signal of what Boston does next: Draft young players to go with the young guys you got. Resign Kyrie. Build within and wait out the Warriors. You would have half a roster full of guys 4 years or less in the NBA.

Would be set for quite some time and would only get better. Become the new NBA model.

True.

If the 2019 Memphis pick doesn't convey this year, Celts are sitting on another golden egg.

The 2019 Kings pick could also get the Celts another quality player if the Kings don't make the playoffs.

AD and the Pelicans have more to lose here than the Celts.

Boston at least 2 first round picks for sure this draft. Probably another one from the Clippers. And Memphis has been rumored to want the Cs to that protected pick this year, although I hope that they can wait it out until 2021 when Memphis is terrible and have an opportunity to add an unprotected pick.

I am cool with trading for AD but I kind of like the idea of staying the course around Kyrie, Tatum, Brown, Smart, Hayward and Williams. Prolly can resign Mook and Al also. Hayward is the wildcard...maybe he returns to form and he plays great to keep or good enough to trade. Then add three more young pieces...maybe package them to move up in the draft...maybe trade for player cheaper than AD.

Celts will be fine without AD.
But we all know Danny Ainge, every time he sees an opportunity to upgrade, he pulls the trigger.
Just ask Isaiah Thomas!

Also, we should thank Kawhi for not wanting to go to Boston last summer.
Ainge was in the mix for Kawhi until Kawhi said he doesn't want to go to Boston.

If Ainge got Kawhi, there will be no potential deal for AD as the Celts would have given up most of the assets for Kawhi.

[RJ87]

He's a great player. One of the best. But I've always drawn comparisons between this moment for the Cs and the moment when the Warriors could have traded some combination of Thompson, Green, and/or Barnes for Love.

They didn't, and the way those players developed and complimented one another was elite.

Kevin Love doesn't hold a candle to Anthony Davis, though. We're talking about a legitimate MVP candidate who effects the game on both ends.

There's some serious underrating of Anthony Davis going on right now.

Love was averaging 26-13-4 on 46/38/82 shooting splits, on a team that had roughly the same winning percentage as the Pelicans have had with Anthony Davis. You could argue Love's team was worst than Davis', comparing Pekovic, Kevin Martin, Corey Brewer, and rookie Ricky Rubio with Holiday, Moore, Randle, and Mirotic.

I'm well aware that Anthony Davis is better than Love, but don't revise history. People were considering Love one of the best players in the league that year. Many thought that they would definitely do Thompson and Green for Love back then.

I definitely think there are parallels, even if Davis is better.

Yeah I was going to say, while AD > Love, it's not like Love was just some scrub like it looked like when he was the third wheel on Lebron's team. When he was the alpha the guy was also putting up tremendous numbers and was the only reason MIN was relevant for a while. In a way you could also maybe worry.. how does AD transition being a potential 2nd or 3rd option on another team. Does his numbers/stats also go down like Love's did?

Unfortunately for Love especially as of recent, injuries have really killed him, and he's suffered quite a few of them in different areas too.

Where did I say Love was a scrub? Yes, he was a good, all-star player at the time. But Anthony Davis is a generational talent. He's the type of guy you go all in for.

You didn't, but I was mainly responding to where you said Love "doesn't hold a candle to AD" and I think that's kind of underrating Love too. Obviously if we're talking right now at this moment, of course it's not close.

In their primes, AD is the superior talent. Kevin Love - at his best - was a great offensive talent, but he was a weak spot on the defensive end. AD is the more complete player and it's not really close. Comparing team success is also misleading, because you have to account for Jrue Holiday's injury plagued beginnings with New Orleans. Mirotic and Randle just got there and while Moore has made himself into a fine NBA player, it took him time.

[RodyTur10]

Imagine if OKC had this defeatist type mindset regarding Paul george when George only wanted LA

TP. I'm certain that Ainge isn't giving up. We're talking about a top 10 player, who's only 25 and fills a position of need. Davis is the best available option in the entire NBA to add to our team.

However Ainge is a tough negotiator. If New Orleans is too greedy and gets annoyed that Ainge isn't willing to give up everything then maybe another team could sneak in. Also I'm worried that the Knicks get a top pick. With Porzingis, Knox, Robinson and Ntilikina they have assets to make a big offer and then sign 1 or 2 All Stars in free agency (Irving, Walker, Thompson, Butler, Leonard, Durant and Cousins as possibilities).

[SHAQATTACK]

If he isn't traded by the deadline

then he might land in several cities even as rental.

[ozgod]

I know what some of the responses here will be, "oh so you don't want to win a championship?", "you think we're getting anywhere with this team as constructed?", "are you a draft pick hoarder?", etc.

But trust me, those same people will be the same ones ripping Ainge if he trades Tatum + many other assets for AD and he bolts in a year, and it will be even worse if he bolts to LA after getting traded here.

This was the same risk with Kawhi, including injuries which AD has had quite a few of himself. Toronto will make the ECF this year, but may also lose in the ECF or Finals to MIL/BOS/GSW, and so if Kawhi then leaves for another team, how would we feel about the Kawhi trade for them in that case? Sure, they had to do it given their circumstances but this could truly be their last chance at anything. What if we had dealt for Kawhi, didn't win it all and were left with what we have after he bolts. It's just way too risky.

Unless AD makes assurances with Ainge and co. he's willing to re-sign here long term, Ainge should monitor the situation but not make an offer, especially not one including Tatum in this particular instance. If you can get creative and offer just Brown and others, you can explore it but I doubt the Pelicans entertain that unless other offers from other teams are also weak.

We're still in a great spot whereas making the trade and losing him a year later would put us in a horrible spot IMHO.

I slept on it and honestly I've just come to the conclusion that we'll just see how it plays out. If he remains a Pelican after this deadline, that's encouraging and gives us hope, but otherwise we'll just continue rooting for this team currently. I also don't understand this, "we're doomed if we don't trade for AD" notion. I'd love AD but if he's just not willing to come here, then what can we do?

Also I do think the Kyrie leaving Boston rumors, while they can't be 100% ignored, still seem really overblown to me. It's Rich Paul, his puppet Haynes, and Windhorst and others just creating a narrative which Kyrie himself put to rest in public when he didn't need to. I'm hoping Kyrie is close with AD and can still lure him here.

Obviously you can't hold players to a verbal commitment made, but Danny has to believe that a) there's a good chance AD will stay or b) if he isn't initially, that he can be convinced. Otherwise I think you hold on to your assets.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

He's a great player. One of the best. But I've always drawn comparisons between this moment for the Cs and the moment when the Warriors could have traded some combination of Thompson, Green, and/or Barnes for Love.

They didn't, and the way those players developed and complimented one another was elite.

Kevin Love doesn't hold a candle to Anthony Davis, though. We're talking about a legitimate MVP candidate who effects the game on both ends.

There's some serious underrating of Anthony Davis going on right now.

Love was averaging 26-13-4 on 46/38/82 shooting splits, on a team that had roughly the same winning percentage as the Pelicans have had with Anthony Davis. You could argue Love's team was worst than Davis', comparing Pekovic, Kevin Martin, Corey Brewer, and rookie Ricky Rubio with Holiday, Moore, Randle, and Mirotic.

I'm well aware that Anthony Davis is better than Love, but don't revise history. People were considering Love one of the best players in the league that year. Many thought that they would definitely do Thompson and Green for Love back then.

I definitely think there are parallels, even if Davis is better.

Yeah I was going to say, while AD > Love, it's not like Love was just some scrub like it looked like when he was the third wheel on Lebron's team. When he was the alpha the guy was also putting up tremendous numbers and was the only reason MIN was relevant for a while. In a way you could also maybe worry.. how does AD transition being a potential 2nd or 3rd option on another team. Does his numbers/stats also go down like Love's did?

Unfortunately for Love especially as of recent, injuries have really killed him, and he's suffered quite a few of them in different areas too.

Where did I say Love was a scrub? Yes, he was a good, all-star player at the time. But Anthony Davis is a generational talent. He's the type of guy you go all in for.

You didn't, but I was mainly responding to where you said Love "doesn't hold a candle to AD" and I think that's kind of underrating Love too. Obviously if we're talking right now at this moment, of course it's not close.

In their primes, AD is the superior talent. Kevin Love - at his best - was a great offensive talent, but he was a weak spot on the defensive end. AD is the more complete player and it's not really close. Comparing team success is also misleading, because you have to account for Jrue Holiday's injury plagued beginnings with New Orleans. Mirotic and Randle just got there and while Moore has made himself into a fine NBA player, it took him time.

There's a lot of ways we could build a narrative to argue the other way. Love was above average as a defender that year. Davis is a good defender (although not as good as some people think). Davis is clearly more efficient (although not as good of a distributor) and a better defender.

I'm just pointing out that parallels. I realize there are differences, but there are similarities too.

[CelticSooner]

I don’t even really see this as much of a gamble. I think as long as Kyrie is a Celtic AD won’t walk away from such a situation. This is the swing Ainge has been prepping for the past 6 seasons. The war chest is unlocked for the brow.

[kraidstar]

I don’t even really see this as much of a gamble. I think as long as Kyrie is a Celtic AD won’t walk away from such a situation. This is the swing Ainge has been prepping for the past 6 seasons. The war chest is unlocked for the brow.

This right here. Sad to see the Laker media machine instilling so much fear around here. We are a great organization in a great spot, and players love it here. If we don't want Davis it should be because either the price is too high or because of basketball reasons of some sort.

Not because we are afraid.

[cltc5]

News flash!  AD is not the answer.  He’s yet to get his team pst the second round while our young core took the east champs to the end.  Stay the course.  Grab another glue guy to help kyrie and we’re set

[Phantom255x]

News flash!  AD is not the answer.  He’s yet to get his team pst the second round while our young core took the east champs to the end.  Stay the course.  Grab another glue guy to help kyrie and we’re set

If AD is hell bent on going to LAL, then I'm fine with this. I'm not buying the Kyrie news that he wants to reunite w/Lebron one bit either.