Celtics and Clippers Deal close to Being Official

[15th overall]

How is Ainge getting flack for this? He didn't make the deal, and it's a no lose situation. He can always bring back KG and let Doc go to TNT.

I think budging on Bledsoe so quickly was a HUGE mistake. The potential deals have gotten progressively worse since then.

I missed it, he wanted more than Bledsoe, or Bledsoe was never in play and Ainge **** up not being able to secure a salary dump?

Clippers refused to include Bledsoe at some point this weekend and Danny quickly started exploring alternatives. Personally I think he should be a dealbreaker.

[UConn celt]

How is Ainge getting flack for this? He didn't make the deal, and it's a no lose situation. He can always bring back KG and let Doc go to TNT.

I think budging on Bledsoe so quickly was a HUGE mistake. The potential deals have gotten progressively worse since then.

What did you want Ainge to do? The Clippers turned that offer down.

I think people have to understand the scenario here there seems to be some confusion.

The Clippers called and asked to speak to Doc Rivers and were turned down.

After checking with Doc and KG Ainge called back and said you can have Doc and KG for Bledsoe, Jordan and two first round draft picks and the Clippers said no. They said you can have Jordan and draft pick.

Ainge calls back and says okay I want Jordan and 2 firsts and you have to take back Terry and Lee. The Clippers said no and said you can have Jordan and a draft pick.

This isn't the Clippers offering to trade for KG and/or Doc this is Ainge's play. The Clippers know they are basically trading for two guys who otherwise are going to retire. Ainge needs another option and bringing them back isn't one.

I think this is exactly it.

[Berkcelt]

Sterling doesn't want to pay up. They are planning to make a championship run, maybe even getting Howard too, and they don't want to give up the 25th-30th pick? It seems inane to me. It's so inane I don't think that's it, I think that is someone's bull. Woj also mentions LAC needing to negotiate a 5yr/$35m deal with Doc...Sterling paying $7m per for a coach. The devil just put on a scarf.

[SuperDeluxe]

One back up plan may be to see if KG will go to HOU with CP3 and Harden to play for McHale.

Let me rephrase

Sources are saying that KG is open to joining Chris Paul in HOU to play for old mentor Kevin McHale.

I'll Tweet that to Incarcerated Bob and see if we can get it started

may as well, it seems to be how the Clippers are operating at the moment.. all the 'other' possibility and 'walk away' talk is coming from Clipper media people and are obvious leaks

Seriously though, Danny should be exploring other options if LA refuse to budge... surely there are other teams out there who could use a guy like KG and a coach like Doc, while you could start speaking with them about other options as well.. Why get hung up on the idea of the LA Clippers if they are giving you next to nothing?

Jordans contract is 2 years, like KG and he would be getting paid MORE than we are paying for Kevin freakin Garnett... the two picks would be in the late 20's and we lose our coach for nothing, what's the incentive?

No salary cap savings, no real assets, no real help rebuilding.. really confuses me why this hasn't been walked away from yet

We make this deal, we are still paying the same amount of money for a worse team... we are going to have to separately try and unload Terry, Lee and Bass... Pierce will likely be on the way out.. we don't bottom out for a high pick or have the chance to improve into a contender

What's the play here?

The deal is that it looks like Doc will never coach a Celtic team again. That could push Garnett to retire -- he has said many times that he would only play for Doc. If he retires, his salary remains in the payroll, at least in terms of the salary cap. That would mean $12MM in each of the next two seasons. I'm not sure that meshes well with Danny Ainge's plans.

[Justin33]

Trade rondo for josh smith. Waive Paul. Sign cp3. Boom roasted, sterling.

/ green

Waiving paul does not get you under the cap how can you sighn CP3

[sully00]

Sully was kidding. It's not an actual story. And it probably wouldn't open many possibilities. Houston wouldn't give up Asik for KG. Best we would get is TRob/Lin

If Chris Paul goes to the Rockets and says I will sign on the dotted line if you acquire KG you think they would balk at sending Asik for KG?

Hope we get to find out.

He wouldn't though. He might say that about Dwight, which could force Houston take below market value for Asik, but Houston would be very much against trading him for KG. Asik's young, already elite defensively and on a pretty good contract. Highly doubt CP3 would force their hand and make them trade a good player for one year of KG, especially if Paul's gonna be there the next 4+ years

He just told the Clippers if they land Doc and KG he will sign why wouldn't he make the same offer to HOU assuming he wants to play for McHale?

[Celtics_Champs]

Trade rondo for josh smith. Waive Paul. Sign cp3. Boom roasted, sterling.

/ green

Waiving paul does not get you under the cap how can you sighn CP3

Green font meaning sarcasm or kidding. Though I did think a variation of that is possible, guess not, it's one of those super team dream posts we used to get a lot back when it was in play.

[UConn celt]

If Chris Paul goes to the Rockets and says I will sign on the dotted line if you acquire KG you think they would balk at sending Asik for KG?

Hope we get to find out.

He wouldn't though. He might say that about Dwight, which could force Houston take below market value for Asik, but Houston would be very much against trading him for KG. Asik's young, already elite defensively and on a pretty good contract. Highly doubt CP3 would force their hand and make them trade a good player for one year of KG, especially if Paul's gonna be there the next 4+ years

He just told the Clippers if they land Doc and KG he will sign why wouldn't he make the same offer to HOU assuming he wants to play for McHale?

Because by all accounts he really likes being in LA and would much prefer to stay there than go to Houston. Also, Asik is better than Jordan, so swapping Jordan for KG is much more desirable than swapping Asik for KG. And if Houston really felt CP wanted to play there and wanted KG to join him, they would try like hell to pair KG & Asik. Would very possibly give them the best defensive frontcourt in the league and the most dynamic backcourt. But all Houston could really offer for that is Lin/TRob. And I think Lin's deal is worse than Jordan's.

I don't want to get too sidetracked here because there's nothing to suggest this will ever happen.

[15th overall]

How is Ainge getting flack for this? He didn't make the deal, and it's a no lose situation. He can always bring back KG and let Doc go to TNT.

I think budging on Bledsoe so quickly was a HUGE mistake. The potential deals have gotten progressively worse since then.

What did you want Ainge to do? The Clippers turned that offer down.

I think people have to understand the scenario here there seems to be some confusion.

The Clippers called and asked to speak to Doc Rivers and were turned down.

After checking with Doc and KG Ainge called back and said you can have Doc and KG for Bledsoe, Jordan and two first round draft picks and the Clippers said no. They said you can have Jordan and draft pick.

Ainge calls back and says okay I want Jordan and 2 firsts and you have to take back Terry and Lee. The Clippers said no and said you can have Jordan and a draft pick.

This isn't the Clippers offering to trade for KG and/or Doc this is Ainge's play. The Clippers know they are basically trading for two guys who otherwise are going to retire. Ainge needs another option and bringing them back isn't one.

I'd like to see him stand his ground and not give up on landing LA's biggest trade asset after half a day. Let them feel the heat a bit when the reality that they may not be doing enough to appease Chris Paul reallyyy starts to sink in.

This falls through and we miss out on Deandre Jordan and a pick thatll barely be a first rounder.. while they could lose their best player, a legit shot at a title and any work they may have done to shed the perception that their franchise is a total joke. You've GOTTA take advantage of that if your Ainge.

[Captain_Caveman]

I'm sick of this ****.

Time to watch the world burn, Danny.

Let Doc walk to TNT, KG retire and Chris Paul flee the premises because the Clippers wouldn't include another late first.

No one will blame you.

[The Corey's]

Call their bluff. Make it impossible for them to keep cp3 and then do a sign and trade for him and send them rondo. Kg and doc have wanted him for a while.

Yea that works out best!

[bendyone]

Gather your ravens people.....winter is coming...

[Captain_Caveman]

Call their bluff. Make it impossible for them to keep cp3 and then do a sign and trade for him and send them rondo. Kg and doc have wanted him for a while.

Yea that works out best!

I would trade Pierce to any team that needs the cap room to poach Chris Paul from them.

BURN IT DOWN DANNY

[smith2373]

I hope I'm not alone in thinking that Danny is better off getting nothing than trading KG, Doc and essentially Pierce for an overpaid DeAndre Jordan and a late 1st in one of the worst drafts ever.

[Justin33]

Call their bluff. Make it impossible for them to keep cp3 and then do a sign and trade for him and send them rondo. Kg and doc have wanted him for a while.

Yea that works out best!

I would trade Pierce to any team that needs the cap room to poach Chris Paul from them.

BURN IT DOWN DANNY

Would you take on Lin and Robinson for Pierce

[15th overall]

I think it's fair to question whether Danny's personal relationship with Doc has softened his stance in negotiating.

[CollegeToPros]

Danny Ainge needs to deal his hand as if he has nothing to lose and I believe he is.

the clippers are beyond dumb to push Danny. He has had many deals fall through and he is not afraid to walk away and leave them screwed.

oh sure Brian Shaw will make CP3 stay? Would you like to bet your best players on that thought clippers? Didn't think so.

I don't care about them or what they want. I'm holding out for Bledsoe. They want to play hard ball, well they picked the wrong team and guy to do play that with.

I'd walk away.

[CollegeToPros]

I think it's fair to question whether Danny's personal relationship with Doc has softened his stance in negotiating.

Absolutely. If this was a team that Doc and KG didn't have to give the OK to go to, Danny would have told them to go f themselves.

[The Corey's]

While we're on it. Lets talk about the obvious.

Pierce as a Celtic is basically over. Certainly not winning anymore championships with him and I think it's clear (thankfully) that the celtics are bracing for a tank job next year and pierce would be a bit counter productive for that. However keep him until the deadline next year. SOMEONE will be in desperate need of him and willing to pony up.

That's the leverage they have. Makes no sense to cut him loose for nothing

[Captain_Caveman]

Call their bluff. Make it impossible for them to keep cp3 and then do a sign and trade for him and send them rondo. Kg and doc have wanted him for a while.

Yea that works out best!

I would trade Pierce to any team that needs the cap room to poach Chris Paul from them.

BURN IT DOWN DANNY

Would you take on Lin and Robinson for Pierce

Ehh... lol.

BUT YES IF IT MEANT CHRIS PAUL SIGNED WITH HOUSTON