I wonder if there's a 3 team trade where we land Barnes Nets land Siakim or OG and Raptors land Durant. Nets get their 24 and 25 picks back. They can lose this season knowing even the swap will be bottom 10. So, Siakim, top 10 pick they somewhat control, their 24 and 25 picks back. For us it will actually increase our odds at Victor or Scoot if Nets tank and even if we don't get him we have 3 top 4 picks to build around. Durant can go to Raptors where their fans are amazing, compete for a championship with one of the best GMs in the league, and not have the "he joined another #1 team" over his head. Rockets get Barnes/Smith/Green. This will only work if we believe Barnes or Smith can play SF which I believe they can. Barnes plays like a SF, just needs to learn how to shoot better.
I think Toronto could get Durant without our help and keep barns. My trade earlier of Siakim, Burks, and Precious. They can also add picks. They really don’t need us in the equation.
If he averages 20 -7 - 4 - someone will be willing to pay him a max deal, and thus we will have to match..... or we can extend him now like Tate for a little less. DD
Celtics will be grateful if Brogdon can play in the playoffs. He has been an injury prone over the years.
If I were trying to sell it to the Nets If you're the Nets would rather have: Option 1 (Rockets get Barnes in this example) Top 8 pick this year (ours or theirs) We would still have their 2023 pick Control over your draft the next 2 drafts (2024 and 2025) Add in a Toronto pick or two See what you can get for Siakim (at least a first) and Ben Simmons (horrible asset at the moment) via trades Overall theme here is you have can go the exact same route the Rockets did the last 2 years and now going on the third. I'm pretty happy with our core of young guys and cap space moving forward. The goal here is to control your next 2-3 years and get high level young assets on rookie contracts. The only team that can determine how great those Nets picks are... are the Nets. By the time Ben Simmons contract is about to expire (if you weren't able to trade him) you will now have 2-3 top 8 picks on rookie contracts and loads of salary to sign someone. Option 2 (Raptors get Barnes in this example) See how far a team Barnes/Simmons/Siakim/Toronto Picks/Whatever you get for Irving can take you without any useful salary or your own picks to upgrade the team The prize here is obviously Barnes who just won ROY and will likely be better than any single one of those 2023/2024/2025 picks the Nets could control. But, now you're trying to piece together around Barnes/Siakim/Simmons without any real assets to upgrade your team. All three of those guys are horrible, and I mean horrible, fits on your team due to spacing (although amazing for switching defense). No doubt you would try to trade Simmons and I recognize having Simmons on your team is NOT a reason to pass up on a prospect like Barnes. I'd guess that option 2 team is a play-in to playoff team, which the owner would take over this crap he's been dealing with.
He is basically saying that Royce Oneal trade for 1st round pick from Nets and rookie head coach signed for 5 years are clear signals that Ainge is going to blow up the team soon. Ainge did the same thing in the past with Boston.