TRADE DEADLINE - RUNNING POST OF NEWS - AND DISCUSSIONS/COMMENTS

THOUGHT IT WOULD SIMPLIFY THE DAY FOR EVERYONE BY HAVING 1 RUNNING POST OF NEWS AND DISCUSSIONS/COMMENTS


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DA needs to complete his new 5 year plan since the other one ended last year.

With injuries to key players like Rondo and to a lesser degree Sullinger and Barbosa, the Celtics find themselves caught in the middle of trying to hold on or trying to move forward.

The facts are that 2 of our best players, PP and KG have no midterm or long term future with this team. This is do to their age and the amount of CAP space that their contracts eat up.

Can the Celtics win this year? I think most observers would say no. Not just because our PG is lost for the year but also because DA never really solidified his center position.

So why are we still holding on?

Will either PP or KG have more value next year?

I have seen a few trades that I like and others that I don't.

Dboss

NBA Rumors: Celtics Trading Rajon Rondo to Magic or Hawks?

For what it's worth.

Sam







By David Rice, Thu, February 21, 2013





With just hours to go before the NBA trade deadline, reports from
ESPN’s Chris Broussard have surfaced that claim Boston Celtics point
guard Rajon Rondo is available for trade.

The report goes on to say that a deal is unlikely given that Rondo
won’t play the rest of this season due to a season ending ACL injury,
but if you’re a team whose season is already over, what’s to stop you
from making a move? This is especially true for the Orlando Magic, a
team that already holds a trade chip that Boston so desperately covets.

Of the teams that have been in the market for JJ Redick’s services,
Boston has not really had the pieces to this point to make a deal with
Orlando. But, from the Magic’s perspective, that changes with the
availability of Rondo. If the Celtics want Redick and his expiring deal
bad enough, the Magic should make an offer that consists of the former
Duke man and anyone not in their rookie year or named Nikola Vucevic. To
sweeten the deal, a second round pick from last year’s Dwight Howard
trade or a future first rounder may be in order, but any of it would be
worth it for the Magic to get Rondo.

Boston has attempted to convey that they’ll be quiet around the
deadline, but if Danny Ainge has any plans of his team making another
playoff run, that won’t be the case. A fair trade for Rondo in his
current state would be Redick plus Josh McRoberts and a future first
round pick.

With Jason Terry, Avery Bradley and Leandro Barbosa all available to
handle the ball for the Celtics for the remainder of the season,
acquiring Redick gives them a reliable two guard who can shoot the three
or create for others with his penetration and ability to pass the ball.
He’s a guy that would thrive under Doc Rivers and could probably be
resigned in a midlevel deal while playing a key role for the future of
the franchise.

In McRoberts, Boston gets a little more help in their front court,
but most importantly they receive another expiring contract that allows
them to clear some more cap space to make a few signings for next year.
If need be, Orlando could throw in a second rounder on top of the future
first rounder or Gustavo Ayon who would serve as a viable backup for
the Celtics at both center or power forward right now.

For Orlando, the deal is obviously done with a window to the future.
Resigning Jameer Nelson to three more years at $8.6 million a season was
an obvious mistake, but if they can trade Nelson or use him as backup
to Rondo in a diminished role, that move may yet prove less disastrous
than I originally thought.

With Vucevic and Glen Davis cemented in place for next season and
good young talents in Maurice Harkless and Andrew Nicholson locked in
for the future, Orlando can focus their top ten status in the draft this
year on a shooting guard to play behind Aaron Affalo or a small forward
to compete with Harkless if they get Rondo. Maybe they draft a young
big man or hunt down a low cost power forward in free agency, but
regardless of what they chose, they are instantly better with Rondo in
the team and back on their way to the postseason in the spring of 2014.

The Celtics clearly have issues with Rondo and don’t necessarily need
him to field a winning team, hence their 8-3 record since his injury.
Avery Bradley is a solid young talent and with the additional cap space,
who knows what Danny Ainge could land in a trade in the summer to bring
in a new point guard.

Orlando needs a superstar and playmaker, Rondo is just that. Imagine a
starting five of Rondo, Afflalo, Harkless, Davis and Vucevic. Is it
mind blowing excitement and edge of your seat basketball? Probably not,
but it’s a big improvement over what the Magic are right now and a much
better lineup than GM Rob Hennigan probably planned on having next year.

Note: The rumors of an Atlanta-Boston deal that swaps Josh Smith for
Rondo are somewhat far fetched considering the Hawks are currently a
playoff team ranked above Boston and wouldn’t likely just give Smith and
his massive expiring deal away just to get a point guard they can’t see
this season. If anything, the Celtics will have to offer something
better or wait until the offseason.

WOW SAM,

That came out of left court.

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Probably more realistic

Sam




By
Steve Bulpett / Boston Herald


LOS ANGELES — All was generally quiet on the western front last night as the Celtics approached today’s NBA trade deadline.
Much to Danny Ainge’s displeasure.

The president of basketball operations had, to that point, hit roadblocks
on moves sources say he wants to make, and there was also a measure of
anger that some of his maneuvering has become public.

Ainge may have been downplaying his desire to see something through
with the Clippers, who were getting cold feet as they ponder a bold
move that could, if things fall into place (and a no-trade clause is
waived) net them Kevin Garnett.

Sources were saying again yesterday that while no hard bargaining has taken place, the Clips are
aware it would cost them Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan to get Garnett
and a greater chance at the 2013 NBA championship.
The Celts were still active, however, on other fronts, though the more interesting of those seemed to be dwindling by the hour.

The Nets did come looking for Paul Pierce, but those talks never went on
long enough to reach the serious stage, and some of the other names
mentioned in conjunction with the Celtics (Gerald Henderson, etc.) were
either never discussed by the execs or were more a tire-kicking
expedition.

Ainge was talking in a circle early last evening, perhaps best befitting the uncertain nature of things.
“I think everything’s alive until 12 o’clock (3 p.m. EST) tomorrow, but I don’t think anything’s alive right now,” he said. “It looks like nothing
is going on. But you know how it is.” He added that things had
gotten quiet yesterday, which could mean teams won’t be as active as
expected, or that deals could happen in a flurry today.
But Ainge was anything but calm when presented late Tuesday night in Denver with
reports to the Herald from multiple league sources that Rajon Rondo is
being “shopped aggressively.” It had already been known the Celts
approached the Lakers about Dwight Howard, mentioning Rondo in the process.

Now, before anyone gets the idea the Celtics are simply
trying to rid themselves of their All-Star point guard, it needs to be
pointed out that each and every source added the club was asking far too
high a price for Rondo. That means the C’s were looking for an uneven
deal. that if someone is willing to make Ainge an offer he can’t refuse,
he won’t. (And that is true now even with him making assurances to some
involved parties that Rondo will not be traded.)

But the Celtics leader was upset that the allegedly private conversations had been revealed.
“Hogwash,” was his initial response. “You know what? I don’t comment on any trade
rumors at all. It doesn’t do me any good to make any comments at all.”

Reminded that each report had come in perspective, with the Celts asking more
than a Rondo’s ransom, Ainge said, “I understand, but it’s just people
shouldn’t be talking about other people’s business, and I won’t talk
about anybody else’s business. And I won’t talk about my business. So
that’s not for other people to talk about, and the people that do talk
about it, it shows a lack of integrity.”

Ainge then acknowledged that no Celtic has ever been entirely untouchable during his stewardship
of the operation. He has always sought to determine the market value of
all his players. “Yeah,” he said. “I think I have to be that way. That’s my job.”

Later yesterday, Ainge added, “I think Rondo is a special player, and those
guys are really, really hard to find in our game. And to appreciate the
most about Rondo’s career to this stage, you have to look at what he
does in the playoffs. When I look at players, I think about playoff
basketball. I think there’s a difference between playoffs and regular
season basketball, and Rondo has been a Most Valuable Player in a
handful of playoff series over the last five years with some of the best
players in the world in those series, including players on his own team.
“He just has the ability to step his game up because of his intensity and determination. Most players can’t do what he does that
way.”

Ainge’s opinion was supported by the fact teams still have
major interest in Rondo even as he rehabs from ACL surgery, though not
enough interest as yet to overspend to the degree the Celtics require.

Regarding an aforementioned situation, league people look much differently on
what they believe would be a good move for both the Celts and Clippers. “From
what I hear, the Clippers just don’t want to give up those guys,” said
one source, referring to Bledsoe and Jordan. “I think there are some in
their camp that do, but as an organization, they’ve pulled back. The
thing is, it would make a lot of sense to them. The people that are
against this have no idea how much Garnett could do for them. When you
look at what that team is lacking, Garnett could easily put them over
the top. And the crazy thing is, Bledsoe and Jordan probably won’t be on
the floor much or at all in the fourth quarter once the playoffs get
here.

“But this is the Clippers we’re talking about.”

Even if the Clippers change their stance, they would still have to get
Garnett to waive his no-trade clause. But those close to the matter out
here think the club’s proximity to his Malibu home and the presence of
good friend Chauncey Billups would make that more likely.

The bottom line is that, for all the talk with different clubs, the Celtics,
having made their cases, were awaiting a break in the gridlock with the
deadline just hours away.

The deals that will happen will not be known before hand. Watch PHX and Grotat.

112288

According to ESPN's Chris Broussard, Fab Melo is being dangled for Jordan Crawford - Wash Wizards.
Throw Barbosa salary to make things work.

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As 3:00pm nears it looks like rumors start at the hint of an inquiry as usual; any inquiry. After Ainge reportedly told Rondo, through his agent, he wasn't going anywhere, trade rumors actually picked up. The Nets inquire about Pierce and it becomes a big deal, when in fact teams call each other to check on a regular basis, just in case.

Although I'm a fan who wanted to see us get the rebuild underway in big fashion I just don't see it happening. Too bad, in my opinion, because I think what little we have to deal loses most of it's value as soon as the season ends, and sticks us with contract issues. Keeping KG and Pierce, while admirable, has it's downside and limits us next year. I don't think Danny was listening to himself when he said he wouldn't make the same mistake we made by keeping Bird, McHale and Chief too long.

I think we stay as presently constructed and add a body or two. At most, the only thing that might be credible is we move Melo to try and get some perimeter scoring or a point guard, but that won't bring us anyone significant.

And the hits just keep on coming.

Sam


Celtics Pursuing Tyreke Evans



By Alex Kennedy
Senior NBA Writer


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The Boston Celtics have expressed
interest in Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans before. Now, it sounds
like they’re pursuing him again. Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports that the Celtics are making a push to acquire Evans just hours before the trade deadline.
Read more at http://www.hoopsworld.com/celtics-pursuing-tyreke-evans/#jw2AUm4gSvYCFBAj.99

112288 wrote:According to ESPN's Chris Broussard, Fab Melo is being dangled for Jordan Crawford - Wash Wizards.
Throw Barbosa salary to make things work.

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Fab Melo makes a little more than Jordan Crawford.
There would be no need to include Barbosa.

I am sure Washington wouldn't make a Crawford for Melo straight up trade.

Heard Barbosa name form WEEI Mut & Meroni unless another player was also involved.

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Other than salary filler, Barbosa has zero trade value.

I wonder who Boston would have to give up for Tyreke Evans?

STEVE BULPETT - BOSTON HERALD

HE STRESSES - MOST RUMORS ON ALL TRADES ARE THIN BUT FEELS THIS HAS SUBSTANCE .........................

LA CLIPPERS BACK IN PICTURE - CLIPPERS STAFF HAVE INTERNAL CONFLICTS

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A little more.
Sam

Steve Bulpett of the Herald is reporting that Los Angeles is making another push.

With the Celtics
in Los Angeles last night, this was bound to happen. The Celtics have a
day off today before tomorrow's game in Phoenix and I'm guessing the
team spent the night in LA. Bulpett has been pretty dialed in with
Ainge's trade activity, so there may actually be fire with this smoke.
Stay tuned. There are three hours left...

bobheckler wrote:Trader Danny, my ass! How about Trader Kevin!? And the Rockets are #8 in the west, so a fire-sale isn't necessary. Clearing away dead wood, I guess.


http://www.thestar.com/sports/basketball/2013/02/20/nba_trade_deadline_rockets_swing_two_trades_before_harden_lights_up_thunder.html


HOUSTON—The Houston Rockets have reached separate agreements on trades that will send Patrick Patterson, Cole Aldrich and Toney Douglas to Sacramento and Marcus Morris to Phoenix, a person familiar with the situation said Wednesday.
The Rockets will receive Thomas Robinson, the No. 5 pick in last year’s draft, Francisco Garcia and Tyler Honeycutt from the Kings, according to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced and was still pending NBA approval.

In the other deal, the Rockets will receive a future second-round pick from the Suns in exchange for Morris, who will join his twin older brother, Markieff, on the Phoenix roster.

“If I was to be traded, that’s where I would want to go,” Marcus Morris said outside the Rockets’ locker room. “I think Houston knew that. That’s all I did was talk about my brother and how happy I was to play with him. I’m excited. That’s all I can say.”
Patterson, Aldrich and Douglas walked out of the Toyota Center just as Houston was starting its game against Oklahoma City, on the eve of the trading deadline. The Rockets came into the game holding the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference and the moves were unexpected.

The short-handed Rockets heard the news only 20 minutes before tipoff.

“It was definitely the weirdest game I’ve ever played in,” said Houston forward Chandler Parsons. “It was hard to focus. It was hard to block (out) four friends leaving.”

Houston rallied from 14 points down to beat the Thunder 122-119.

“A lot of distractions before the game,” said James Harden, who scored a career-high 46 points. “I just rallied the guys together and told them to focus in on every play. It was going to be a tough game for us, but we had to really focus in on the small, detailed things. The guys did a phenomenal job.”
The six-foot-nine Patterson had started 38 games for Houston this season and was the Rockets’ fourth-leading scorer, averaging 11.6 points. Douglas was acquired in the off-season in a trade with New York and he played in 49 games backing up Jeremy Lin. The six-foot-11 Aldrich, acquired in the Harden trade with Oklahoma City just before the season, averaged 1.7 points in 30 games for Houston this season.

Sacramento had high hopes for the six-foot-10 Robinson, but he’s disappointed so far, averaging only 4.8 points and 4.7 rebounds in 16 minutes per game. His most notable NBA moment might have come when he elbowed Detroit’s Jonas Jerebko in the neck during a game in November. Robinson was ejected and suspended two games by the NBA.

Kings general manager Geoff Petrie had hinted that he’d only make minor moves before Thursday’s trade deadline because of the pending purchase agreement that could move the franchise to Seattle next season.

Marcus Morris had played in all but one of Houston’s games this season, making 17 starts. He was averaging 8.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. The Suns took Markieff with the 13th pick in 2011 draft and Marcus was right behind him again, going to Houston at No. 14.
Morris was all smiles about the deal on Wednesday night, even though the Suns entered their game against Golden State with the worst record in the West (18-36).

“It’s my first trade,” Morris said. “All I kept hearing was, it’s a business. It happens. I mean, it does happen. I’m excited to see where my career can go from here.”

Suns coach Lindsey Hunter wouldn’t talk about the deal specifically, but acknowledged that Phoenix is building for the future.
“We’re trying to get better,” he said. “We’re trying to build a foundation of something that we hope will last.”



bob


.

Kevin doesn't make the trades.
Morey is usually very busy on trade deadline day.

I'll believe the Evans trade when I see it, but maybe the Evans deal is all Ainge can get.

It's no secret that Boston could use a deal or two. They need a big, and they could use a legit point guard. Maybe they can't swing a deal for a big (Gortat?), but if you're one of the rare people who has followed Sacramento the past few years, you're aware that Evans is not really a point guard. In fact, they don't know what Evans is -- point guard, shooting guard, small forward, hybrid wing, whatever, they've tried them all, and he is the ultimate skill-set tweener. He doesn't have the mentality or vision of a true point guard, but he hasn't developed the outside shooting ability required of a shooting guard or small forward.

He's big (6-6, 220). He had an excellent rookie season (20.1 points, 5.8 assists, 5.3 rebounds, rookie of the year, only the fourth player EVER after Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James to average 20-5-5 as a rookie), but he's had persistent plantar fascia issues since then, and his point, assist, and rebound averages have gone down every year since that rookie season.

What Evans has been more than anything is talented player who has turned into something of a black hole. Defenses know he's taking it to the basket, he doesn't pass enough when he does, and he doesn't shoot the jumper well enough to make them pay for slacking off of him, so the offense dies once he gets the ball. That plus the plantar fascia issues have made him less appealing since he was a rookie. That could also mean that he would be a steal. A guy with that kind of talent? Yeah, I think Doc could find a use for him, and he'd be part of the young core moving the team forward in a post-KG/Pierce world. I'd pull the trigger on that (depending on what you have to give up, of course).

But that doesn't change the fact that, in the short term, he's not a true point guard and he's not a big.

BULPETT

C'S WORKING HARD ....GM JUST SAID DANNY CAN'T COME OUT WITH NOTHING. WEATHER ITS NOW OR IN THE FUTURE, HE HAS TO DO SOMETHING.

112288

Fab Melo for Jordan Crawford - Wash Wizards in final discussions per Adrian Wojnarowski via league sources - Yahoo! Sports

112288

I like Jordan Crawford but but just like Williams, he is not a point guard or a center.
I don't see how he helps Boston.

Chris Broussard is a moron

Don't listen to anything he has to say. He tries to act like he has all this inside information and most of the time he is wrong.

This is a sick time for media types. It is often unfair to fans and definitely keeps a lot of players under stress. Tommy mentioned the other night how much he hates this becasue it is very disruptive to the team.

dboss

112288 wrote:Fab Melo for Jordan Crawford - Wash Wizards in final discussions per Adrian Wojnarowski via league sources - Yahoo! Sports

112288

An actual NBA player for a guy who maybe, someday, if everything goes right, might be an NBA player? The only reason I can think of that Washington does this deal is that they think they have no chance of signing Crawford in the off-season.

I don't know all that much about Crawford, but this seems like a pretty easy deal to say "Yes, please," and "Thank you sir, may I have another."

Trade winds: Crawford for Melo?

By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com

A few thoughts on this potential swap, which makes a lot of sense for Boston to consider:

* CRAWFORD AVAILABLE: From Wednesday's Washington Post: "If the Wizards make a trade before the deadline, reserve shooting guard Jordan Crawford is the most likely candidate to be dealt but they might not get much in return. When asked what the Wizards could possibly get for Crawford, one rival Eastern Conference executive replied, “very little.” According to the league source with knowledge of the team’s plans, the Wizards have been making and fielding calls to possibly deal Crawford, who has fallen out of Coach Randy Wittman’s rotation and doesn’t appear to be a part of the franchise’s future plans."

* WILD CARD REPLACED: Celtics coach Doc Rivers lamented how the loss of Leandro Barbosa earlier this month took away Boston's "wild card," a guy with big scoring potential who could come off the bench and provide a much-needed spark. Crawford, so long as he's accepting of a bench role with somewhat inconsistent minutes, becomes Boston's new relief pitcher.

* LUXURY TAX IN FOCUS: If the Celtics were to bundle Barbosa and Fab Melo as part of a package for Crawford (see the trade HERE), it would save them roughly $1 million on the books and move them that much closer to dipping below the $70.3 million tax line (our inexact numbers have Boston hovering around $71.5 million committed so far this season). That could make the odds of adding more depth difficult -- for instance, Boston would have to be leery about extending Terrence Williams from a 10-day pact to a season-long deal, unless it could find another way to trim a bit of salary and get below that line. With stiff luxury tax repeater penalties looming, Boston could save a boatload of money down the road by getting below that line.

If the Celtics end up content to stand pat with their current core and are seeking roster upgrades for a stretch run, a potential Crawford deal makes a lot of sense and his 2013-14 salary ($2.2 million) isn't terribly prohibitive.

112288

FLASH

DAVID ALDRIDGE: SOURCE: WIZARD GUARD JORDAN CRAWFORD WILL BE TRADED TO THE CELTICS

WILL NOT BE FOR FAB MELO........SIDES TALKING

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