Danny Ainge puts legacy on line by passing on Markelle Fultz

I often take an opposite view from Mannix, but he makes a point here...
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Danny Ainge puts legacy on line by passing on Markelle Fultz

https://sports.yahoo.com/danny-ainge-puts-legacy-line-passing-markelle-fultz-153425097.html?src=rss

Chris Mannix
The Vertical
Yahoo SportsJun 18, 2017 11:34 AM

Danny Ainge is revered in Boston. He’s not on Bill Belichick’s level – but he’s next in line. The Celtics president engineered the trades that delivered banner No. 17 and has presided over one of the most impressive rebuilding efforts anywhere, ever.

And in one move – the agreed-upon deal that will send the No. 1 pick to Philadelphia in a package for two high first-rounders – he has put all that goodwill on the table.

Look: There’s no such thing as a sure thing. Kwame Brown was a stud, Andrea Bargnani was the next Dirk Nowitzki, Anthony Bennett was an imposing scorer. Projecting the future of 20-year-olds (or younger) is an inexact science. And Markelle Fultz – a late bloomer who didn’t play high school varsity until his junior season and didn’t become the guy until he got to Washington – may be more unpredictable than others.

And yet – few think so. NBA executives seem sold on Fultz. “Flat-out stud,” one exec texted late Friday, when news first broke of Boston’s interest in trading the pick. “Transformative player,” texted another. The Vertical Front-Office Insider Bobby Marks – a longtime executive with the Nets – tweeted there was a “clear separation” between the first and third picks. DraftExpress’ Jonathan Givony tweeted that there is a “big downgrade” going from first to third.

Boston made the deal … for what? A cleaner shot at Josh Jackson or Jayson Tatum, two players who play the same position as last year’s first-rounder, Jaylen Brown, who was selected No. 3 overall? A chance to hoodwink Jackson-starved Sacramento into flipping the fifth and 10th pick for No. 3?

Is a blockbuster, player-heavy deal in the offing? As of now, league sources told The Vertical that isn’t the case. Boston – everyone, really – would love to get its hands on Anthony Davis. But Davis is tied to a manageable contract through 2021, and the Pelicans appear committed to giving the Davis-DeMarcus Cousins pairing a full season together.

Jimmy Butler? Boston’s already overflowing chest of assets should have been enough for the Celtics to make a competitive offer. Paul George? With no guarantee of re-signing, any offer, Boston’s included, will be quarters on the dollar.

So what gives? Theories abound. Clearly, Ainge wasn’t as impressed with Fultz as others. But why? The “they have too many guards anyway” argument is foolish. If a franchise guard is available, you don’t punt because you like Terry Rozier’s upside. One GM hypothesized that Boston didn’t think a Fultz-Isaiah Thomas pairing would work. Fine. But if Fultz develops into a 10-time All-Star, fretting over backcourt chemistry will seem silly.

Painful, too. Fultz won’t be playing in the Western Conference. He’ll be in Philly, in Boston’s division, right in the I-95 corridor. Celtics fans will get an eyeful of Fultz three or four times a year. Eventually, Fultz and Co. will be a playoff rival.

Have you seen the Sixers’ roster? Joel Embiid is one healthy season from being a regular MVP candidate. Dario Saric joined him on the list of finalists for Rookie of the Year. Ben Simmons is perhaps the most hyped prospect since LeBron James. The Sixers have been steadfast with plans to make the almost 7-foot Simmons a point guard next season. They need shooting at other positions. Fultz, a 41.3 percent 3-point shooter last season at Washington, fits the bill.

“I play with great players all the time, so whatever [Simmons] needs me to do,” Fultz told reporters in Philadelphia on Saturday. “If I’m running the floor or I’m setting the screen for him or giving it back, it doesn’t matter. I’ll be a great teammate. If that’s me on the bench clapping for him, it doesn’t matter to me.”

If healthy, Philadelphia has a playoff team next season. In three years, it’s a conference title contender.

Will it be led by Fultz? That question hangs over Ainge like an anvil. Trading top overall picks is rare. Cleveland did it in 2014, moving Andrew Wiggins with LeBron James returning and the franchise in win-now mode. The Magic flipped Chris Webber in ’93 for the third pick, Penny Hardaway. That worked out – Orlando was in the Finals two years later. In ’86, the Sixers handed the rights to draft Brad Daugherty to Cleveland for Roy Hinson and a bag of cash. That didn’t – Hinson lasted a season and a half in Philadelphia.

Legacies are defined by deals like this. Ainge’s will be, too. His executive career is now intertwined with Fultz’s playing one, forever linked. The gambling executive just placed his biggest bet, against a player few around the league would bet against.
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This could very well end up being the case.  If we take Tatum, or possibly Jackson, I think we will have made the best move for the current team, however. The fly in the ointment is that we may have just helped what could be a rapidly improving conference rival significantly.  A good move if we end up with a long-term top tier SF, but not necessarily a win-win.

Danny is, if nothing else, unconventional.  He is constantly innovating.  He was the first one to trade a player, Gary Payton to Atlanta, and then re-sign him after he is waived (they changed the CBA specifically to stop that.  He's the one who found, and used, that loophole).  He is the first one to use two first round picks on draft-and-stashes (we'll see how well that works out starting this year, with Zizic, and maybe this year with Yabby too).  Is this the first time a #1 has been traded down?  No, we all know the McHale-Parish story, but that was 37 years ago (Makes you feel old, doesn't it?  The 1980 draft).  What blows my mind about the trade of Fultz is the surety behind it.  This wasn't a last-minute falling-off-the-fence-on-draft-day-because-they-sweetened-the-deal thing.  They knew, KNOW!, they don't want Fultz.  Maybe they're right and maybe they're not.  Maybe Markelle Fultz is the next Klay Thompson.  That would hurt.  Or, maybe he's the next D'Angelo Russell, and then I'd be just fine with it, especially if this trade gets us Butler/George or Jackson/Tatum and a killer big in next year's draft.  I'm just stunned at how sure Danny, and I presume Brad as well, is about this.  When Fultz came to Boston and spent time with Danny Danny was asked what he learned about Fultz.  He said "nothing I didn't already know".  Whoa.  That sounds like he was already unimpressed and was trying to give the kid a chance to prove him wrong, which he didn't.  Should have seen this coming when Danny took him to B-Good for dinner instead of Chipotle.  Definite sign of disrespect there.  LOL.


bob


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I like b.good. They're conscientious with food allergies.

I trust Ainge's decisionmaking. Will be interesting where we are in a week.

Mannix makes many of the same arguments that we have been making.  

In my opinion I just cannot believe Danny would do this unless he was also looking at making a trade and needed to add another first rounder to the mix.  That trade may not happen right away.  My fear is that we went into this with some team needs and I am less than certain that they have been addressed.

At this point it is water over the bridge.    Danny could trade down again from 3.  He needs to add a player than can play NOW.  Either Jackson or Tatum would be very solid picks at 3.  But if he is looking for more size he could trade down or reach down.

2-3 years from now we are going to look back at the draft and determine if he blew it.  

dboss

It's not surprising that Boston is not very interested in Fultz.
He's a good prospect, but has been overhyped for a long time.
There is no true #1 player in this draft.
If Ball or Jackson would work out for Boston, maybe they would have taken them with the #1 pick, instead of Boston trading it.

Here's a tweet from today supposedly about Boston's feelings about Fultz.

Michael Eaves: Received some surprising info on Markelle Fultz and the #Celtics today. Some within the organization were not impressed with his workout. The most glaring critique was that he was not as explosive as they expected/hoped. Afterwards, team felt as if he was NOT the best prospect. 2 hours ago –  via Twitter

We can all judge the trade right now for what it is. I want to see all the pieces play out before condemning this trade as awful.
That might take until the All Star break, when NOP realizes Boogie and Davis can't co-exist.

Danny is no fool.

So hasty to judge - lets see how it all plays out over the next couple of years.

swish

swish wrote:So hasty to judge - lets see how it all plays out over the next couple of years.

  swish

I agree 100%. You cannot judge a book by it's cover.

dboss