Your Morning Dump… Where Jackie MacMullan plants a seed for Giannis Antetokounmpo

Central Florida v Temple

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.

I love him and I would throw a ton of money at him but I’m pretty sure Milwaukee will match.

If he’s the kind of player with big ideas and I think his camp does, he’s another player where a more sexy market might make sense for him. They’re an interesting team.

Rudy Gobert will also be up. He’s another guy that will be restricted. Again… those are some moving parts but none of that is happening until next summer.

CSNNE

Thoughts of Giannis swapping out Bucks green for Celtics green are a distant pipe dream at this point (but that’s what we do at this point of the off-season – dream).

It’s possible Giannis sours on the Bucks if they suffer through another disappointing season. And never underestimate the ability of Jason Kidd to f-ck up a good thing.

Or maybe, as Jackie hints, Giannis simply longs for a city and/or franchise with a bit more excitement than Milwaukee. He’d have to threaten to leave in 2018 in order for Bucks management to pull the trigger on a deal next summer.

In either scenario, he’d have to threaten to leave in 2018 in order for Bucks management to pull the trigger on a deal next summer.

May sound crazy now, but ask Thunder fans how fast things can change.

On Page 2, more praise for Danny Ainge’s rebuild.

It would appear that Ainge saw the mistakes of other franchises and opted to not repeat them. He maximized the value that he was able to get in return for Garnett, Pierce and Rondo and have used them to rebuild his team. He got incredibly fortunate with Horford and will now add him to a young core that is reminiscent of the 2004 NBA Champion Detroit Pistons. Those Pistons were renowned for being a sum that was greater than its individual pieces, and it was something that each member of the team realized.

The culture that Ainge has built in Boston and the pieces that he has accumulated there are oddly reminiscent of something we have seen before. So, to say that things are looking up for the Celtics would be a bit of an understatement.

In all likelihood, Horford is just the first big catch of the post-Paul Pierce era in Boston. Just think: if Russell Westbrook decided he wanted to move East, there are few teams that would make as much sense for him as the Celtics.

Basketball Insiders

If the Gerald Green signing has you down and you need a little pick-me-up this morning, check out Moke Hamilton’s story on Basketball Insiders.

It’s a glowing reminder that Danny Ainge has this team on the right track.

And finally, let’s watch KG destroy his Olympic teammates.

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That’s Garnett working over some of his 2000 Team USA teammates in full-court 1-on-1.

There’s no quit in the Big Ticket.

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