Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
Not sure if it was a slip-up, but ex-Cavs GM David Griffin suggested Celtics are also on Kyrie Irving’s list of preferred trade destinations pic.twitter.com/NCowk0GpeG
— Ben Rohrbach (@brohrbach) August 7, 2017
Weird. Griffin referenced Celtics as being on Kyrie’s list of preferred trade destinations a second time: pic.twitter.com/znEeQrJgnM
— Ben Rohrbach (@brohrbach) August 7, 2017
So, yeah, Kyrie wants to play for Brad Stevens. Who doesn’t? That hardly means that Ainge is going to meet Dan Gilbert’s asking price for the guy. Heck, just matching contracts would take more talent away from the Celtics than they’d get back with Kyrie right now.
We know all this, but elsewhere, people are still trying to fob Kyrie off on the Celtics:
this completely insane but also completely perfect trade…
The Celtics do this because Irving is younger than Thomas, because he’s more famous than Thomas, because he’s bigger than Thomas, because his offensive ceiling as The Man in a Brad Stevens system is higher than Thomas, and because he’s under contract for a year longer than Thomas. Danny Ainge would have an answer to skeptics suggesting he is too conservative in trade talks, he would sell high on Thomas and pass any potential injury issues to Cleveland, he would buy himself another year before needing to shell out true max money to his point guard, and he would theoretically ease the transition to his next generation core by preparing to build around Irving, Gordon Hayward, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and company.
Remember when George Plimpton wrote for SI? That wasn’t even twenty years ago. What are they now? An outlet that publishes braindead trade proposals like this.
Let’s look at the reasons for Boston to execute this self-described “completely perfect trade.”
he’s more famous than Thomas.
You have GOT to be kidding me. That’s the top reason for doing this?
he’s bigger than Thomas
Well, then why not sign Nerlens Noel, if height is such a virtue?
his offensive ceiling as The Man in a Brad Stevens system is higher than Thomas
The only thing we know about Kyrie is that he’s an unrepentant, unreformed iso player. He doesn’t pass. But somehow, he’s going to adapt perfectly to Stevens’ offense?
Danny Ainge would have an answer to skeptics suggesting he is too conservative in trade talks
Because we all know how important answering skeptics is to Ainge.
By the way, what does Ainge think of all this?
How much do the @Cavs effect what the @celtics do? @danielrainge explains https://t.co/fl18vLxG3Z pic.twitter.com/TpLxOpCz4B
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) August 7, 2017
Cleveland won game two of the ECF by 44 points.
In hindsight, that was their high-water mark for the season.
Now look at where they’re at.
Smart execs don’t spend their time worrying about what other teams are doing. Executives have only a limited amount of control over what happens on their own teams and effectively none elsewhere. If the Celtics had gone all-in in order to win one or two more games against Cleveland, where would they be right now? They would’ve squandered future assets and/or salary flexibility to take a shot at a team that has just blown apart in the off-season.
Page 2: Where IT finally hit a growth spurt
Celtics star Isaiah Thomas is here at Patriots practice pic.twitter.com/3YeFti5Fge
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) August 7, 2017
https://twitter.com/Isaiah_Thomas/status/894630703131963392
Still waiting for mine, IT. https://t.co/2pDyTnrpuO
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) August 7, 2017
Guys, Mike Reiss is not tall.
Finally: Danny got dunked, at least once
https://twitter.com/tannerainge/status/894741168386260993
The rest of the links:
MassLive: Boston Celtics’ Isaiah Thomas ‘very confident’ he will get max deal as free agent | Boston Celtics preseason schedule: Celtics will take on Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets | Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics PG, was ‘just trying to watch greatness’ at New England Patriots practice (video) | Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics star, shows up at New England Patriots practice Monday
Boston Herald: Celtics announce their four-game preseason schedule
Boston.com: Isaiah Thomas’s son asked a funny question at Patriots training camp
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
