Danny Ainge just took the whole NBA execs to school

[Pointgod]

It also looks like he held the Knicks as collateral for months to get a better deal.

And he managed to get a worse deal lmao quite the feat

[Loneshot]

how can you be sure the players you will select with those picks (arguably all late 1st round) will even sniff to be as good as Mitchell and Gobert?

Neither player is worth the money required to keep them. Mitchell is really not that good, in my opinion. Guards with his skillset do not lead teams to championships or are even apart of championship teams. He will eventually turn into a black hole on offense.

[Pharmcat]

It also looks like he held the Knicks as collateral for months to get a better deal.

And he managed to get a worse deal lmao quite the feat

while he did get a worse deal, that doesnt really help the Knicks, they are back to square one

[God Squad]

Love it for the cavs, hate it for the Jazz. Knicks IMO made a wise decision to back out.

[Pointgod]

It also looks like he held the Knicks as collateral for months to get a better deal.

And he managed to get a worse deal lmao quite the feat

while he did get a worse deal, that doesnt really help the Knicks, they are back to square one

Well that deal would have set the Knicks backwards, not even back to square one. I think they made a big mistake trading a lottery pick for a bunch of protected first round picks. I mean they would of had limited flexibility to make their team better after getting Mitchell.

[Capn'O]

Love it for the cavs, hate it for the Jazz. Knicks IMO made a wise decision to back out.

Interesting that the Raptors fanbase seems to be universally lauding the Knicks not caving.

I was lukewarm to Mitchell. I think there will be better opportunities to move forward that fit the team better.

[seren]

how can you be sure the players you will select with those picks (arguably all late 1st round) will even sniff to be as good as Mitchell and Gobert?

Neither player is worth the money required to keep them. Mitchell is really not that good, in my opinion. Guards with his skillset do not lead teams to championships or are even apart of championship teams. He will eventually turn into a black hole on offense.

Guards of what skill set?

[WillyJakkz]

I dunno folks. Ask yourselves what are the 5 least desirable cities to play in for NBA players. I'm not talking about the team/teammates, simply the location.

Probably cold. small market, not coastal.

Would probably have both Minnesota and Cleveland on that 5 team list, right?

When a player gets good in these types of cities the media goes into a feeding frenzy trying to get that player to a large market. It's brutal trying to keep your assets in a small, cold, flyover city.

Things change pretty fast in the NBA, you can't say for sure that those picks will amount to anything, but I think you'd be foolish to assume that they won't either.

We will have to wait and see.

Reads username...

Summary: Spoken like a spurned fan from a small market "flyover city" fanbase.

Utah made out fantastic. Declining Barrett and Robinson who were due extensions now and/ or next season for Sexton Lauri etc projects into their plans much much better.

Cavs made out as well getting the superior talent.

[jazzfan1971]

I dunno folks. Ask yourselves what are the 5 least desirable cities to play in for NBA players. I'm not talking about the team/teammates, simply the location.

Probably cold. small market, not coastal.

Would probably have both Minnesota and Cleveland on that 5 team list, right?

When a player gets good in these types of cities the media goes into a feeding frenzy trying to get that player to a large market. It's brutal trying to keep your assets in a small, cold, flyover city.

Things change pretty fast in the NBA, you can't say for sure that those picks will amount to anything, but I think you'd be foolish to assume that they won't either.

We will have to wait and see.

Reads username...

Summary: Spoken like a spurned fan from a small market "flyover city" fanbase.

Gordon Hayward.

[mulamutti]

The amount of respect I have for that franchise, to take a team that was guaranteed to make the playoffs but also guaranteed to never contend, and blow it up is sky high. They could’ve just stayed as a 1st round contender and kept their fan base happy but they aren’t settling.

I disagree. Championship or bust is a silly mentality for a GM. I understand star players having that mentality but not front office.

If you blow it up everytime your build reaches a mid-range playoff team, then you'll rarely win a championship. It takes years to develop into a tier 2 contender and you can't just blow it up. Even Stockton and Malone didn't win a championship, would you blow that too? What about the lebronto raptors? They made two fair market value trades and won a championship.

[PhilBlackson]

Lol wut?!

Mobley & Garland will likely be on the Cavs' roster for almost the entirety of all the picks conveying, or at least Mobley will but Garland will be there for the majority & Donovan for a GOOD chunk.

There is MAYBE one pick that projects (potentially) as a lottery pick. I don't picture Mobley in 5+ years being the leader of a lottery team, quite the opposite. Most of these picks while both Mitchell & Garland are there won't be anything worth mentioning, even by 2027 -- Garland & Mobley are likely still both locked in. By 2029, technically Mobley has another 3 years on his rookie contract THEN usually most top rookies get a max 5 year sooooo he COULD still be on the roster and even if he demanded out in his final year (his personality doesn't strike me as that) but if he did..

It's like ONE lottery pick and most people don't bat 1000 in the draft, neither does Danny -- for every Tatum, Brown, he's had equal if not more flops. So Utah didn't lock in a franchise talent on the backs of CLE lol and would a lottery pick and late 1sts (who mainly don't pan out) be worth Cleveland (sorry Cavs fans, but they may be one of the bottom FA destinations) to lock in being a top 5-6 team for the foreseeable future?! I think it was totally worth it for them and if Mobley becomes anywhere near the KG/Duncan like player that most people have him pegged to be, the Cavs will make some noise and be in the running every year within a couple years and with a couple (or more) great stars....what more could they want?!

Meanwhile Danny has to connect on a bunch of 20+ picks until MAYBE 2029, that's great?!? I don't know, right now I actually like this more for the Cavs (barring a major injury to any of the players involved).

[dockingsched]

The amount of respect I have for that franchise, to take a team that was guaranteed to make the playoffs but also guaranteed to never contend, and blow it up is sky high. They could’ve just stayed as a 1st round contender and kept their fan base happy but they aren’t settling.

I disagree. Championship or bust is a silly mentality for a GM. I understand star players having that mentality but not front office.

If you blow it up everytime your build reaches a mid-range playoff team, then you'll rarely win a championship. It takes years to develop into a tier 2 contender and you can't just blow it up. Even Stockton and Malone didn't win a championship, would you blow that too? What about the lebronto raptors? They made two fair market value trades and won a championship.

It’s not about championship or bust, it’s about having a realistic road to being a title contender, even if it takes years and risks to get there.

A team led by Mitchell and Gobert is so clearly not headed towards a title that it not about tweaking things here or there, it requires a new foundation be set. It’s fine to take years to build a contender, but it’s not fine to waste years trying to pretend that Mitchell/Gobert were going to be leading them to a title.

[seren]

The amount of respect I have for that franchise, to take a team that was guaranteed to make the playoffs but also guaranteed to never contend, and blow it up is sky high. They could’ve just stayed as a 1st round contender and kept their fan base happy but they aren’t settling.

I disagree. Championship or bust is a silly mentality for a GM. I understand star players having that mentality but not front office.

If you blow it up everytime your build reaches a mid-range playoff team, then you'll rarely win a championship. It takes years to develop into a tier 2 contender and you can't just blow it up. Even Stockton and Malone didn't win a championship, would you blow that too? What about the lebronto raptors? They made two fair market value trades and won a championship.

It’s not about championship or bust, it’s about having a realistic road to being a title contender, even if it takes years and risks to get there.

A team led by Mitchell and Gobert is so clearly not headed towards a title that it not about tweaking things here or there, it requires a new foundation be set. It’s fine to take years to build a contender, but it’s not fine to waste years trying to pretend that Mitchell/Gobert were going to be leading them to a title.

Same could be said about a team led by Stephen Curry. Heck most stars don’t win until they are 27-28. Weird to give up on a 25 year old dude who just won you 50+ games averaging 25/5/5

[Gert42]

I am trying to compare a mentality. If they couldn’t win in a year or two at most three, time to blow up. Trying to build something is way too tough

Ok, but they won't going to win with those 2. as there main options.

Yep. They will surely win with that kid in the 8th grade.

It is really one thing what Ainge did in Boston. Pierce was 36. Garnett was 37. Ray Allen was gone. That was the end of the era.

Compare that to giving up on a 25 year old with a three year contract and a former DPOY who still has many years ahead.

The Jazz have already been doing that. They traded multiple 1sts to get Conley, and another future first to move off of Derrick Favors salary, it still didn’t work.

And after getting the big haul for Gobert, they’d still have to give up over half of what they got for Rudy without even knowing how they (the Jazz) play without Gobert.

I think the Jazz move was keep both or move both, but before the deals the Jazz have no young guys that any teams would want so they would have to keep giving away firsts further down the road.

But as I said. Trying is risky. Ainge could have traded picks and expirings to add players and the team could have still failed. This is certainly the easy way out. Nobody will ask him about winning a game yet a championship for many years. Heck they will demand losses

[Gert42]

I am trying to compare a mentality. If they couldn’t win in a year or two at most three, time to blow up. Trying to build something is way too tough

Ok, but they won't going to win with those 2. as there main options.

Yep. They will surely win with that kid in the 8th grade.

It is really one thing what Ainge did in Boston. Pierce was 36. Garnett was 37. Ray Allen was gone. That was the end of the era.

Compare that to giving up on a 25 year old with a three year contract and a former DPOY who still has many years ahead.


But as I said. Trying is risky. Ainge could have traded picks and expirings to add players and the team could have still failed. This is certainly the easy way out. Nobody will ask him about winning a game yet a championship for many years. Heck they will demand losses

The Jazz have already been doing that. They traded multiple 1sts to get Conley, and another future first to move off of Derrick Favors salary, it still didn’t work.

And after getting the big haul for Gobert, they’d still have to give up over half of what they got for Rudy without even knowing how they (the Jazz) play without Gobert.

I think the Jazz move was keep both or move both, but before the deals the Jazz have no young guys that any teams would want so they would have to keep giving away firsts further down the road.

[God Squad]

Love it for the cavs, hate it for the Jazz. Knicks IMO made a wise decision to back out.

Interesting that the Raptors fanbase seems to be universally lauding the Knicks not caving.

I was lukewarm to Mitchell. I think there will be better opportunities to move forward that fit the team better.

It's more so fit. Mitchell fits far better on the cavs than the Knicks. Knicks need to keep hitting on draft picks whether they're late picks or lottery. Need to keep adding talent/assests wherever you can get it. Knicks nailed it with the Grimes/Sims selections, not so much with Quickley. The trade blows for the jazz because these picks are likely awful, and I'd personally take my chances with the Knicks picks over the Cavs, as they have a nice little core going.

[JoseRizal]

It's gonna be "Brick for Vic!" this season for Ainge.

[Capn'O]

Love it for the cavs, hate it for the Jazz. Knicks IMO made a wise decision to back out.

Interesting that the Raptors fanbase seems to be universally lauding the Knicks not caving.

I was lukewarm to Mitchell. I think there will be better opportunities to move forward that fit the team better.

It's more so fit. Mitchell fits far better on the cavs than the Knicks. Knicks need to keep hitting on draft picks whether they're late picks or lottery. Need to keep adding talent/assests wherever you can get it. Knicks nailed it with the Grimes/Sims selections, not so much with Quickley. The trade blows for the jazz because these picks are likely awful, and I'd personally take my chances with the Knicks picks over the Cavs, as they have a nice little core going.

Agreed about fit.

FWIW RAPTOR absolutely loves Quickley. I'm not sure why but I do know the team played a lot better with him on the floor... especially with Burks of all things.

I'm not convinced the Mitchell trade would've upped our win total much at all. Brunson needs a defensive shooter next to him. That's Grimes and certainly not Mitchell. Same with Mitchell.

[seren]

Ok, but they won't going to win with those 2. as there main options.

Yep. They will surely win with that kid in the 8th grade.

It is really one thing what Ainge did in Boston. Pierce was 36. Garnett was 37. Ray Allen was gone. That was the end of the era.

Compare that to giving up on a 25 year old with a three year contract and a former DPOY who still has many years ahead.


But as I said. Trying is risky. Ainge could have traded picks and expirings to add players and the team could have still failed. This is certainly the easy way out. Nobody will ask him about winning a game yet a championship for many years. Heck they will demand losses

The Jazz have already been doing that. They traded multiple 1sts to get Conley, and another future first to move off of Derrick Favors salary, it still didn’t work.

And after getting the big haul for Gobert, they’d still have to give up over half of what they got for Rudy without even knowing how they (the Jazz) play without Gobert.

I think the Jazz move was keep both or move both, but before the deals the Jazz have no young guys that any teams would want so they would have to keep giving away firsts further down the road.

You keep both in this situation and either replace them with better players or continue making moves around them. You don’t give up on a fifth year player averaging 25/5/5 and taking you to playoffs every year. As I said repeatedly, the sole reason of a draft is to get a guy as good as Mitchell. Sure everyone wants a Lebron but that happens every 20 years or so. Everyone else needs significant help.

Moreover, Jazz had really good cap situation. Mitchell is the 39th highest paid player and signed for another three years. He is practically a bargain. They didn’t have anyone long term besides him and Gobert on the roster. They could have easily turned their future picks and expiring players for the next disgruntled star or better role players.

Instead, Ainge chose his job security. Nobody can blame him now for trying to build something.

[Harry Garris]

how can you be sure the players you will select with those picks (arguably all late 1st round) will even sniff to be as good as Mitchell and Gobert?

Most of them almost certainly won't be. And the sad truth is a rebuild only works if you draft and develop multiple young stars.

It's easy to give the Jazz kudos now, but all they've accomplished so far is the easy part of the rebuild. The hard part is making the right picks, developing those players, and building a team around them. It's hard for me to call them big winners when we have no idea how this will end up playing out.