15 Apr 2019 01:02:02
Crazy scenario for Boston.

Imagine Boston gets the #2 pick vua Sacramento. This jump in the lottery make the Grizzlies pick convey this year as well.

With their 4 picks, Boston drafts Ja Morant, Bol Bol, Edwards from Purdue and Williams from Tennessee.

Let Irving walk this year and Horford next year. Resign Rozier at the same number as Smart. Tell New Orleans to pound sand about trading for AD.

1.) 15 Apr 2019
15 Apr 2019 10:09:10
Yup, that's crazy. Problem is, Ainge isn't crazy. He's pretty damned smart and he wants AD. He will probably get AD.
The other issue I have with this, is they are a championship driven team. They could or would not have 4 rookies on that team. If they were a lottery team, I might see This, but they are not.
Why would they rebuild now, when they could be close to winning #18?

2.) 15 Apr 2019
15 Apr 2019 15:01:05
I don't think Ainge would draft Bol, unless it was too good to pass up. Proven players are still worth more than draft picks. ZW is garnering hype, and maybe he is the next James, but that's at least a few seasons away, AD is gift wrapped, ready to go.

3.) 15 Apr 2019
15 Apr 2019 15:02:09
it wouldn't be so much a rebuild as a retool, and I've thought about this as well. I like AD a lot, but it really depends on how much they want for him and if they think he will actually stick around.

Either way, the trade for AD and the decision on Kyrie can't happen until after the draft, and I really doubt that NO would want anyone other than Morant at #2, so you have time to think. Ja could easily be the best player to come out of this draft, and with him already in tow, they have a lot of bargaining power on what else goes to NO. If Griffin is stubborn on wanting too much, DA should feel comfortable moving forward.

The ideal would be if Memphis' pick wound up at 4. That would give them someone worthwhile, but probably not an immediate impact like the top two or three guys should have. I don't think I would take Bol at 9 anyway. I'm looking at him with that Clippers pick being a good gamble, but 9 is a bit too high for my taste.

4.) 15 Apr 2019
15 Apr 2019 15:03:13
Many reasons why JoeB, including that they do not look like a serious Championship contender right now, don’t have any control whether Kyrie comes back or not, and understand that with no Kyrie, AD is unlikely to re-sign there after next season.

I will give Ainge something, he is smart. If he goes into this offseason with the feeling that Kyrie could walk, and can’t close an AD deal that possibly will convince Irving to stay, I could see a mini reset.

5.) 15 Apr 2019
15 Apr 2019 18:24:05
The best part is that they have the assets to keep retooling as is. They've actually played very well when Kyrie sits, despite him being their most talented player. That could just be an anomaly, but it does go to show the talent on the rest of the roster. If they have the opportunity to bring in a Morant, they might see that as being just as good, and then they don't have to deal with the Kyrie headaches that seem to follow him around.

Even if they don't bring in that top pick, they might decide they feel fine moving forward with Rozier and paying the man. Either way, Kyrie/ AD or the rest of the young pieces they currently have, they should have a pretty lengthy championship window. It'll be very interesting to see what direction Danny goes.

6.) 15 Apr 2019
15 Apr 2019 19:37:56
I was also thinking a "retooled" Celtics roster will still be competitve against a Raptors team minus Kwahi, a 76ers team minus one of their FAs and a limited Embiid, and a Milwaukee team that has its own FAs to resign and limited financial market.

7.) 15 Apr 2019
15 Apr 2019 21:18:13
Bledsoe opted for the most friendly contract possible. The Bucks are sitting pretty going into next season. Even if they lose 2 players they would like to keep.