Another Jordan Crawford-like, 'buy low' acquisition possible?

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2014/02/boston_celtics_trade_rumors_20_97.html



Boston Celtics trade rumors 2014: Another Jordan Crawford-like, 'buy low' acquisition possible?

Print  Jay King, MassLive.com  By Jay King, MassLive.com    
on February 11, 2014 at 12:47 PM, updated February 11, 2014 at 12:53 PM



At this time last year, most Boston Celtics fans thought the trade deadline might bring the end of the Kevin Garnett era.

With Rajon Rondo already ruled out for the season and the Celtics struggling at around .500, president of basketball operations Danny Ainge had plenty of reason to look into blowing up his roster. I’m sure he examined his options. But the deadline came and went, and Ainge only made one deal, a minor one to acquire Jordan Crawford. It wasn't until the summer that Boston unloaded Garnett and Paul Pierce.

The Crawford trade was great. To acquire the guard, who had been toiling away on the Wizards bench, Ainge surrendered only Leandro Barbosa (who had already suffered a season-ending torn ACL) and Jason Collins (who appeared in just six games for Washington). Less than a year later, after somehow coaxing Crawford into the best regular season start of his career, the Celtics sold him while the price was high.

In addition to Joel Anthony, they acquired one of Miami’s second-round picks, plus a potential first-rounder from Philadelphia (which, depending on how the 76ers finish, could become two future second-rounders). The net result of the two trades was essentially swapping someone with a torn ACL plus another guy with six games left in his NBA career for two, maybe three draft picks. And the Celtics never had any intentions of keeping Crawford beyond this season, after which he becomes a free agent.

It was a nice win for Ainge, who could be looking to buy low again this season. Obviously, a lot of trade chatter has centered around Boston’s willingness to give up any non-Rajon Rondo veteran for the right price. But Ainge also appears to be searching for a diamond in the rough, like he found in Crawford last year.

From Grantland’s Zach Lowe :

David Griffin has replaced Chris Grant as the Cavs’ GM, and the other 29 teams are calling to take Griffin’s temperature. The Cavs are likely still committed to chasing a playoff spot this season, but they sacrificed some valuable assets to acquire Luol Deng. If the Cavs think Deng is likely to bolt in free agency this summer, they have to be very careful sending out more future assets to bolster the current roster.
(Cavaliers guard) Dion Waiters falls at the intersection of all this. Warts and all, the guy has obvious NBA skills, and smart “buy low” talent evaluators recognize that. Boston has kicked around almost every intriguing “buy low” piece in the league, especially guys on rookie deals. The Celtics have an appetite for low-cost risk on high-upside talent, even talent with “attitude” issues, but Waiters might be too far down the road for Boston at this point. But if the Cavs can find a decent future first-rounder for Waiters, they have to think about it.

Obviously, acquiring Waiters would take a bigger offer than the Celtics gave for Crawford. Should Ainge ponder sending a future first-rounder for the Cleveland guard, a talent who tends to be reckless on a basketball court and seems to cause issues in the Cavaliers locker room? I don’t know. But, as always, the Celtics are looking for good value, whether that comes in the form of a 10-time All-Star or a rough-edged shooting guard with poor shot selection.

P.S. -- Jordan Crawford is shooting 37.8 percent with almost as many turnovers (21) as assists (26) since the Celtics traded him to Golden State. Praise be to Ainge and Brad Stevens.




bob
MY NOTE:  The P.S. above is the author's, I just bolded it for emphasis.  Yes, indeed, Praise Be to Ainge and Stevens for obtaining a player nobody could figure out what to do with, putting them in a position to showcase their previously unproductive talent and then selling high.  On to the bigger point, this process the author has described is what Danny did prior to the summer of 2007 too.  The difference between then and now?  He has more draft picks and salary flexibility (starting with this summer) than Midas had gold.  In 2007 he didn't have anywhere near as many draft picks (who did?) and just a lot more flotsam and jetsam.  He had Al Jefferson, a decent role player in Ryan Gomes, head cases West and Telfair and Wally.  Now he has Bass and Hump (good value as players and Hump's expiring contract), Bayless (decent trade value) and Bradley (high trade value).  And that doesn't touch Rondo, Sully, Kelly or Green.  In 2007 the "core" was Pierce and Al and that's it.  Rondo was a rookie and barely played.


.

I just hope Danny doesn't trade away more players for more draft picks. I believe they're pretty well stocked with draft picks; and, all of a sudden, I'm hearing that maybe this draft doesn't contain as many "sure things" as I had been led to believe—especially among truly big men. I understand that bringing back a draft pick in return for horse flesh not only opens up draft possibilities but also gets them farther under the luxury tax amount. But relying so heavily on trading for draft picks places emphasis on the likelihood that the draft and/or free agency will be the major sources of future Celtics assets; and I happen to believe that trading offers the greatest likelihood of bringing in known quantities rather than to focus the Celtics' chances on untested rookies or possibly over-the-hill veterans.

Sam

To be fair, Crawford is playing in yet another system and is fulfilling a different role.

And I can't see the Celtics trading for Waiters. Seems like more of a headcase than anything else.



KJ

sam wrote:I just hope Danny doesn't trade away more players for more draft picks.  I believe they're pretty well stocked with draft picks; and, all of a sudden, I'm hearing that maybe this draft doesn't contain as many "sure things" as I had been led to believe—especially among truly big men.  I understand that bringing back a draft pick in return for horse flesh not only opens up draft possibilities but also gets them farther under the luxury tax amount.  But relying so heavily on trading for draft picks places emphasis on the likelihood that the draft and/or free agency will be the major sources of future Celtics assets; and I happen to believe that trading offers the greatest likelihood of bringing in known quantities rather than to focus the Celtics' chances on untested rookies or possibly over-the-hill veterans.

Sam

Sam,

Other than Jabari Parker, I have been extremely underwhelmed by the players that will be in the 2014 draft class. Of course Wiggins has great potential but some worry if he has a Jeff Green type motor. Maybe he isn't trying hard because of the competition or maybe he's just not nearly as good as he was expected to be.

Minnesota, Charlotte, Washington, Sacramento, etc have had lottery picks for many, many years.

I would not trade Rondo, Green or Bradley just for draft picks.

TJ,

I'd have to say Parker is my favorite of this class as well.



KJ

k_j_88 wrote:TJ,

I'd have to say Parker is my favorite of this class as well.



KJ

I like his game but I don't see Parker or anyone in this draft being a superstar.
I don't follow college basketball but from what I have, teams might be very disappointed with the draft.

I think there will be more than a few gems in this draft and they may not be whom people expected them to be.

I think Wiggins and Embiid will also be very good NBA players in due time. Can Wiggins become a superstar? Well, he has the talent going for him already.



KJ

tjmakz wrote:I like his game but I don't see Parker or anyone in this draft being a superstar.
I don't follow college basketball but from what I have, teams might be very disappointed with the draft.

The hype for this draft has gone way past the reality. Thanks to the cottage industry that has become signing days, the media said this was a stellar draft before any of these kids had even played a college game. These kids are still kids -- only freshman, for Pete's sake, who need to develop physically and gain experience playing at a new level -- and the sports media have hyped them up to be NBA superstars in waiting.

That being said, there are likely some very good players who will come out. I see the best-case scenario being like Paul George -- taking a few years to develop, then emerging as a top player. Some of these guys will become good pros and nothing more. Some will be busts because that's the way it goes. If some of them like Parker and Embiid stay in school for at least another year (a wise move, particularly for Embiid), that obviously changes things.

It may not be the league-altering draft that the media hyped it up to be, but there will be good players. I think the NBA teams and the professional scouts know the real score. It's fans, fed by the media hype, who are most likely to be disappointed.