SelbyCobra wrote:Deeeez Knicks wrote:Old news, but still....damn. Hornets should have took the deal and runThe Celtics offered the 16th pick, No. 15 (acquired in a prearranged contingency deal with the Atlanta Hawks), one unprotected future Brooklyn pick, and a future first-rounder from either the Memphis Grizzlies or Minnesota Timberwolves.
Some members of the Hornets' front office wanted to do the deal with the Celtics, but Michael Jordan preferred Kaminsky over first rounders outside the lottery.
Lets not forget - every other team in position to accept this deal turned it down, too. It wasn't just MJ. Riley turned it down, as did others. This story hasn't died because Ainge is trying desperately to spin the "stupidity" of others instead of the reality that the majority of this situation is because he misjudged pick value drastically and is sitting on less than he thought.
Instead of trying to mock Jordan exclusively, we should also be coming to the realization that all the maneuvering, trading, and stockpiling that Ainge has done and been sweated for has amounted to nothing even remotely significant at this point. I mean, the guy literally tried to cash his chips in and was denied. He couldn't even get the 9th/10th pick in the draft for the years of work at accumulation.
For the past 3 years Ainge has basically done everything that a lot of the people lamenting the lack of a "full-rebuild" here clamor for, and despite some drooling from message boards over the amount of picks he's acquired, there's essentially nothing of major value...at this point.
I dont think all of Ainges picks are that valuable where he was getting a superstar, but that was a lot to give up to move up a few spots.
The whole thing is pretty funny though...Ainge trying to cash his chips in for Winslow, failing, and being so salty about it.
