Celtics ‘investigating’ asking price of young players around the league (report)

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2019/02/boston-celtics-trade-rumors-2019-celtics-investigating-asking-price-of-young-players-around-the-league-report.html



Boston Celtics trade rumors 2019: Celtics ‘investigating’ asking price of young players around the league (report)



Updated 5:46 AM; Posted 5:41 AM





New Orleans Pelicans' Anthony Davis, right, dribbles against Los Angeles Clippers' Danilo Gallinari during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Jan. 14, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu) AP (Archives)




By Tom Westerholm | twesterh@masslive.com




The Boston Celtics are “investigating” the asking price of young players around the league, which they could potentially then use in a deal for Anthony Davis, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

From Windhorst: “Boston is investigating the asking price of a few intriguing young players around the league, perhaps with an eye on acquiring more of New Orleans' preferred trade chips, sources tell ESPN. That could simply be due diligence or the groundwork for something big in the near future.”

The greater context: Teams are sniffing around Kyrie Irving again despite his preseason commitment, and the Celtics have a few decisions to make, based on their comfort level with Irving’s situation.

Option No. 1 for Boston is simply to maintain course. The Pelicans don’t seem enamored with the Los Angeles Lakers' offer for Anthony Davis, and they rejected the New York Knicks' offer based around Kristaps Porzingis, suggesting they may be willing to wait until the summer (when the Celtics no longer need to worry about the Rose Rule). If the Pelicans wait to deal Davis past the deadline, the Celtics will be right back in the mix with their collection of assets.

Option No. 2 would be to continue collecting young assets the Pelicans might like -- which would both send clearer signals (if there was any doubt) that they plan to make an aggressive offer for Davis this summer and also might help restock the cupboards with whichever young players remain after a Davis deal. A Terry Rozier deal to the Phoenix Suns (for example) could add assets the Celtics wouldn’t otherwise be able to use, since Rozier’s RFA status makes the potential of including him in a Davis deal complicated.


But Option No. 3, as Windhorst laid out, could be more out-of-left-field: If the Celtics don’t believe Irving still plans to re-sign, they could acquire more young assets, trade Kyrie Irving elsewhere and then acquire Davis now. That would be incredibly complicated and seems a little unlikely, since the Celtics view Davis as key to keeping Irving and vice versa, and since Davis has made clear he only wants to be in a situation where he can win championships. Boston’s simplest path to a championship involves pairing Davis and Irving together.

Still, there’s a lot to sift through here. What once felt like a quiet trade deadline is beginning to heat up, even if nothing else happens.



bob
MY NOTE:  Trading players to get ones that we don't really want but we're getting them because Danny knows the GM who has the player he does want likes them is so quintessentially Danny.  There is also another option which is that NOP isn't enamored with the LA offer (or they still have a bad taste in their mouth from when the Lakers tried to poach Chris Paul.  It was the New Orleans Hornets at the time, the same city, different ownership but fans have a long, long memory (so does the New Orleans Picayune-Times) and that might not go down well) but are hoping NY will part with Zion Williamson and, maybe Enes Kanter or DeAndre Jordan (would replace their big and also make the $ work) for Anthony Davis.  If the laker deal doesn't happen that doesn't mean we're home free.  We don't know who else will be willing throw in the kitchen sink like Danny.


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Moving Rozier makes sense because right now Smart is essential to make a trade for AD. Rozier is way too valuable to just let him walk with zero return.

Both Kanter and Jordon have expiring contracts this year so that is problematic for any team that trades for them with the intention to make them part of their roster after this year.

Or if a team is looking for a salary dump. The Knicks move yesterday could be part of a bigger move

There may be a link to Ainge doing this investigation to Anthony Davis,. but I bet that such searching is always a part of his normal GM routine every year.

We should expect nothing less of Mr. Ainge.

If we lose Irving, don't get AD, (which I don't think we will since he already said he prefers LA). We would be stupid to give up assets for a one year rental. The players get paid so much from playing and endorsements they are going to team up.

Money isn't their issue and it is sad that $50 million can't keep a guy from leaving. We are going to waste one year development of our young players. I doubt our record would be much different than it is now without Kyrie. I have been saying all year we need to develop these guys.

I kind of think Irving will be leaving. He could have squashed that today and didn't do it. Davis believes he is leaving so he has no interest in Boston. I am getting where I like the NBA less and less each year.

tardust wrote:If we lose Irving,  don't get AD, (which I don't think we will since he already said he prefers LA).  We would be stupid to give up assets for a one year rental. The players get paid so much from playing and endorsements they are going to team up.

Money isn't their issue and it is sad that $50 million can't keep a guy from leaving. We are going to waste one year development of our young players.  I doubt our record would be much different than it is now without Kyrie.    I have been saying all year we need to develop these guys.

I kind of think Irving will be leaving.  He could have squashed that today and didn't do it.  Davis believes he is leaving so he has no interest in Boston.    I am getting where I like the NBA less and less each year.

Tardust - if you really want to make yourself crazy, think of it this way: Ainge can't trade for Davis now because he traded for Irving, yet Irving is going to bail this summer. The only thing that would make it worse is if IT returns to his 2016-2017 form and the kid Cleveland drafted develops into an all-star. Excuse me while I go punch myself in the face....