RealGM

Posted: **Fri Mar 14, 2008 4:51 pm**

The team haggled with the Portland Trail Blazers in the days leading up to the draft over a deal that would have shipped Pierce west and landed Boston the No. 3 pick and some contracts to make it work cap-wise.

"We were pretty close," Ainge said.

Instead, the Blazers ended up swapping the third pick to Utah for the sixth and 27th selections. The Jazz snapped up Deron Williams (the likely choice of Ainge, too, had he pulled the trigger on Pierce), and the Blazers used the sixth pick to tab Martell Webster.

Boston stood pat, drafted Gerald Green at No. 18, and went about mending fences with Pierce.

Pierce told the Celtics he wasn't sure how long he could hang in with a young, developing nucleus. They told him they needed him to make an honest commitment to the team, including tempering his nightlife. Neither side was particularly happy with where they stood.

Posted: **Fri Mar 14, 2008 4:57 pm**

Poor Deron.

I mean, who would want to be in Utah when you could have been in Boston.

Posted: **Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:04 pm**

If I remember correctly, it was Paul Pierce who blocked the trade.
I'm allmost certain Ainge would've selected Chris Paul with the 3

Posted: **Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:08 pm**

honestly as much as I love having a contender in Boston. The prospect of watching Deron/Paul and AL Jefferson play together for the next decade is a fun one.

Guess it just goes to show how many diffrent ways Ainge's guidance would of left Boston as a great team

Posted: **Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:14 pm**

I don't know if he would have picked Paul or Deron, but as a Jazz fan I'm glad that trade never went down.

Posted: **Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:16 pm**

SlickWilly8 wrote:I don't know if he would have picked Paul or Deron, but as a Jazz fan I'm glad that trade never went down.

I love Deron and it only seems right that he succeeds Stockton. Can't have that big of a drop off from Stockton to an average PG!!!

I think Deron has more personality then Stock did anyways.

Posted: **Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:18 pm**

Biggest non-story ever. Who cares if a trade almost happened 3 years ago?

Posted: **Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:20 pm**

celticfan42487 wrote:honestly as much as I love having a contender in Boston. The prospect of watching Deron/Paul and AL Jefferson play together for the next decade is a fun one.

Guess it just goes to show how many diffrent ways Ainge's guidance would of left Boston as a great team

That would've been crazy. They also could've still pulled off the Garnett and Allen trades. I think a Garnett/Allen/Paul trio would be even better then what they have now.

Posted: **Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:20 pm**

this isn't really earth-shattering
i bet there are a lot of deals like this that don't happen

Posted: **Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:33 pm**

This was public knowledge back then. Nick VanExel and Paul Pierce both commented on it. I remember Pierce not wanting to go to Portland was the deal killer. Thank God.

I like Pierce but things worked out well for the Blazers.

Posted: **Fri Mar 14, 2008 6:05 pm**

Village Idiot wrote:This was public knowledge back then. Nick VanExel and Paul Pierce both commented on it. I remember Pierce not wanting to go to Portland was the deal killer. Thank God.

I like Pierce but things worked out well for the Blazers.

I remember this being talked to death... it isn't exactly a "new" revelation.

Posted: **Fri Mar 14, 2008 6:37 pm**

Why are they bringing this up now? It was almost three years ago.

Posted: **Fri Mar 14, 2008 6:39 pm**

Cruel_Ruin wrote:Why are they bringing this up now? It was almost three years ago.

Sell more papers...

Well for people to click on the link for the story and get more hits and thus revenue...

Posted: **Fri Mar 14, 2008 6:44 pm**

hermes wrote:this isn't really earth-shattering
i bet there are a lot of deals like this that don't happen

Posted: **Fri Mar 14, 2008 6:56 pm**

*yawn*

This is old news.

Posted: **Fri Mar 14, 2008 7:30 pm**

Woah I thought this was a story on the celts board. Yeah this isn't really gen board material about a potential trade 3 years ago.

I bet Pierce is glad he nixed this trade. He'd be in a hell hole at PORT if it went through. They'd have no picks and probuly trying to make a Randloph/Pierce duo work :-?

Good job Pierce hindsight is 20/20

Posted: **Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:03 pm**

BREAKING NEWS: Lamar Odom was almost traded for Gerald wallace in the off season.

Posted: **Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:13 pm**

i remember this was talked about then too

Posted: **Sat Mar 15, 2008 12:14 am**

Mr. Savage wrote:Poor Deron.

I mean, who would want to be in Utah when you could have been in Boston.

Players who like winning, with a great corporation from top to bottom.

Chances are if Pierce had been dealt, the KG/Allen deals never would have been pulled off.

But Deron and Al Jefferson would have been sick.

Posted: **Sat Mar 15, 2008 12:15 am**

Yeah, the truth is everyone won in this trade and all three teams involved are better for it.

RealGM

Paul Pierce Nearly Dealt To Portland For 2005 1st Round Pick

Paul Pierce Nearly Dealt To Portland For 2005 1st Round Pick