Tag: Cleveland

Carmelo Anthony Traded to OKC; How Does This Affect the Celtics?

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Something I wanted to touch on as it does directly affect the Boston Celtics was Carmelo Anthony getting traded to the Thunder over the weekend. Now obviously Melo’s trade value has plummeted over the years, especially with the $54 Million he’s due to make over the next two years, but it was still a pretty measly return for the Knicks. I guess they just wanted to close that chapter and move on and rebuild (AROUND DOUGIE MCBUCKETS!)

But hats off to Sam Presti. This guy has been getting roasted for years, rightfully so, for blowing up the Thunder and trading away “bench players” like James Harden who has only grown into a Top 5 player in the league. So getting Carmelo Anthony and Paul George this offseason for Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott, a 2018 second-round pick, Victor Oladipo, and Domantas Sabonis is the definition of pulling a rabbit out of your ass.

Now how does this affect the Celtics? Well its always good to see an elite scorer not land with your biggest rival in Cleveland, which is where a lot of rumors had Melo going. Problem is GM LeBron has gutted this team of assets so the Cavs don’t really have much to offer anyone aside from that brand new Brooklyn pick, which was obviously never gonna happen. But, Melo on the Cavs was a scary thought. Say what you want about the guy, but if he’s the second or third option and can just hang out in the corner waiting for his shot, thats lethal. So him going to OKC helps Boston avoid an even larger uphill battle against the Cavs.

Remember when LeBron said Super Teams weren’t a thing? Welp, What is dead may never die. There are now like 4-5 teams (read: Golden State) that have a real shot at winning the title, which is bad for the league, but great for NBA2K because OKC just became a must play team.

Also, hopefully Carmelo, Paul George and Russell Westbrook don’t murder each other when they’re all gunning for the last shot. Hopefully it works out because I NEED Russell to win a title in OKC soon just to see him essentially host the Haters Ball in his victory speech. I don’t think Kevin Durant would ever recover from the things Russ might say in that speech. Need to see it.

PS – While Carmelo on the Knicks was basically a dumpster fire for the better part of six years, let us never forget that trade spawned one of the best sports commercials of all-time. I’m not even a Knicks fan and that commercial still gives me goosebumps.

Get Me Andrew Bogut On This Celtics Team ASAP

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CBS Sports – Andrew Bogut is nearing a return to the NBA, and the Celtics are reportedly among the four teams interested in the Australian big man’s services. Bogut, who hasn’t played since March after breaking his leg, underwent a final bone scan on Tuesday and is expected to be cleared to hit the floor in the near future. The seven-footer hopes to sign with a team within the next week, with four teams already showing interest. The Celtics are one of those four teams, according to The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmeslbach.

The Celtics No. 1 weakness for years has been their (lack of) rebounding on both ends of the glass. Usually they seemingly just punt on it and say rebounding will “be a team effort.” Which is a great way to say, we know we’re gonna finish at the bottom of the league in that stat again. They finished 26th in the league last year.

After being one of the most sought after big men at the trade deadline last year, Bogut ultimately signed with Cleveland after getting bought out by the 76ers. Tell me you don’t like my idea, tell me you don’t like my firm, tell me you don’t like my fucking neck tie, but don’t tell me the Celtics aren’t one of the most intriguing teams to join right now, Andy.

Bogut infamously broke his leg in minute 1 on the floor for the Cavs last year. Now healthy the 32-year-old Center is back on the FA market and the Celtics are reportedly 1 of 4 teams interested in the big man. Get this guy on board, Danny. Especially if he’s willing to take the veteran’s minimum. That would allow us to put the Marc Gasol rumors to bed, since we’d have to trade half our roster just to fit Gasol under the salary cap.

Its also a pretty strong coincidence that after the Isaiah-Kyrie trade the Celtics have had one open roster spot looming so I think Danny is hunting for a veteran on the cheap like Bogut. Not a big time scorer as he averaged 2.9 pts last season, but he did average 8.1 rebounds and is a literal 7 footer. His career numbers are 10 pts, 8.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists so maybe his scoring bounces back a bit being in one spot for the entire year, but his rebounding has been consistent his whole career. He’d be a great guy to have on the bench and a true Center to pair with Aaron Baynes, while allowing Al Horford to play where he prefers. Horford played well at Center last year, but similar to how the C’s used to use Garnett, its not his true position. I think Horford playing better was more a matter of him amping up his intensity more than playing the 5.

BRING ME ANDREW BOGUT!

 

Kyrie Irving Wanted Out of Cleveland Because LeBron is a Massive Dickhead

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As this trade languishes in GM negotiation purgatory I just wanted to circle back on some of the criticism of this deal. After the trade became public a lot of people were asking what does it say about Kyrie Irving if he wants off one of the 2 best teams in the NBA? If it were any other team and any other situation I would probably be asking the same question. Why does this guy want to leave a team thats been to the Finals 3 straight years and won a title just last year? Why would you want to leave that situation?

Except this is not any team. This is LeBron’s team and the guy is probably such an insufferable asshole that I don’t blame Kyrie Irving one bit for saying enough is enough.

If LeBron does leave after this coming season, that Cavs team would be in shambles having completely built itself on LeBron’s every whim. A team with stiffs like JR Smith and Richard Jefferson on the squad purely because they compliment LeBron’s game. So Kyrie said screw this I’m out, I’m not dealing with LBJ and I’m certainly not cleaning up his mess once he bounces.

I mean just take a look at this CBS Boston article that dutifully went back and pulled quotes from LeBron immediately after winning the title last year.

“LeBron was then asked about the comeback from a 3-1 series deficit and specifically what changed in Game 5. He said: “Just locked in. I had to change my approach a little bit in how I approached the game. I wasn’t that good in the first two games in this building [in Golden State]. I watched a lot of film, detailed it out, changed my blueprint, and was able to put together some spectacular games after being down 3-1.”

A LOOOT of “I’s” in there. I did this. I did that. I had some spectacular games. Puke city. Especially since these quotes came not 10 minutes after Kyrie saved his ass with an absolute dagger of a three in the final minute of Game 7.

Ya know, while LeBron was bricking shots left and right down the stretch.

So, hey is it a little petty to be complaining about not getting more credit for your role in winning a championship? Sure, but I’m not gonna hold that against a guy. Kyrie seems hyper competitive and wants the keys to the car. Not to mention, the thought of these two guys teeing off on each other opening night and in the playoffs has me all tingly inside. I’m just giddy thinking about the passive aggressive subtweets LeBron is gonna throw out there after the Celtics take Game 1. LETS GO.

Danny Ainge Should Tell the Cavs to Piss Up a Rope if They Asked for Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum

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Look, I never wanted to trade Isaiah; thats my guy. But, the Celtics have burned that bridge to the ground so going back isn’t really an option now. And the Cavs know it. According to several reports yesterday, the Cavs are now looking for a pot sweetener to complete the IT deal as concerns about his hip linger.

Hell, Kyrie was already disgruntled in Cleveland and asking to be traded. So if the trade doesn’t go through it doesn’t really affect the Cavs any more than it would have two weeks ago. But the Cavs made this deal KNOWING Isaiah had a hip injury. He suffered that exact injury playing against you for christs sake. So I find it pretty hard to believe that Danny Ainge was playing the role of snake oil salesman about how much healthier IT is or is not.

Especially for such a widely publicized injury. It happened in the Eastern Conference Finals. So I think the Cavs are purely posturing and just trying to hold Danny’s nuts to the fire and squeeze out some additional assets.

Except reports came out that they were asking for Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum ON TOP of everything else the C’s gave them, including the Brooklyn lottery pick. There’s only one reply for such an outrageous request.

I mean you’ve got the Celtics already selling Kyrie Irving jerseys, you’ve got Jae Crowder working out in Cavs shirts, there’s no going back on this deal now.

But, to reiterate my point and to borrow a GIF from one of Big Z’s recent blog posts, this needs to be Danny on the phone with Cleveland.

However, now there are conflicting reports the Cavs never made such a request. Who the hell knows. Get in there and clean this shit up Woj. Either way, if I’m Danny I tell the Cavs you’ll get nothing and you’ll like it. That or a second round pick.

Why the Celtics Won the Trade of Isaiah Thomas for Kyrie Irving

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Wow. Last night the Celtics traded Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and the 2018 Nets pick for Kyrie Irving. As I said at 7:30 last night, I go off the grid to workout for ONE hour and I come back to find Trader Danny has fundamentally changed the structure of the Celtics with another blockbuster trade. Seriously, sleep with one eye open around this guy.

First things first, it sucks to see Isaiah Thomas go as he was absolutely integral in putting the Celtics back on the map the past couple of years and vice versa. Celtics went from a middling team to the No. 1 seed in the East. Isaiah went from a third string point guard in Phoenix to Boston finishing in the Top 5 for MVP. He had 40 and 50 point games while getting his teeth knocked out and even putting on dazzling performances after suffering tragic family losses. IT seemed like a genuinely good dude with a massive chip on his shoulder who just wanted to prove the world wrong. And he’s done that. IT, the last pick in the 2011 NBA Draft just got traded for Kyrie, the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

While IT has been hands down my favorite Celtics player since KG and it sucks to see him go, Kyrie is so, so, so good that its hard to not like this deal. The Celtics upgraded at PG getting one of the best scorers in the entire NBA. Kyrie isn’t exactly a defensive savant either but he’s 6 inches taller than IT, which alone will allow him to more effectively cover the positon defensively. Kyrie is also going to create even more space for the Celtics on offense, especially in the playoffs, as other teams won’t be able to smother and trap Kyrie as they were prone to do with IT. Teams will have to account for his one-on-on play and continuously have help defenders and double teams waiting for Kyrie, which will open up even more opportunities for guys like Al Horford and Gordon Hayward.

The Detractors:

  • “Kyrie is not that much of an upgrade over Isaiah.”
    • He’s 3 years younger, healthier, bigger and has one more year left on his contract than Isaiah. At just 25 years old Kyrie can grow with the Celtics core of Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum and be right in his prime as the other two are coming into theirs. As much as I love Isaiah, the core probably would not have been good enough quick enough as he and Horford would be in their 30s by the time Brown and Tatum enter their prime.
  • “The Celtics have just wrecked their team chemistry.”
    • This I admit could be an issue as the Celtics now only return 4 players from the 2016 team that reached the Eastern Conference Finals and only 1 out of 5 starters. That is CRAZY. However, one of the reason’s I’m not higher on the NBA in general is because, more than any other sport, talent wins above all else. It doesn’t matter how great your chemistry is if you don’t have 2 or 3 of the best players in the league. The NBA is built around a core of hypertalented superstars and if you don’t have at least a couple of them you’re porked.
  • “I hate to trade Jae Crowder and Ante Zizic.”
    • Always loved Crowder and he was a key guy off the bench. Again this is why I’m not a GM, but if we’re going to look at this emotionlessly, thats what Crowder was; a guy off the bench. You do not turn down trades for 25-year old 4x All-Stars over bench players. And for anyone crying about trading Ante Zizic I ask you this; Have you ever even seen Zizic play? Granted I’m not a scout, but this is a guy who was so good that he couldn’t get on an NBA roster and got stashed overseas his rookie year. I’m not sweating over trading a guy with exactly 0 minutes played in the NBA. Plus, we still have the Dancing Bear.
  • “Who is going to rebound for us?”
    • WHO HAS REBOUNDED FOR US THE LAST FOUR YEARS?! The Celtics as an organization have effectively punted on rebounding. Last year the Celtics were 22nd in Offensive Rebounds per game and 22nd in Defensive Rebounds per game. Not exactly world beaters to begin with.
  • “I hate trading the 2018 Nets pick.”
    • It sucks to trade one of our treasured assets, but thats exactly why Danny got them. He’s been trying to trade these things for years, he just has never found a deal he wanted to pull the trigger on. Plus how many of these things are you going to keep? The Celtics have already drafted No. 3 overall the past 2 years and still have a potential Top 5 pick next year (more on that below.)

How about Danny Ainge though? This guy has effectively turned a 36-year old Paul Pierce and a 37-year old Kevin Garnett directly or indirectly into: Kyrie Irving, Jaylen Brown, Jason Tatum, Al Horford, Gordon Hayward and the 2018 Lakers potential No. 2-5 pick.

And if Kyrie re-signs with the Celtics then Danny looks like an even bigger genius for the Jayson Tatum move, trading down from the No. 1 overall pick to No. 3 while also scooping up the 2018 Lakers pick from Philly. This is HUGE looking back because without that Lakers pick in his back pocket I highly doubt Danny makes the Kyrie trade, having to surrender the Nets pick. He basically, as many said at the time, got the guy he wanted in Tatum while also picking up an additional draft pick. And while many people laughed at Danny for trading the No. 1 overall pick for another one of his coveted draft picks, the fact of the matter is he got a great player while also adding a back up lottery pick, which allowed him to more aggressively shop the Nets 2018 pick.

For those of you that are mourning the end of the “Pierce/KG Nets Trade” well fear not, because its not over, not really. The Celtics got that 2018 Lakers pick by trading the No. 1 overall pick, which was the Nets pick. So we still have one more year to live off of the Nets misery if we’re getting technical. One more asset/player to build off of, while the Nets continue to send Billy King hate mail.

PS – This Isaiah trade just reinforces my longstanding personal policy of never buying a player’s jersey unless they’ve recently signed a contract extension. I’ll never forget buying a Sergei Samsonov jersey in 2006, only to see the Bruins trade him A WEEK LATER. Which is why the next Bruins jersey I bought was a Patrice Bergeron jersey, fresh off his 8-year contract extension.

Celtics Trade Isaiah Thomas: This is Why I’m Not a GM

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This is why I’m a fan and not a GM. I couldn’t have traded Isaiah Thomas. Objectively, I know Kyrie Irving is the better player, but IT is my guy. 5’9″ and the King in the Fourth. Isaiah made the Celtics fun to watch again, night in and night out and I’m bummed to see him go. We’ll have a full breakdown of the trade later this AM, but first we gotta show Isaiah the respect he deserves. Cue the highlights.

Meanwhile in Cleveland…

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While Trader Danny and the Celtics grabbed most of the attention in Boston (and across the nation) last night, Doug Fister was doing his best Billy Chapel impression in Cleveland.

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After giving up a home run to Indians leadoff hitter Francisco Lindor on just his third pitch, Fister did not allow another hit the rest of the night. For the game, Fister faced just two batters more than the minimum and retired the last 14 batters in order. It was his eighth career complete game, and his first since 2014.

Fister has now started four games in place of David Price since Price went on the disabled list on July 28. In those four starts, Fister is 3-1 with a 3.62 ERA.

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It’s also worth noting that three of those four starts have come against the Cleveland Indians. Two have been very good, while one was less than stellar. But even in his less than stellar start against Cleveland, Fister got into the fifth inning. David Price couldn’t say that about his loss against Cleveland in the playoffs last year.

I bring this up because it is very likely that the Red Sox and Indians will meet in the first round of the playoffs again this season. I won’t go as far to say that the Red Sox are better without Price, but I don’t hate my chances with Doug Fister against the Tribe in October.

I Think I Saw the Greatest Catch Ever Last Night at Fenway

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So I was at the Sox game last night, sitting up in the bleachers like any self respecting fan does, when I ended up having a front row seat to maybe the best catch ever. Hanley Ramirez hit an absolute BOMB, basically flipped his bat, thing looked gone. Except Austin Jackson tracked it and tracked it and leaped at the bullpen wall in CF to ROB Hanley of a huge home run.

It was like an alternate reality where Torii Hunter makes that catch for the Tigers in the 2013 ALCS.

Johnny Manziel is Still on the NFL Comeback Trail

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ProFootball Talk – The odds of Johnny Manziel getting a second chance in the NFL remain long. Yet, despite having not played since 2015, the former Heisman Trophy winner apparently is drawing more interest then Colin Kaepernick. Manziel said Saturday he has had a couple of conversations with NFL teams about a comeback. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported in March that Manziel had breakfast with Saints coach Sean Payton at the Super Bowl to discuss a return.

Right now doesn’t seem like a great time to be a comeback story in the NFL, especially as a QB. With guys like RGIII, Colin Kaepernick and Vince Young in the news for not being able to even get a training camp invite, you can’t be too optimistic for Johnny Football here. However, he was a first round pick, a Heisman winner, and is still only 24 years old somehow. That last sentence just made me feel old as hell.

So while I don’t anticipate it, if Manziel is finally done being a goddamn boozebag and is actually working out again, why not give him a shot? Of all the guys I mentioned above who can’t get a job, they all have some baggage. Kapernick obviously has been a lightning rod for anti-police protests, Vince Young is 34(!), and RGIII is a mobile QB with a surgically repaired knee (thank you Mike Shanahan). Manziel is undersized and has been a party animal, but he’s the youngest guy on this list and with all the egos in the NFL I would think someone would want to take a shot on this guy.