The latest rumors/news after today's signings

[The Corey's]

All due respect to smitty but come on man.

You got Shaquille o **** Neal name dropping realgm on tnt 7 times a week.

No way you should think that realgm is a place to drop news that isn't getting out there

[Asian Celtic]

I do remember being surprised at Doc's ability to dig in during his, uh, own trade negotiations when he traded for himself.

Tons of leaks and media back and forth through sources, and he ultimately got a cheaper deal than I imagined he would. He also managed to get the league involved and block any player movement which was a smart move.

Weird since all of his other moves have been bad value.

On another note, the mega trade idea is exciting and the ability of that team to attack the rim would have the potential to cause problems. But dumping the entire asset chest is a little disappointing. Smart, Brown, Brooklyn 17, Memphis pick plus smaller stuff has the potential to be the best trade haul in a very long time.

Yeah, I hope if this goes through, we don't empty the cupboard. We need something to fall back on if things don't work out. A Brooklyn pick and a couple of young guys would've been the insurance. That's why I'm cool with just standing pat unless we get a star on a bargain price. (Good read: http://basketball.realgm.com/article/242963/Why-The-Celtics-Should-Hunker-Down-Not-Disrupt-Asset-Base )

Here are some available FAs to add to the hypothetical superteam:
Shooters: Budinger, Novak, D.Wright, K-Mart, Bonner
Bigs: McGee, Sanders, J.Thompson, Gooden, Perk, R.Evans

Spot on. I see a lot of "Patience" being hinted on from DA and IT but i don't see anything patient with trying to land both WB and BG. Leaning on actually having only one of em and having either brown or the bk17 pick for keeps. Being a rookie while experiencing playoff contention would do wonders in the development department.

[Captain_Caveman]

No, you're free to go on believing, as I said. And you and multiple national reporters claimed he was looking at GSW. Good on you, but that's not why Harden was traded. Many OKC fans thought one of Serge or Kanter would be traded too. That tidbit alone wasn't even insider information. So there's your fraction of a thousand.

You can try to present info as an insider all you like, but that's the truth, and feel free to believe what you want, I've got it from a source who spoke to a player on the team. I've been over it too many times.

Solid info on KD's preferences only worth a fraction of a thousand? Tough crowd lol. What does that make your info worth, then?

FWIW, I'd heard it as a strong possibility before Woj and Spears put it out there, and when I read Woj's article(s), I brought it back to people who confirmed it that it was more than a strong possibility.

Posted as much on this forum half a dozen times since then, even calling them frontrunners for the guy. This wasn't based on some "player on the team", but like half a dozen guys who are as decorated as they come, all of whom who spoke to KD directly before he signed there.

Considering he was ready to buy a house literally a day or 2 before the meetings in OKC, I wouldn't call them frontrunners. They got him, but he wasn't leaning that way very long.

And I'd take the word of someone who spoke directly to a guy over "multiple sources" if you will. But hey like I said believe what you want.

Geez, man. Not even trying to kick you too hard when you are down, but you know he plays for them now, right?

I know for sure that I posted here several months ago that the Ws core group thought they had him, because he told them as much. And while I wasn't inner circle on it in real time, my dude knew the Ws had him 3 days in advance, before his FA meetings even started. Again, because KD told them so. Only question was whether he would get cold feet and do the 1+1 out of loyalty to you.

FWIW, when I am saying "half a dozen guys", all of them have played in the league and won at least one title in it. The least accomplished of these guys ended your season by going nuclear in Game 6. Or arguably, perhaps the guy who won five titles, not sure. Take your pick.

[LarryBirdsFingr]

Solid info on KD's preferences only worth a fraction of a thousand? Tough crowd lol. What does that make your info worth, then?

FWIW, I'd heard it as a strong possibility before Woj and Spears put it out there, and when I read Woj's article(s), I brought it back to people who confirmed it that it was more than a strong possibility.

Posted as much on this forum half a dozen times since then, even calling them frontrunners for the guy. This wasn't based on some "player on the team", but like half a dozen guys who are as decorated as they come, all of whom who spoke to KD directly before he signed there.

Considering he was ready to buy a house literally a day or 2 before the meetings in OKC, I wouldn't call them frontrunners. They got him, but he wasn't leaning that way very long.

And I'd take the word of someone who spoke directly to a guy over "multiple sources" if you will. But hey like I said believe what you want.

Geez, man. Not even trying to kick you too hard when you are down, but you know he plays for them now, right?

I know for sure that I posted here several months ago that the Ws core group thought they had him, because he told them as much. And while I wasn't inner circle on it in real time, my dude knew the Ws had him 3 days in advance, before his FA meetings even started. Again, because KD told them so. Only question was whether he would get cold feet and do the 1+1 out of loyalty to you.

FWIW, when I am saying "half a dozen guys", all of them have played in the league and won at least one title in it. The least accomplished of these guys ended your season by going nuclear in Game 6. Or arguably, perhaps the guy who won five titles, not sure. Take your pick.

3 bottles deep who's the douche caveman

[bondom34]

Geez, man. Not even trying to kick you too hard when you are down, but you know he plays for them now, right?

I know for sure that I posted here several months ago that the Ws core group thought they had him, because he told them as much. And while I wasn't inner circle on it in real time, my dude knew the Ws had him 3 days in advance, before his FA meetings even started. Again, because KD told them so. Only question was whether he would get cold feet and do the 1+1 out of loyalty to you.

FWIW, when I am saying "half a dozen guys", all of them have played in the league and won at least one title in it. The least accomplished of these guys ended your season by going nuclear in Game 6. Or arguably, perhaps the guy who won five titles, not sure. Take your pick.

Yeah I know, but saying you knew this beforehand isn't possible, considering he was ready to buy a house in OKC then. And I have that from a source as well.

From a local board:

Spoiler:

So, in this case, I'm not buying it that he was decided and given his penchant for fast emotional decisions, he seemed ready to stay in OKC. FWIW, when you say this half dozen guys knew something apparently KD himself didn't. So it seems tough for them to know.

[LarryBirdsFingr]

Geez, man. Not even trying to kick you too hard when you are down, but you know he plays for them now, right?

I know for sure that I posted here several months ago that the Ws core group thought they had him, because he told them as much. And while I wasn't inner circle on it in real time, my dude knew the Ws had him 3 days in advance, before his FA meetings even started. Again, because KD told them so. Only question was whether he would get cold feet and do the 1+1 out of loyalty to you.

FWIW, when I am saying "half a dozen guys", all of them have played in the league and won at least one title in it. The least accomplished of these guys ended your season by going nuclear in Game 6. Or arguably, perhaps the guy who won five titles, not sure. Take your pick.

Yeah I know, but saying you knew this beforehand isn't possible, considering he was ready to buy a house in OKC then. And I have that from a source as well.

From a local board:

Spoiler:

So, in this case, I'm not buying it that he was decided and given his penchant for fast emotional decisions, he seemed ready to stay in OKC. FWIW, when you say this half dozen guys knew something apparently KD himself didn't. So it seems tough for them to know.

caveman is probably the most reliable dude on this board, especially when it comes to west coast stuff, but whatevs

[ConstableGeneva]

I do remember being surprised at Doc's ability to dig in during his, uh, own trade negotiations when he traded for himself.

Tons of leaks and media back and forth through sources, and he ultimately got a cheaper deal than I imagined he would. He also managed to get the league involved and block any player movement which was a smart move.

Weird since all of his other moves have been bad value.

On another note, the mega trade idea is exciting and the ability of that team to attack the rim would have the potential to cause problems. But dumping the entire asset chest is a little disappointing. Smart, Brown, Brooklyn 17, Memphis pick plus smaller stuff has the potential to be the best trade haul in a very long time.

Yeah, I hope if this goes through, we don't empty the cupboard. We need something to fall back on if things don't work out. A Brooklyn pick and a couple of young guys would've been the insurance. That's why I'm cool with just standing pat unless we get a star on a bargain price. (Good read: http://basketball.realgm.com/article/242963/Why-The-Celtics-Should-Hunker-Down-Not-Disrupt-Asset-Base )

Here are some available FAs to add to the hypothetical superteam:
Shooters: Budinger, Novak, D.Wright, K-Mart, Bonner
Bigs: McGee, Sanders, J.Thompson, Gooden, Perk, R.Evans

Spot on. I see a lot of "Patience" being hinted on from DA and IT but i don't see anything patient with trying to land both WB and BG. Leaning on actually having only one of em and having either brown or the bk17 pick for keeps. Being a rookie while experiencing playoff contention would do wonders in the development department.

It's not financially prudent either. If Blake opted out in the summer, which he will, he'll be owed 30M in the 1st year of his new contract. So now the team has $82M tied up to just three players (if Westbrook agreed to an extension) with Bradley, IT, and KO's paydays looming in the next two years. Cavs (Love, Irving) and Warriors (Green, Klay) signed parts of their cores to long-term deals before the cap jump so they're ahead of the curve in that regard. Celtics are locked into that core without much maneuverability in terms of adding quality depth because you already traded away all of your premium picks and prospects on rookie contracts.

I could see Ainge trading for one star, but not both. But the most likely scenario IMO is we stand pat, draft with the Brooklyn pick, and just try to sign a max FA again in the summer.

[return2glory]

Am I the only one that thinks Blake Griffin is overrated?

[bondom34]

Geez, man. Not even trying to kick you too hard when you are down, but you know he plays for them now, right?

I know for sure that I posted here several months ago that the Ws core group thought they had him, because he told them as much. And while I wasn't inner circle on it in real time, my dude knew the Ws had him 3 days in advance, before his FA meetings even started. Again, because KD told them so. Only question was whether he would get cold feet and do the 1+1 out of loyalty to you.

FWIW, when I am saying "half a dozen guys", all of them have played in the league and won at least one title in it. The least accomplished of these guys ended your season by going nuclear in Game 6. Or arguably, perhaps the guy who won five titles, not sure. Take your pick.

Yeah I know, but saying you knew this beforehand isn't possible, considering he was ready to buy a house in OKC then. And I have that from a source as well.

From a local board:

Spoiler:

So, in this case, I'm not buying it that he was decided and given his penchant for fast emotional decisions, he seemed ready to stay in OKC. FWIW, when you say this half dozen guys knew something apparently KD himself didn't. So it seems tough for them to know.

caveman is probably the most reliable dude on this board, especially when it comes to west coast stuff, but whatevs

Cool, but I'd trust someone in OKC for news in OKC. Which fwiw isn't west coast (though obviously Oakland is).

3 bottles deep who's the douche caveman

Also no idea what this was in reference to but it really made me laugh , thanks.

You guys have a really strong fanbase on here, just want to say I appreciate the back and forth with no attacks or whatnot. Its cool to be able to drop in and feel somewhat welcome on a team's board, even if you disagree. Good luck all.

[ConstableGeneva]

Am I the only one that thinks Blake Griffin is overrated?

I don't know if he'll return to form after his injuries this year, but he was 3rd in MVP voting in 2014 and averaged 26/10/6 (24.8 PER, .557 TS%) in the 2015 playoffs. He's pretty good. Top 15 player in my book when healthy. People who are saying he's all flash, can't shoot, doesn't do much else, etc. haven't been watching him the past couple of years.

[robbie84]

Am I the only one that thinks Blake Griffin is overrated?

Yeah as Crowderkeg says above,he was phenomenal for them when last healhty.
Vs the Spurs and Rockets he averaged something like 26 pts , 12.5 rebounds and 7 assists per game.

[Captain_Caveman]

Yeah I know, but saying you knew this beforehand isn't possible, considering he was ready to buy a house in OKC then. And I have that from a source as well.

From a local board:

Spoiler:

So, in this case, I'm not buying it that he was decided and given his penchant for fast emotional decisions, he seemed ready to stay in OKC. FWIW, when you say this half dozen guys knew something apparently KD himself didn't. So it seems tough for them to know.

Funny you keep bringing up real estate, because he also sold a house there in March.

http://newsok.com/article/5490059

My understanding is that he owns multiple properties there and around the country, fwiw. I think some people are putting too much stock in that. Which is especially strange to do in hindsight.

As to KD's preferences, all I can tell you is that the Ws core felt strongly that they had him for several months, and certainly by the start of free agency. May have been a little fog of war there at the end, but the results do in fact speak for themselves on that. The Ws knew about his plans than the Thunder did, in any event.

Shoot, you are citing a source here as unassailable who was guaranteeing KD's return right up until the bitter end. Shouldn't subsequent events give you a little pause on that?

[bondom34]

Yeah I know, but saying you knew this beforehand isn't possible, considering he was ready to buy a house in OKC then. And I have that from a source as well.

From a local board:

Spoiler:

So, in this case, I'm not buying it that he was decided and given his penchant for fast emotional decisions, he seemed ready to stay in OKC. FWIW, when you say this half dozen guys knew something apparently KD himself didn't. So it seems tough for them to know.

Funny you keep bringing up real estate, because he also sold a house there in March.

http://newsok.com/article/5490059

My understanding is that he owns multiple properties there and around the country, fwiw. I think some people are putting too much stock in that. Which is especially strange to do in hindsight.

As to KD's preferences, all I can tell you is that the Ws core felt strongly that they had him for several months, and certainly by the start of free agency. May have been a little fog of war there at the end, but the results do in fact speak for themselves on that. The Ws knew about his plans than the Thunder did, in any event.

Shoot, you are citing a source here as unassailable who was guaranteeing KD's return right up until the bitter end. Shouldn't subsequent events give you a little pause on that?

Subsequent events just confirm what everyone said, he's easily swayed. And he was selling that house for years, that was expected. What is odd is buying a house in OKC before leaving. Owning property in Miami and LA is normal. OKC? Not so much unless you're local. GSW may have felt strongly, but KD didn't, until the very end. He left, but it wasn't some sure thing until that day.

[Captain_Caveman]

GSW may have felt strongly, but KD didn't, until the very end. He left, but it wasn't some sure thing until that day.

He just told them otherwise for **** and giggles, I guess.

Bottom line, at the end of the day, your plugged in guys weren't very plugged in at all. Never have been, probably never will be. Royce Young is a hack beatwriter for a backwater paper who not only hasn't broken anything, ever, but who was gloriously deadass wrong about his homertastic "KD is staying" prediction.

There is no reason to listen to him about anything. Who is this player he talks to anyways? Nick Collison? Whoever it was, it was no one who had a clue what was happening with KD, that part is proven.

Contrast with guys like Steph Curry, Draymond, Iguodala, Klay, Kerr and Jerry West.

[LarryBirdsFingr]

FA-->BOS--->Jerry west---->GSW in simple terms

[bondom34]

GSW may have felt strongly, but KD didn't, until the very end. He left, but it wasn't some sure thing until that day.

He just told them otherwise for **** and giggles, I guess.

Bottom line, at the end of the day, your plugged in guys weren't very plugged in at all. Never have been, probably never will be. Royce Young is a hack beatwriter for a backwater paper who not only hasn't broken anything, ever, but who was gloriously deadass wrong about his homertastic "KD is staying" prediction.

There is no reason to listen to him about anything. Who is this player he talks to anyways? Nick Collison? Whoever it was, it was no one who had a clue what was happening with KD, that part is proven.

Contrast with guys like Steph Curry, Draymond, Iguodala, Klay, Kerr and Jerry West.

Bottom line, you don't know. Sorry, you don't.

It was Eric Maynor, on the team then. The other OKC mod spoke with him.

And even KD didn't have a clue, so claiming you did really doesn't show anything.

And tbh, you claiming you've known these things is equally wrong.

[LarryBirdsFingr]

Dre like to talk when he drinks, all I'm sayin

[LarryBirdsFingr]

love ya tho bondom you guys have a great board over there,all in good fun

[LarryBirdsFingr]

Am I the only one that thinks Blake Griffin is overrated?

yeah he kinda blows compared to his potential cost to acquire tbh, cute spacing for dunks and keeping defenders honest in the paint and in transition but if he isn't dunking or passing he's useless

[pfm]

Am I the only one that thinks Blake Griffin is overrated?

yeah he kinda blows compared to his potential cost to acquire tbh, cute spacing for dunks and keeping defenders honest in the paint and in transition but if he isn't dunking or passing he's useless

Obviously depends on the cost, but I think you're dismissing his strengths a bit easily here. Elite rim finisher, elite transition big, elite passing big, excellent PnR big, very good rebounder, and has developed into a solid mid range shooter. All things that would be huge on our team. I think playing with DAJ has hurt him a offensively as well as DAJ can only score at the rim, which is also Griffin's biggest strength. It has forced Griffin to develop a mid range range (which isn't bad), but has also greatly restricted the part of the court where he operates best. Horford would be a excellent compliment with his ability to space, ability as a plus defender, and you know Brad would love having 2 good passing bigs.

This isn't to say he doesn't have flaws. Average defender, injury prone, relies on his athleticism, and potentially some attitude issues. Those aren't to be discounted either, but his strengths (and there are a lot of them) fit this team really well. If he can stay healthy he'd be a massive upgrade.