The word the Celtics were putting out to the NBA community over the last several weeks was that Kyrie Irving’s decision on whether to stay in Boston had no bearing on their pursuit of Anthony Davis. This was apparently specious at best.
Yes, the Celts still tried to negotiate a trade with New Orleans, but according to a Pelicans source, the offers were understandably never as good as intimated back when there was still a reasonable belief Irving could be kept. In that scenario, it was presumed the Celtics would have opened their asset locker wider to take a shot at an Irving-Davis ticket for 2019-20, hoping that success would entice the latter to remain for a longer term.
Should Danny Ainge and the @celtics have gone all in to trade for Anthony Davis, including Jayson Tatum in the package? #NBA
— Boston Herald (@bostonherald) June 16, 2019
(And if you want to go much further back to when the C’s were turning their long-range thoughts toward Davis, what would they have been willing to offer if they also had a pre-injury Gordon Hayward?)
But in the current situation, that same source indicated that, contrary to reports, the Celts weren’t entirely closed to the idea of including Jayson Tatum in the deal, but that there wouldn’t have been much else included.
And the bottom line is that it probably wouldn’t have mattered anyway.
When the Lakers backed up their truck and unloaded a payload of players and first-round picks onto the Pelicans’ dock, there was perhaps no way the Celtics would be willing to hamstring their future by dealing three first-round picks and allowing for other potential exchanges of draft position.
The Lakers, seeking to make the most of LeBron James’ Hollywood years, have shined a bright green light on the present, with the hope they can lure top free agents into the open spaces when this crew of stars leaves the set.
While this current trade won’t be completed until early next month, the Pelicans aren’t content to sit back and wait until as late as 2025 for all those picks – including No. 4 overall on Thursday – to turn into players. According to league sources, New Orleans has already begun contacting teams to discuss trades involving those choices and players, looking to accelerate the arrival of benefits from dealing away its best player.
In making this move with the Lakers, the key element may have been David Griffin. His hiring in April as head of Pelicans basketball operations brought in a voice unburdened by the animosity toward L.A. that developed when that club and Davis’ representation (Rich Paul, who also happens to be LeBron’s agent) tried to force this move before last February’s trade deadline.
Though dealing with the Lakers and giving Paul what he wanted may not sit well with some higher in the Pelicans’ organization – or with other NBA clubs – the consensus is that New Orleans has done well for itself here. But the Pels’ anti-Laker sentiment appeared to be playing into the Celts’ favor when a New Orleans source told the Herald last month that the team “won’t be doing business with that club.” However, clearer heads and a better Laker offer prevailed.
As for how the Celtics will look this season, there is still much to be determined. They seem fairly well resigned to the fact Irving will be gone, but they’re also feeling pretty comfortable about a young core of Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart – not that they have much choice, to be honest. And if things do get worked out with Al Horford, there could be a measure of stability here.
Horford has until Tuesday to opt in to $30,123,015 for next season, but the sides have been discussing a plan where he comes in at a lower number next season and gets two more years tacked on in a new deal. It’s not known whether the way things have played out over the last couple of weeks will have an effect on Horford’s outlook.
But the largest uncertainty regarding the Celts’ competitiveness in 2019-20 may just be the rest of the Eastern Conference.
Indeed, Toronto is your reigning NBA champion, but what if Kawhi Leonard bolts for the Clippers? What will Philadelphia look like if Jimmy Butler does the same? And how will Milwaukee navigate a new deal for Khris Middleton as it seeks to retain free agents Brook Lopez (unrestricted) and Malcolm Brogdon (restricted)?
Injuries to Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson have further muddied the Warrior waters and thrown the West into a blender, as well.
So while the Celtics may look disheveled to a good extent now, they are, in fact, mirroring much of the NBA landscape.
