Anyone who has followed the Sacramento Kings since its glory days ended at the 2006 playoffs knows there are very few positive stories that come from there. Funny enough, the side has ticked off on a move that has sent the entire league sprawling in ecstasy. Dealing DeMarcus Cousins to New Orleans Pelicans for a trinket of talents has broken through a seemingly impregnable wall that many thought wouldn’t be possible to break.
With changes agreed by NBA owners and administrators, players of Cousins ilk stand to earn if they sign with teams that drafted them into the league than anywhere else. Meaning guys like Cousins would become hard if near impossible to land without shelling out almost an entire roster.
However, New Orleans Pelicans traded Tyreke Evans, Buddy Hield, Langston Galloway and draft picks for a guy averaging 27.8 points and 10.7 rebounds and making easily the biggest pickup of the season surpassing that of Golden State Warriors capture of Kevin Durant. Any lingering doubts about the above mentioned possibility should just envisage the Pelicans play in the near future.
The Pelicans have a star without surrendering its future in the process so what on earth are the Boston Celtics doing to land one on its own. Further exasperating for Boston fans is how better positioned Boston is than New Orleans in terms of present and future assets and salary space. Boston is second in the Eastern Conference and has a realistic chance of winning the Championship than New Orleans.
Boston has an insane number of picks in future drafts to pelt at teams for player returns and as throw ins for player deals like the one New Orleans just pulled off. It also has a stellar collection of second tier players who will be instant contributors wherever they land in the league like Jae Crowder, Avery Bradley, Marcus Smart, Kelly Olynyk and several more to entice any team to part with its star. Many reports point to Boston zeroing in on Chicago Bulls Jimmy Butler and Indiana Pacers Paul George as players needed for Celtics to topple Conference leaders and reigning Champions Cleveland Cavaliers. Both players are multiple All Stars and All-NBA Team members who are producing top numbers on a nightly basis and both players are on teams with little chance of making it out of the postseason first round.
Boston Manager Danny Ainge has explicitly stated his desire for the team to win with guys who have the right attitude. That statement effectively pulled Celtics out of the race for hotheaded Cousins who has been volatile since he set foot in the league. Ainge is on record for his desire to build a team without damaging the future chances for title contention which also ruled Cousins out since he is a free agent after next season. Serge Ibaka’s expiring deal took him out of the conversation as well. However, Butler has two full years to play on his contract and that is before he decides to activate or decline the player option in the final year for the 2019-2020 season.
Anyone who has followed the Sacramento Kings since its glory days ended at the 2006 playoffs knows there are very few positive stories that come from there. Funny enough, the side has ticked off on a move that has sent the entire league sprawling in ecstasy. Dealing DeMarcus Cousins to New Orleans Pelicans for a trinket of talents has broken through a seemingly impregnable wall that many thought wouldn’t be possible to break.
With changes agreed by NBA owners and administrators, players of Cousins ilk stand to earn if they sign with teams that drafted them into the league than anywhere else. Meaning guys like Cousins would become hard if near impossible to land without shelling out almost an entire roster.
However, New Orleans Pelicans traded Tyreke Evans, Buddy Hield, Langston Galloway and draft picks for a guy averaging 27.8 points and 10.7 rebounds and making easily the biggest pickup of the season surpassing that of Golden State Warriors capture of Kevin Durant. Any lingering doubts about the above mentioned possibility should just envisage the Pelicans play in the near future.
The Pelicans have a star without surrendering its future in the process so what on earth are the Boston Celtics doing to land one on its own. Further exasperating for Boston fans is how better positioned Boston is than New Orleans in terms of present and future assets and salary space. Boston is second in the Eastern Conference and has a realistic chance of winning the Championship than New Orleans.
Boston has an insane number of picks in future drafts to pelt at teams for player returns and as throw ins for player deals like the one New Orleans just pulled off. It also has a stellar collection of second tier players who will be instant contributors wherever they land in the league like Jae Crowder, Avery Bradley, Marcus Smart, Kelly Olynyk and several more to entice any team to part with its star. Many reports point to Boston zeroing in on Chicago Bulls Jimmy Butler and Indiana Pacers Paul George as players needed for Celtics to topple Conference leaders and reigning Champions Cleveland Cavaliers. Both players are multiple All Stars and All-NBA Team members who are producing top numbers on a nightly basis and both players are on teams with little chance of making it out of the postseason first round.
Boston Manager Danny Ainge has explicitly stated his desire for the team to win with guys who have the right attitude. That statement effectively pulled Celtics out of the race for hotheaded Cousins who has been volatile since he set foot in the league. Ainge is on record for his desire to build a team without damaging the future chances for title contention which also ruled Cousins out since he is a free agent after next season. Serge Ibaka’s expiring deal took him out of the conversation as well. However, Butler has two full years to play on his contract and that is before he decides to activate or decline the player option in the final year for the 2019-2020 season.
Unlike many superstars in the league, Butler’s $18 million annual salary is well below what the market pays for top talent like him and that makes it perfect for Boston to place alongside those of Al Horford and Isaiah Thomas in the future. Thomas has emerged as a two time All Star in Boston and is due for a major raise in salary ( he is owed $6 million this season and next season) which will make trading for a player of Butler’s quality in a financially pressing time like this, a major stumbling block going forward.
Playing Butler alongside a soon to be rich Thomas wouldn’t hurt Boston’s chances of grabbing serviceable players on smaller contracts to sustain contention runs for years. Moreover, Boston’s glut of top defenders can turn heads in their favor no matter the team involved. Even a low demand trade for a player like Lou Williams was not made. Imagine what Los Angeles Lakers will do if Boston dangled two picks and Jonas Jerebko for the veteran shooter but nothing happened and now Williams suits up for Houston Rockets.
In return, Magic Johnson’s era got Corey Brewer and a 2017 first round draft pick and with that the Celtics lose out on a proven bench sparkplug who can be of immense help in the postseason and beyond when one factors his $7 million salary. Butler’s egotistical attitude and tendency to play hero ball is a potential bottle neck to a deal being struck given his traits are similar to those of Thomas which poses questions about how they can play together. Aside that minor hitch, all is a go for Boston to land George or Butler so what is Danny Ainge waiting for?
By Yaw Adjei-Mintah
@ YawMintYM on Twitter
