ballup wrote:One for one would be much more straightforward, but that's never the case. Jaylen + White + picks is the only package worth considering. Any other combination hurts the depth necessary for a championship run. It's kind of ridiculous to think that Smart or Grant would hold up a KD trade, but I'm more aligned with some of the national podcasters on this topic. The amount that KD improves this team isn't worth the cost since it's already a contender. White, Brogdon, and Rob are all injury risks. Losing one or both Smart and Grant can be costly.
I personally am against the trade, not out of emotional attachment to JB, but because I think Durant is slipping and mentally too fragile now.
With that in mind, one thing has to be clear. JB is younger and cheaper than Durant. The idea of giving up 7-8 assets to make this trade is nuts. With this logic we should be asking to trade JB to Cleveland for Garland and 3 picks plus 2 swaps.
The false idea that JB will leave in 2 years is a pathetic attempt to lower his value. JB likely makes all NBA team and gets max extension thus increasing his value greatly. If you want to trade him - fine - but get good value back.
IT was a loyal star and Ainge traded him for a nut job and looked what happened. We lost Kyrie for nothing and got nothing from him. Had we kept IT (his career was over) we would have also kept Crowder and a lottery pick that was Sexton but likely would have been Shai if Celtics picked. Giving up a bunch of assets for the leagues biggest crybaby and headcase will probably backfire - just like Kyrie trade - and ruin a really great thing. At least Kyrie was 25 at the time.
"I think the criticism's stupid," Stevens said. "So I don't care. I'm with Jaylen (Brown) on that. Those two had achieved more than most 25 and 26 year olds ever had. I'd rather be in the mix and have my guts ripped out than suck."