Is Danny Ainge Being Too Stubborn?

Should Danny Ainge be willing to give up more to land a star?

Rumors have continued to swirl around the Boston Celtics. Yesterday, Howard Beck of Bleacher Report, reported that GMs around the league feel the Celtics are the most likely destination for Russell Westbrook if the Oklahoma City Thunder decide to move him. Then, Sean Deveney of Sporting News, came out and said that a possible three-team trade could be in the works, where Boston receives Blake Griffin.

With Griffin being seen as a possible trade target for the Celtics since the deadline, the biggest news coming from Deveney wasn’t about the trade itself. Deveney also stated that Boston is, once again, reluctant to moving either of the Brooklyn Nets‘ picks over the next two drafts.

The Nets are going to be really bad and should have the best chance of landing the top pick in next year’s loaded draft. Although, since the draft lottery started in 1985, the team with the worst record has only landed the top pick six times – 18.8 percent. Also, this is only the second time in the lottery’s history that the team with the worst record has won the lottery two years in a row.

Therefore, it’s far from a sure thing that Boston will land the top pick. Obviously, Boston and other teams will still look at the pick as if it were the top pick. But, if looking at the history, the Celtics arguably have a better chance of landing the second or third pick, again.

Even in one of the strongest drafts in recent memory, it’s not a sure bet that the Celtics will draft a star. Even if they do hit big, the likelihood that they are an instant contributor like Karl-Anthony Towns was last year is slim. Players need time to develop, and it’s very rare that a player can come in and act as a team’s go-to-guy right away, especially since so many players only spend one-year in college now.

While adding a future star is never a bad idea, Boston has stockpiled young players and are more in need of a player who can help them win now.

With that being said, it’s puzzling that Danny Ainge is so reluctant to giving up either pick. I understand that he’d want to keep one of them, but it’s his most valuable trading piece, so teams will always be asking for it. If a team is trading away their star player, they want the chance to regain a star in some way. Maybe it’s clearing the cap space to chase a coveted free agent, but usually it’s through assets.

There is non-stop chatter about all the assets the Celtics have to offer, but assets mean nothing unless the Celtics use them. For as much as Danny Ainge has stressed winning right now and insisting that Boston isn’t done this summer, he’s making it very hard for Boston to land a star through a trade. It’s not possible to land a big-name player without giving anything valuable up.

Even in the summer of 2007 when Ainge was able to land Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, he had to give up two hefty packages. The Celtics traded five players, including young, budding center Al Jefferson, and two first round picks to land Garnett – ended up being the sixth pick in the draft.

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Boston gave up less to acquire Ray Allen, but they still had to give Seattle fifth overall pick Jeff Green as the centerpiece.

Maybe the players the Celtics are trying to acquire aren’t hall-of-fame, once in a lifetime, talents, but the concept is the same. They need another player who can take them over the hump, and, as Boston knows, it’s not easy to find those types of players. That’s why when teams find one, they ask for so much.

Boston doesn’t need to give up their entire team for Jimmy Butler, but to refuse Jae Crowder at the deadline seemed ridiculous. The Celtics don’t even need to give up both Brooklyn picks, unless it’s to land a superstar like DeMarcus Cousins or Westbrook, but giving up one is how they’ll make the deal more appetizing for other teams.

As well as the picks, Danny Ainge seems to be overvaluing some of their players. As good, and important, as Jae Crowder is, he’s not a star. Crowder is becoming one of the better two-way players in the league, but he’s not the player who will help the Celtics leap ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Still, he’s young, has a great contract and teams love his potential, but Crowder alone isn’t enough to land a star.

When Crowder and the Brooklyn picks become unavailable, the Celtics are left with a very underwhelming plethora of players. Avery Bradley is a solid starter, but he’s not going to turn into a star. Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart have chances to become quality NBA players, but stardom seems like wishful thinking. R.J. Hunter and James Young both have shown very little in their NBA careers, making teams cringe as either being a major part of a blockbuster deal.

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When it comes down to it, Bradley, Rozier and Smart are all great complimentary pieces to help sweeten a deal, but nothing will get done without a Brooklyn pick and/or Crowder.

I don’t feel the urgency to trade for a star right away since next year’s draft and free agency class is so special. However, if Ainge does, he has to be more realistic about what it would take. He doesn’t need to gut the team, but Boston also won’t be able to keep their entire team intact after a blockbuster trade.

Staying put for another season and seeing where their younger players stand isn’t a terrible idea either, but assets don’t have an unlimited lifespan. Ainge did a great job stockpiling picks, and with the rebuilding process done faster than expected, it’s time to make another big move to put the Celtics in contention.

Next: Should the Celtics Trade for Blake Griffin?

If Ainge is serious about making another splash this summer, he can’t be trying to rebuild and contend at the same time. It’s not always about winning the trade, in a star-driven league, sometimes just getting a really good player back is enough to trade assets who aren’t taking you to the next level.

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