If you had to do something different.....

[captain_cheapseats]

Last summer the Celtics made three huge decisions:

#1: to keep/build around Pierce
#2: the Allen trade
#3: the Garnett trade

I think most of us would agree that all three were excellent moves. But I'm curious, if you were the GM and HAD to do at least one thing different, what would it be? Also, just to keep it fun, assume all three moves are independent. I know in real life, for example, KG probably wouldn't have come here if Pierce and Allen weren't here too. But since this is purely hypothetical, let's just leave all those factors aside and assume any combination of the above three moves is possible, except the one that actually occurred.

Also, if you wouldn't have done #2, please indicate what you would have done with the pick instead. If you wouldn't have done #1, please say what you would have wanted for Pierce (doesn't have to be specific players, but at least a general description of what you'd have tried to get back, i.e. prospects, draft picks, expiring, another high-quality veteran, etc.).

[captain_cheapseats]

To get things rolling I'll start with what I expect to be the most popular choice:

#1: keep Pierce
#2: keep the pick, use to draft Yi
#3: make the trade for Garnett

[The Rondo Show]

Drafting Yi then trading a huge part of our future like Al for KG doesn't make a ton of sense to me. We'd definitely be in win now mode with the KG trade and I don't think "just" Pierce and KG is enough, and apparently KG felt the same.

For the record, I'd do all 3 but since you ask us to change one thing, I'd change the trade for Ray Allen and trade for another veteran all-star caliber player. Not really sure who, aside from Ray, would've been available for a Wally+5+Delonte package, so it's kind of tough for me to say exactly what I'd do.

I don't know who, maybe you could get Marion. Or Kirilenko, or JO. I think I would've taken JO at the time, then Marion, then AK-47 in that order. After seeing how things have played out for JO this year, I'd take Marion/AK-47/JO in that order.

[Spin Move]

If we could have Kept big al and aquired KG i would have done that, I am a twin towers concept fan. Also I wouldnt have minded trading Paul for Monta Ellis and GS's pick and having Monta Ellis and 2 lotto picks to put around Jefferson

[celtics543]

If I had to do something differently, I would'nt have made the Garnett trade. I would have kept Big Al, and used Telfair/Gomes/Green/Ratliff etc. to try and find a guy who could come in and play center that was very defensive minded. Someone like Tyson Chandler or Marcus Camby springs to mind.

That way we would still be good with Rondo-Allen-Pierce-Jefferson-Camby/Chandler. In my opinion we'd be a better team right now with a Jefferson and Camby duo than we are with a Garnett and Perkins duo.

So if I had to do it all again and change something, that would be it, and I don't think it would have affected our record very much at all.

[Relative Autonomy]

If I had to do something differently, I would'nt have made the Garnett trade. I would have kept Big Al, and used Telfair/Gomes/Green/Ratliff etc. to try and find a guy who could come in and play center that was very defensive minded. Someone like Tyson Chandler or Marcus Camby springs to mind.

That way we would still be good with Rondo-Allen-Pierce-Jefferson-Camby/Chandler. In my opinion we'd be a better team right now with a Jefferson and Camby duo than we are with a Garnett and Perkins duo.

So if I had to do it all again and change something, that would be it, and I don't think it would have affected our record very much at all.

i was actually hoping DA would do something like this at the end of last season. If the Cs don't win a championship with Garnett and Jefferson puts up numbers like he is this year for another decade, while maybe improving a bit in terms of defense and passing, this trade will be viewed as failure, where a DA sold the teams future for an aging star who failed to deliver. I am not saying that is going to happen or i think it but just that it could. i think something like this would actually be safer bet over the long term while the garnett trade is more of a short term gamble. still, i don't think denver wanted to trade camby or NOLA wanted to trade Chandler.

i also liked the idea of Iverson coming to boston. If they could have kept Jefferson and gotten Iverson i think that deal would have been a pretty nice team. I also would have loved reactionary comments by people like my dad about how Iverson is a thug.

I what i really wish DA had done, though, is not made the Telfair trade and drafted Roy. I think a starting five of Rondo, Roy, Pierce, Jefferson, and Perk would be something special. Also there were a lot of questions about AK-47 last year. maybe the Cs could of snagged him some combination of sczerbiak, lafrentz, west, TA, gomes and powe. Then i'd have pretty fluid starting line up where, depending on match ups, AK-47 would bump Perk or Roy to bench and play a lot of minutes at either the three or four. I also probably would try to get Walker back just to satisfy my illogical urges as fan. I would have also fired Doc and hired Paul Silas.

also, I think its indescribably lame that people make it seem like DA was maneuvering the whole time to get KG and claim that the telfair trade as a step on his master plan to get KG. I think that is letting DA off the hook for an absolutely untenable move. You don't pass up on someone like Roy. Period. I think the Telfair trade, the Blount resigning and the first Walker trade are absolutely terrible moves, totally indefensible. Kodus to DA for salvaging things but I think it is pure rose-colored-glasses fandom to think those were good moves and that DA had a master plan to get KG from day one. I have seen posters make a lot comments like that in response to criticism of the Telfair trade; Stuff like "The Telfair trade wasn't bad. The Ratliff contract was essential to get KG and that was DA's plan all along." I don't believe that for a second. I think the loosing streak last year showed DA that his youth-fetish approach to rebuilding wouldn't have made a good team until at least 3-4 more years and he would be squandering the prime of Pierce, an obvious hall of fame talent. So he made a gamble traded for Allen, hoped it would attract KG and tried to make grab on 2-4 year window to win a championship.

that said, its not like i am unhappy with this team. although, i wish garnett did overshadow pierce as much. i honestly believe PP is just as valuable to the team as KG, if not more so. I think Pierce is one of the more underrated players in the league. I hope there isn't anyone out there any more who thinks Wince Carter or T-Mac is still better than Pierce. Sometimes, I think Pierce is better than Kobe becuase he seems to have a better head. I tell you one thing, PP would not have alienated Shaq or gotten himself into a situation were he was accused of raping some one.

[captain_cheapseats]

I'd change the trade for Ray Allen and trade for another veteran all-star caliber player.

Optimally, what position? Another SG I'm assuming?

Also I wouldnt have minded trading Paul for Monta Ellis and GS's pick and having Monta Ellis and 2 lotto picks to put around Jefferson

That's an interesting idea.....who would you have taken with the picks?

[Luxurytaxlotterybust]

I would have kept Big Al. Traded Pierce to a place like Dallas and gotten Devan Harris and Josh Howard. Locked up Gomes to a longer deal.

Traded West, Ratliff, Telfair and tried to get someone like Kurt Thomas to help out in the middle.

Kept the #5 pick and drafted Brewer to have a lock down defender. Even though his offense is just dreadful.

Of course all those deals would have lead to a 41-41 record with Doc's firing and a ton of second guessing. But I would love a team built around

Jefferson
Josh Howard
Gomes
Devan Harris

[BrokenLeftyJumper]

I think the Ray Allen trade has to be one thing you undo. I think this team would have been at least top 4 in the East with just KG and Pierce.

I would have liked to see maybe dealing the 5th pick, Delonte, and Wally for Chris Kaman, the 15th pick, and a random scrub. I would've taken Al Thornton with the 15 pick like the Clips did. I think Kaman might have been available because he had a rough year last year, and Sterling hates big contracts so he might have been down to get ship out that contract. I think Kaman would have been a pretty good fit next to Garnett. He's a good finisher around the hoop, not a bad defender, and seems like one of those guys how knows how to get open under the hoop. Thornton could either start at the 3 and Pierce at the 2. Or Tony could start at the 2 and Thornton could be the 6th man.

[darrendaye]

If I had to do something differently, I would'nt have made the Garnett trade. I would have kept Big Al, and used Telfair/Gomes/Green/Ratliff etc. to try and find a guy who could come in and play center that was very defensive minded. Someone like Tyson Chandler or Marcus Camby springs to mind.

That way we would still be good with Rondo-Allen-Pierce-Jefferson-Camby/Chandler. In my opinion we'd be a better team right now with a Jefferson and Camby duo than we are with a Garnett and Perkins duo.

So if I had to do it all again and change something, that would be it, and I don't think it would have affected our record very much at all.

Same boat here, exactly. I've always like Chandler, often arguing with a friend of mine who's a Bulls fan (he's since come around to my side of the debate). But, I thought Camby may have been a more realistic option depending upon where Denver was going.

When the Allen deal went down, I hated it, and stated that unless KG was around the corner this was a panic move by Ainge. As it turned out, I fully supported then, and obviously fully support now, the direction.

I may ruffle some feathers here, but, I was willing to take 2 steps back for 4 steps forward when the rumors surfaced of the Portland deal for Pierce and their 1st rounder. Chris Paul was my choice. Who know what would have followed, but, in full disclosure, that was the one Pierce trade I would have made. Otherwise, I generally argued both sides of the "trade Pierce" debates that were prevalent on here then, depending upon how extremist the poster was.

EDIT: Oops, misread your post to mean that you also would not have done the Ray Allen deal. Obviously from my response, that is a significant difference in our perceptions.

[daveisceltics]

To get things rolling I'll start with what I expect to be the most popular choice:

#1: keep Pierce
#2: keep the pick, use to draft Yi
#3: make the trade for Garnett

KG would not have come here if it wasn't for Ray.

[The Rondo Show]

-= original quote snipped =-


That's an interesting idea.....who would you have taken with the picks?

Yeah, SG if possible. I didn't really hear any all-star caliber SG's available, though, that's why I listed Marion/JO/AK-47. I don't know if Michael Redd was available or not, but I would've taken him as he is very similar to Ray Allen and a bit younger.

The keeping Al and trading for Camby is pretty interesting, as crazy as it sounds to give back Garnett. If they could've actually gotten Camby for relatively mediocre assets like Gomes/Green/Ratliff's expiring (Denver would've needed to be real cheap), that would be #2 on my list-- before going with a complete youth movement and after trading for KG and whatever all-star you could get for 5+Wally+Delonte.

[The Rondo Show]

-= original quote snipped =-



KG would not have come here if it wasn't for Ray.

He already acknowledged that in his opening post, and said he was dealing in a hypothetical situation.

[GuyClinch]

Yeah the Telfair trade was a huge mistake in hindsight. Roy is the next PP.

Pete

[darrendaye]

BTW I know the bumped Ray Allen trade thread was locked, but, personally, I don't have any qualms with calling people out for revisionist history. As illustrated, I hated the deal at the time.