The Anthony Davis decision-maker is now in place

https://www.bostonsportsjournal.com/2019/04/14/nba-notebook-anthony-davis-decision-maker-now-place/




NBA Notebook: The Anthony Davis decision-maker is now in place



By Brian Robb


Posted on April 14, 2019




Danny Ainge now knows who he will be spending a lot of time on the phone with over the next couple months and it's a very familiar face for the Celtics president of basketball operations: Former Cavs general manager David Griffin. The Pelicans finalized the decision to hire Griffin last week, bringing Griffin back in the NBA world after he had taken a year off after failing to reach a contract extension with Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, who does not like to offer full market deals when paying executives.

Instead of getting paid for less in Cleveland, Griffin wisely waited for a new opportunity for a year and secured a challenging new job in New Orleans but one that should provide plenty of security for him long-term. The Pelicans have already reportedly informed him that they plan on investing in more front office and scouting staff, building additional infrastructure that will be necessary in the wake of dealing away a top-10 player in the NBA.

The first order of business for Griffin will be a big one and that's figuring out where to send Davis and how exactly to approach a looming rebuild or retooling of the franchise. The Celtics are very familiar with Griffin and not just do to his days with the Cavs. Griffin worked under Ainge as his video coordinator in Phoenix during the 90s when Ainge spent a couple of years coaching before stepping down to do TV. Griffin rose through the front office ranks there until 2010, at which point he was hired by the Cavs. He was promoted to general manager in 2014 and helped to bring LeBron James and a championship to Cleveland in his five-year tenure.

Ainge actually played a role in helping to get James back to Cleveland in the summer of 2015, taking part in a three-team deal that allowed the Cavs to dump the necessary salary needed in order for them to sign James. Boston took on the salaries of Marcus Thornton and Tyler Zeller in the deal, along with a future first-round pick. Griffin obviously won't be looking to do the Celtics any favors when it comes to the Davis negotiations, but he's someone who clearly has a strong respect for Ainge and likely won't be as leaky when it comes to trade negotiations, something that couldn't be said for Dell Demps and the Lakers pursuit of Davis back in February.

The more important thing for Griffin is how exactly he wants to approach a Davis trade in terms of rebuilding assets. He actually gave a clue about that in a recent appearance on NBATV back around the trade deadline, far before the Pelicans job opened up.

https://twitter.com/ScoopB/status/1116816795871137793

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson

@ScoopB


New Orleans Pelicans, David Griffin: a work in progress for a while!

50
2:34 PM - Apr 12, 2019


Griffin's wishlist:
A young player with All-Star potential
An elite role player
Draft picks
Also wants to keep Jrue Holiday

Needless to say, the Celtics check all of those boxes and they could do so with a wide assortment of players.



bob
MY NOTE:  David Griffin was also the GM in Cleveland and was the one who traded Kyrie to Boston.  From what I've heard Kyrie and Griffin have an excellent relationship.  It was owner Dan Gilbert that neither Kyrie nor LeBron likes.



.

I have always enjoyed listening to David Griffin on Sirius-XM NBA radio. He is very smart and a gentle man. We shall see...

Tatum or Brown and Morris plus picks brings AD our way?

worcester wrote:Tatum or Brown and Morris plus picks brings AD our way?

As long as AD is willing to sign an extension with us I’m fine with this, although a big part of me hates to see either of 2 J’s leave...

My impression of Anthony Davis changed a lot during this debacle. I still think he is on his way out west, one of the LA teams will really duke it out for him.
Davis has a huge upside, I will not downplay that. But, he is also on the injured list a lot. I know Danny has long wanted to trade for him so I am not naive enough to believe he will not try.

I am surprised NO didn’t go after Mike Zarren, from the Celtics. He is Danny’s right hand. I do wonder if the Celtics will make it hard for Zarren to leave (ala Josh McDaniels). He is a cap genius, so it is important to have a guy like this on the team.

I have wandered from the topic, Anthony Davis.....I am so on the fence here that I will keep my thoughts for a while until the real bantering starts

The Clips may be a good spot for A.D. Let's see how our team fares in this post season before trading anyone.

I don't think Boston is very high on AD's list of landing spots. I believe he wants to head West.

Even if it was a possibility, I think several players would have to move to make it work, and the current Celtic roster would have to be virtually gutted.

You can't really give up Tatum, for many reasons including the fact that you now have no other big to effectively handle the power forward spot. Since you no longer control Rozier or Morris, you now have to deal Brown; and who else? Start piling more players on, because Brown and picks won't do it.

The more I look at it, the more I'm convinced Ainge will not try to make a move for AD.

NYCelt wrote:I don't think Boston is very high on AD's list of landing spots. I believe he wants to head West.

Even if it was a possibility, I think several players would have to move to make it work, and the current Celtic roster would have to be virtually gutted.

You can't really give up Tatum, for many reasons including the fact that you now have no other big to effectively handle the power forward spot. Since you no longer control Rozier or Morris, you now have to deal Brown; and who else? Start piling more players on, because Brown and picks won't do it.

The more I look at it, the more I'm convinced Ainge will not try to make a move for AD.

I noticed just recently Tatum is starting to hit his 3’s again, he’s gonna be a 25 point a game scorer in a few years, an Alex English/Carmelo clone that can run the floor and defend better than both. It’s not if, it’s just when. Jaylen can be our Pippen, a stronger version with a mix of Bernard King. Even Pippen took a few years to become a perennial all star, I would hate to see either one go, especially next year they will only be/get better and play with a better GH too. AD is the only big in Giannis’s class, I couldn’t tell you who is better, he obviously took bad advice. I would hate to gut this team....hope we can keep team intact.

NYCelt wrote:I don't think Boston is very high on AD's list of landing spots. I believe he wants to head West.

Even if it was a possibility, I think several players would have to move to make it work, and the current Celtic roster would have to be virtually gutted.

You can't really give up Tatum, for many reasons including the fact that you now have no other big to effectively handle the power forward spot. Since you no longer control Rozier or Morris, you now have to deal Brown; and who else? Start piling more players on, because Brown and picks won't do it.

The more I look at it, the more I'm convinced Ainge will not try to make a move for AD.

I would have to disagree a bit here. I think IF a trade for Davis happens Tatum WILL be the key piece going back to NO. With Hayward and Brown we still have the wing spots covered well enough, add Semi in the mix as a reserve and the fact that it easier to find a quality wing than a quality big man and it makes more sense.

so I would trade Tatum even though I agree he will be playing in all-star games in the near future. cowens comparison of Tatum to Alex Englisg is a very good one, IMO.

since I do NOT want to trade Smart in the deal, Danny will have to do some maneuvering to make the salary's work for the NBA cap. The easiest way is to resign Rozier to a deal in the $10-12M range (Smarts type money) and trade him with Tatum to NO. I think that will meet the cap rules if we send the Kings and one of the other first this year back also. we could possibly do the same with Morris however since Rozier is a RFA we do have more control over his signing.

If Rozier or Morris is not in play, then Danny would likely have to send Smart or add a third team to the mix to get players NO wants who also meet the salary cap rules for a trade.

of course NO may NOT want two more draft picks in this years draft. They have the #7 pick currently and two more first is more than they may want. IN that case we may have to send Rob Williams instead.

so IMO a successful trade for Anthony Davis will have us sending something like

Tatum
Rozier- Resigned
Rob Williams
Kings draft pick this year
Grizzlies pick in 2020 or 2021
one of pour own first round picks in a future draft.

that trade you suggest is a pipe dream. They not only will want Tatum, as they (New Orleans management) have had their eyes on him for a long time, but they will want another front line player, that being Smart. I don't care what draft picks you put up, those two players will be the ones coveted by NO

As far as I am concerned they can keep Davis, that is much too much to give up for him. Talk about destroying chemistry.

I believe DA will not give Smart up at all. So, in my honest opinion, this is dead in the water

Trader Danny will amaze us in July with whatever he does.

RosalieTCeltics wrote:that trade you suggest is a pipe dream. They not only will want Tatum, as they (New Orleans management) have had their eyes on him for a long time, but they will want another front line player, that being Smart.  I don't care what draft picks you put up, those two players will be the ones coveted by NO

As far as I am concerned they can keep Davis, that is much too much to give up for him.  Talk about destroying chemistry.  

I believe DA will not give Smart up at all.  So, in my honest opinion, this is dead in the water

if you are correct , then Danny will trade Smart with Tatum and re-sign Rozier I would think. and yes NO will want 2-3 first rounds picks with TWO NBA starters, IMO.

I just don't see that happening. Smart is the heart and soul of this team. I feel he is going no where.

RosalieTCeltics wrote:I just don't see that happening. Smart is the heart and soul of this team. I feel he is going no where.

I understand and agree with you on both Tatum and  Smart. But we all know Danny likes his star players and if he thinks he can swap Tatum and Smart (along with some mid level draft picks) for Anthony Davis (and he feels he will re-sign of course) I think he will go all in for it.

like I said I would prefer it be Rozier  and Tatum myself.


correction:

I would prefer Hayward and Rozier.......but that's not happening

No doubt we all have looked at this from many possible angles.

Going to be an interesting off-season.

Crossing my fingers that starts right after a duck-boat parade.

Hayward is going no where, I do not know why you keep bringing his name up His value to this team is going to be proven with the playoffs.

There is no question that Davis is a top five level player in the NBA, but I would hesitate to trade what it
will take for him if he is not 100% committed to whoever he gets traded to.

Some of his actions this winter showed that he is more of a diva than probably anyone knew. Of course, we see him on TV once in a while, but I had never heard of any selfishness. Now, I think the Cs need to check other directions to improve the 19-20 team. Giving up Tatum and Smart plus draft picks is far too much for a one year rental of Davis.

did you see the shirt he had on for the last game of the season, which of course he did not play in. On the front 'THAT'S ALL FOLKS'. Is that not rubbing their faces into the fact that he THINKS he will not be back in NO

Other teams will get in the mix.  

The only way Boston avoids an AD trade is if they get to the big dance.

If they do not then that means they are not the best team in the East.

However, year over year things change.  So just for the sake of argument suppose the Bucks make it to the finals because they beat us in round 2 and then beat whoever in the ECF.

Do you think Danny sits tight after going out on round 2?

The Bucks will be hard pressed to keep their team together.  Lopez, Middleton, and Mirotic are all free agents.  Brogdon is due for a QO They may be great this year but will be faced with spending a lot of money to keep this team together.  Very unlikely that they can bring back the band.  

Danny could look at that situation and surmise that the Bucks will not be as good next year.

He may conclude that even if he losses Rozier and Morris to FA, he can still put together a team with a lot of quality players.  He may conclude that he has enough draft picks to address any other teams needs and he has a MLE to add a veteran or keep one (Theis)  The Celtics may actually benefit from having fewer players that demand a lot of minutes.  

On the other hand Danny may look at getting another elite player as too much to pass up.  Having more than one truly elite player on your team is very hard to do.

Winning changes everything.

RosalieTCeltics wrote:Hayward is going no where, I do not know why you keep bringing his name up His value to this team is going to be proven with the playoffs.

I suppose I get under your skin with that, trust me I am not trying to. I agree Hayward is going no where. You probably feel that is because he is too good a player for Danny to trade. While I feel his contract makes him not a player others teams will want. we will have agree to disagree on that.

Reality is however that IF NO would want EITHER Tatum or Hayward...I would trade Hayward to them in a heartbeat and I think most Celtic fans would agree with that.

IT WON'T Happen because The Pelicans would not WANT Hayward at his current salary (nor will any other teams to be frank).

he is our guy for the duration of his deal, I hope he lives up to your expectations over the deal because that will make the Celtics a better team in the end. I am glad he is back to the player he was at Utah before the injury, again because that makes the Celtics a better team in the end. and that is what we all want as Celtic fans.

lets all hope for a long playoff run, then Danny may just keep the band together for another year.

Isn't Giannis up for a deal this year or next??? I thought I read that somewhere. Not that I think he will go anywhere, he likes it there in Milwaukee and they like him. The money that was thrown around a few years ago is no longer going to be available for some of these marginal players who want a pay day for their last big contract. Also, everyone is referring to Rozier as gone, he is a restricted free agent. Unless some crazy team hard up for a guard throws out a contract that Danny will not go near, he may match, kept him in hopes of including him in a trade. Morris on the other hand can walk at the end of the year and he will because this is his time to get the contract he is wishing for. I am sure he looks at his brothers paycheck and says "me next". I do not know if he will ever get that but you never know.

Rosalie I think he still has 2 years left.

kdp59 wrote:

RosalieTCeltics wrote:Hayward is going no where, I do not know why you keep bringing his name up His value to this team is going to be proven with the playoffs.

I suppose I get under your skin with that, trust me I am not trying to. I agree Hayward is going no where. You probably feel that is because he is too good a player for Danny to trade. While I feel his contract makes him not a player others teams will want. we will have agree to disagree on that.

Reality is however that IF NO would want EITHER Tatum or Hayward...I would trade Hayward to them in a heartbeat and I think most Celtic fans would agree with that.

IT WON'T Happen because  The Pelicans would not WANT Hayward at his current salary (nor will any other teams to be frank).

he is our guy for the duration of his deal, I hope he lives up to your expectations over the deal because that will make the Celtics a better team in the end.  I am glad he is back to the player he was at Utah before the injury, again because that makes the Celtics a better team in the end. and that is what we all want as Celtic fans.

lets all hope for a long playoff run, then Danny may just keep the band together for another year.

Funny thought, but Hayward is probably the only truly untradeable player on the team.

As you mention, no other team is going to take him, and his contract. At least not until, or unless, he's fully recovered.

Probably couldn't trade him if you wanted to.