2.21.2013

Does Danny have a Deadline Disorder?

 

The 2010-11 NBA season was an interesting one for the Boston Celtics. Coming off an NBA Finals appearance where they headed into game 6 up 3-2, the Celtics proceeded to lose two straight in Los Angeles, mostly because they were old, tired, injured (Kendrick Perkins blew out his ACL) and couldn't rebound. No problem! Danny Ainge spent the offseason attempting to address those problems. Well, at least the rebounding problem.


The Celtics added Shaquille O'Neal and Jermaine O'Neal to the mix. Can you imagine the result had we had those two Big Fellas the previous June, wondered the Celtics' brass outloud. Indeed. Well, the O'Neal brothers were a bit too old  and a bit too brittle. And then Danny Ainge, sitting on the best record in the NBA East at the trade deadline, traded away Kendrick Perkins for Jeff Green. Regardless of what you think of that deal then or now, most of us would have to concede that the deal was at best a head scratcher. But Danny felt like he "had to pull the trigger" simply because in his mind Jeff Green was obviously the best player in the deal, and a possible cornerstone of the Celtics' future.

Fast forward to today.

You read the above tweet and it makes you think.

Bulpett chose only a few words to express himself, but those words pack a punch.

They make you believe Danny again has worked himself into a lather and then backed himself into a corner, and the only way out, in his mind, is to pull the trigger on multiple blockbusters. I'm a results-oriented guy. So don't expect me to criticize the not-so-young Danny on this (yet). Clearly, Danny is on the record stating his feelings about standing idle while watching his team's stars age and decline. This time you can almost see the wheels spinning.

KG won't waive his no-trade clause under any circumstances. But wait, if Pierce goes, KG wants to go, too. That's it! We get rid of Pierce first! Then KG will sign that waiver faster than you can say the only reason the Celtics traded for Ray Allen in 2007 was to use him as an additional enticement to land the Ticket, who refused to even consider Boston before the C's landed Jesus.

So if Pierce is dealt as a precursor to the Ticket's departure, you have 2007 in reverse.

Maybe both can go to the Clippers, since it sounds like Danny wants expiring contracts for Pierce, and the Clippers have a big one in Lamar Odom. That would be some team. KG, Pierce, Billups, CP3, and Blake G. Who knows how they'd make the dollars work out. But a Clipper team sporting that roster would be fun to watch.

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