Free Agency, Rumors, Thoughts in General 2.0

[HartfordWhalers]

Ainge just needs to accept that Billy King, Colangelo, Valde etc are no longer in the league, so he will need to pay full price in trades.

(Or trade with Detroit, Minnesota....)

[Resistance]

Ainge just needs to accept that Billy King, Colangelo, Valde etc are no longer in the league, so he will need to pay full price in trades.

(Or trade with Detroit, Minnesota....)

I don't have those Front Offices able to screw up a trade of Towns (Minnesota) or Grant (Detroit) enough to make Ainge happy.

[Buzzard]

I am sure Ainge offered a lot of his war chest for Collins. Sorry Danny but that does not translate to a 2021 lottery pick. Trade for one of those or work in a 3rd team and we can talk again.

[Texas Chuck]

I am sure Ainge offered a lot of his war chest for Collins. Sorry Danny but that does not translate to a 2021 lottery pick. Trade for one of those or work in a 3rd team and we can talk again.

Source? I hadn't heard this anywhere.

[Buzzard]

I am sure Ainge offered a lot of his war chest for Collins. Sorry Danny but that does not translate to a 2021 lottery pick. Trade for one of those or work in a 3rd team and we can talk again.

Source? I hadn't heard this anywhere.

Just assuming based off two recent rumors. Reading the tea leaves as you put it last week. Its why I said " I am sure " and not " it was reported ".

Rumor #1 Hawks reported asking price for Collins.
Rumor #2 Ainge having discussions and being close a couple of times.

[zimpy27]

Breaking.

Read on Twitter

Now this is just getting embarrassing.

Nah, this has become my favourite running gag in all of the NBA

[Buzzard]

Breaking.

Read on Twitter

Now this is just getting embarrassing.

Nah, this has become my favourite running gag in all of the NBA

I don't really know why he talks about failed attempts so much. Even more so when talks can be ongoing for another month. But he does

[zimpy27]

Now this is just getting embarrassing.

Nah, this has become my favourite running gag in all of the NBA

I don't really know why he talks about failed attempts so much. Even more so when talks can be ongoing for another month. But he does

Ego. I think winning trades has become more important to him than winning basketball games.

[jbk1234]

Now this is just getting embarrassing.

Nah, this has become my favourite running gag in all of the NBA

I don't really know why he talks about failed attempts so much. Even more so when talks can be ongoing for another month. But he does

I'm left with the distinct impression that the talks never get as close as he publicly portrays. I mean if they get close, and you really want a guy, you up the ante and get it done. *What more are you looking for* is a question you're allowed to ask.

[kg01]

Breaking.

Read on Twitter

Now this is just getting embarrassing.

Nah, this has become my favourite running gag in all of the NBA

Agreed. I can hardly decide between this and the "Ben Simmons is still a rookie" thing.

[Buzzard]

Nah, this has become my favourite running gag in all of the NBA

I don't really know why he talks about failed attempts so much. Even more so when talks can be ongoing for another month. But he does

Ego. I think winning trades has become more important to him than winning basketball games.

It keeps him in the basketball news for sure. I just don't think talking about failed attempts is the best strategy. Even more so if you are competing with other teams who are actively engaged in talks. This kind of lets them know he does not have a good enough package in mind.

That is my hot take. But I always been a fan of keeping your cards close to your chest.

[zimpy27]

Now this is just getting embarrassing.

Nah, this has become my favourite running gag in all of the NBA

Agreed. I can hardly decide between this and the "Ben Simmons is still a rookie" thing.

Got to go with Ainge. Simmons one is fan perpetuated but this is actually Danny Ainge ironically trying to perpetuate his own legend

[cl2117]

Nah, this has become my favourite running gag in all of the NBA

I don't really know why he talks about failed attempts so much. Even more so when talks can be ongoing for another month. But he does

I'm left with the distinct impression that the talks never get as close as he publicly portrays. I mean if they get close, and you really want a guy, you up the ante and get it done. *What more are you looking for* is a question you're allowed to ask.

Smitty did a great piece where he surveyed GMs and Assistant GMs on what it's like dealing with Ainge. Thought it was a really interesting read:

https://www.celticsblog.com/2021/1/19/22237956/what-is-it-really-like-to-talk-trades-with-danny-ainge-boston-celtics

[jbk1234]

I don't really know why he talks about failed attempts so much. Even more so when talks can be ongoing for another month. But he does

I'm left with the distinct impression that the talks never get as close as he publicly portrays. I mean if they get close, and you really want a guy, you up the ante and get it done. *What more are you looking for* is a question you're allowed to ask.

Smitty did a great piece where he surveyed GMs and Assistant GMs on what it's like dealing with Ainge. Thought it was a really interesting read:

https://www.celticsblog.com/2021/1/19/22237956/what-is-it-really-like-to-talk-trades-with-danny-ainge-boston-celtics

I read it, but it never really addressed this aspect of the dynamic. Is he actually getting close and missing, or is he not really getting that close?

[cl2117]

I'm left with the distinct impression that the talks never get as close as he publicly portrays. I mean if they get close, and you really want a guy, you up the ante and get it done. *What more are you looking for* is a question you're allowed to ask.

Smitty did a great piece where he surveyed GMs and Assistant GMs on what it's like dealing with Ainge. Thought it was a really interesting read:

https://www.celticsblog.com/2021/1/19/22237956/what-is-it-really-like-to-talk-trades-with-danny-ainge-boston-celtics

I read it, but it never really addressed this aspect of the dynamic. Is he actually getting close and missing, or is he not really getting that close?

I thought it kind of shed some light on the perspective of other people as to whether he was, but the response was basically mixed:

How often do you think Boston has really been “close” to trading for a star player?

· An Eastern Conference Executive: “Look, trading away a star or trading for a star is the hardest thing you can ever do in this league. It’s pretty rare that you don’t give up too much or get too little. Because Boston has had so many extra picks and good, young players on good contracts, I bet they have gotten close a lot.”

· An Eastern Conference Assistant GM: “Close is so hard to define. We don’t call something close until we are running it by our owner. I guess it matters what you consider close. I think sometimes we say ‘We got close’ when what we really meant was ‘We tried”. For example, we made an offer when Anthony Davis was on the market. Were we close? No. Did we try? Yes. But it’s all about how you define it.”

· An Eastern Conference Assistant GM: “You know how the game works. We offer a top-55 protected second round pick for an All-NBA guy and we can tell the media and fans ‘Well, we tried to trade for him, but couldn’t make a deal’. That’s probably some of what is going on with Boston. Maybe not that extreme, but you get it. It’s about looking good and in some markets that matters. Especially when you’ve been around for as long as Danny has.”

· A Western Conference Assistant GM: “Probably not, but that’s more about it being really hard to make a trade. I’m not exaggerating to say that maybe 1% of the trades we talk actually happen. And I mean trades that are real, not just asking about someone. Trades that are actually legal and could be done.

Do the math. That means we aren’t close very often. In terms of numbers, Boston probably isn’t close. But if Danny or Mike or anyone there says they were close, it probably means they got it past just exchanging names.”

· An Eastern Conference Executive: “I’m sure they got close a lot of the times Danny said they did. But you have to understand, sometimes those are things we say to pacify the media and fans. No one wants the GM who just sits on their hands. That works in San Antonio, because they win all the time. Anywhere else, the fans expect you to be active. And with a million extra picks, I’m sure Danny was under pressure to make moves.

Feels like it's basically a mix. It's not all BS, but a lot of it definitely is just trying to pacify fans.

Sounds like sometimes they get close and it just doesn't work out or he walks away. Other times they get past exchanging names, but not much further and he chalks it up as "close" to save face. Feel like we'll never know since most GM's don't talk/leak to the media nearly as much, so you don't normally hear the other side as to whether it was legit or not and just have to take it with a massive grain of salt.

I honestly hope for his sake that he's in on the joke at this stage.

[Dadouv47]

will end up making a bad trade after feeling the pressure to make a move.

...or they will never make a trade again

[NYG]

Is anyone likely to give up incentive to save either immediate and/or long-term salary?

[Scoot McGroot]

Read on Twitter

?s=20

Woj is saying this is the maximum they can offer him in a 2 year extension, which....it shouldn't be? Am I missing something? 20% raise would allow for a 2 year extension of $52.4m, so this is roughly 85% of what he should be eligible for on a short term extension. Either way, it had been reported he turned down a 4/$113m extension (which would've been his max extension) from Indiana before they traded him for Levert.

All kinds of weird. But yeah, he's betting on himself and he's hitting free agency.

[aguiar95]

Read on Twitter

?s=20

Woj is saying this is the maximum they can offer him in a 2 year extension, which....it shouldn't be? Am I missing something? 20% raise would allow for a 2 year extension of $52.4m, so this is roughly 85% of what he should be eligible for on a short term extension. Either way, it had been reported he turned down a 4/$113m extension (which would've been his max extension) from Indiana before they traded him for Levert.

All kinds of weird. But yeah, he's betting on himself and he's hitting free agency.

Maybe he just want to play for a winning team like Miami and doesn't want to get stuck in a rebuilding team.

[NYG]

Thybulle, Green and 76ers 1st for Oladipo?