Ainge: Well, you almost did it in 2004.
Lurch: Did what?
Ainge: Won the whole enchilada.
Lurch: Yeah, but then we imploded.
Ainge: Refresh my memory. I don't recall what happened.
Lurch: Sprewell wanted a max contract, and rejected our $21 million offer over three years which was about $14 million more than any other team was willing to pay him. Cassell wanted to renegotiate his contract two years before it was due to expire. Not getting what they wanted, those two proceeded to kill team chemistry for the next year. We then tried to replace those two guys with role players who had even bigger and uglier contracts. So we went from paying character risks big money on big contracts to paying talent risks even bigger money on even bigger contracts.
Ainge: Yeah, and Mark Blount was both a talent risk and a character risk.
Lurch: Good point.
Ainge: Moral of the story?
Lurch: Invest long-term only in your best bets, and keep everyone else on short money.
Ainge: Easier said than done. Your theory will surely be put to the test this summer, because the Celtics will either hit a home run with Maggette or be stuck filling out the roster with .186 hitters who are asked to hit home runs.
Lurch: Come on, Danny. You know I don't understand those baseball metaphors.
Ainge: We'll be screwed.
Lurch: Well, maybe we can work out a mid-season deal. I've always liked Leon Powe, and Al Jefferson tells me he misses Perk.
Ainge: Sounds good. I'll give you a call around January.
Lurch: Ok. But this me-bailing-you-out stuff has to come to an end or I'm gonna end up in jail with Tim Donaghy.
Ainge: Don't worry. Nobody will catch on.
3 comments:
Funny. But, McHale got a good deal in that KG trade. Al Jefferson is one of the best young big men in the league and Ryan Gomes is a great energy guy and an excellent rebounder. I wouldn't mind having either back. Theo's contract was much coveted to give them cap room and Telfair and Green still have potential. Plus he got 2 draft picks.
This is not to be confused with the Lakers trade for Pau Gasol where they gave up a bag of potato chips and some dip for him.
I know.
But I have to mix in a little variety with my game summaries from 1986.
This team could have an interesting look if we get neither maggette or posey.
If we had to get one or the other, I would rather Posey because of his defense and it was the Celtics defense that put them above the other teams. If we don't get Posey, Maggette would be ok but he isn't a defensive player. If we get neither, Danny needs to get creative.
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