Rumor: Danny Made Numerous Offers To Memphis

by Jeff Clark on Jun 27, 2009 10:23 AM EDT in Boston Celtics Rumors

Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports:

Boston tried to entice the Grizzlies twice. The Celtics offered Brian Scalabrine, Tony Allen and a choice of J.R. Giddens or Bill Walker for the Grizzlies' 36th pick and cash considerations.

The Celtics' best offer for the Grizzlies' No. 2 pick only included center Kendrick Perkins.

We've heard the Perkins rumor before (I still don't like it and I'm trying to not believe it), but the bench clearing one seems new. Scal and Tony (and perhaps Giddens as well) are expiring contracts but since Memphis is under the cap they wouldn't have to match salaries. So other than getting a few live bodies for cheap, I'm not sure what the appeal for Memphis would have been.

Interesting that Ainge would be looking to clear salary for this year. It wouldn't be enough to get us under the cap to make offers to big name free agents. But it might have given management a little more room under the luxury tax to sign someone to the full MLE.

In theory Ainge could have picked up DeJuan Blair or another decent prospect with that high 2nd round pick. Paul Flannery of WEEI confirms that the Celtics had discussions to move up:

There were a number of intriguing players who fell into the second round and Ainge said he had discussions about moving up, but elected to stay put. Among those mentioned were former Big East stalwarts Sam Young and DeJuan Blair from Pitt and DaJuan Summers from Georgetown, who went in consecutive picks from 35-37.

Another name that apparently intrigued Ainge was St. Mary’s point guard Patrick Mills, who went three spots ahead of Boston to Portland.

Regardless, Memphis didn't bite and our night was still quiet. Interesting rumors if true. I still think at the trade deadline we'll have the option of moving Scal, Tony, and Giddens to a team looking to shed salary. We'll see though.

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That Makes 0 Sense

Other teams, bought picks earlier than that for just future 2nds and cash or just cash. Why would we give up expiring contracts.
On the other hand, that shows that Danny believes he can sign several free agents because you don’t do a 3 for one unless you can fill the open spots with FAs.

by Evantime34 on Jun 27, 2009 9:50 AM EDT reply actions

According to the Globe, Danny liked Patty Mills (picked minutes before by Portland).
http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/

But I’m happy with Lester. I think this kid could be good.

by Global Celtic on Jun 27, 2009 9:53 AM EDT reply actions

for me not getting Mills

is salt in the wound, he is a legit PG and is ready to go.

Danny should of moved up, with cash considerations to get him,

by mec1 on Jun 27, 2009 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions

I really don't buy him as a PG at all

by alskor on Jun 27, 2009 1:31 PM EDT up reply actions

patrick mills

he’ll be a decent pg…seen him play for australia against nz and any player that can play for their country must have a fair bit of talent. hes also been through the ais (australian institute of sport) so he’ll have good fundamentals. i haven’t seen much of his play in college but what i’ve heard sounds good…

by prawn on Jun 28, 2009 12:47 AM EDT up reply actions

He has some talent as a scorer

He can’t play PG in the NBA. That’s the reason he was a late 2nd round pick. Teams didnt think he could play PG.

He’s a small 2 guard.

by alskor on Jun 28, 2009 11:41 AM EDT up reply actions

I'll bet the offer

was for Darko and the pick. The salaries match up.

by BballTim on Jun 27, 2009 9:58 AM EDT reply actions

by the way

I meant TA and Scal for Darko, not Perk for Darko.

by BballTim on Jun 27, 2009 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions

one thing i love

is all these fantasy packaged trades of TA, Scal and Giddens for legit starters (some people even have the indeceny to throw in Pruitt) . What planet do you think these other teams live on? “oh ya, awesome, can you throw in some dog poop with those three as well and I’ll give you a star and first rights to my high school daughter.” there is reason no one is biting and it is right in front of you…watch them play basketball.

by lakersbluedevil on Jun 27, 2009 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Right

No one wants Scal or TA. No one. The only teams with interest are the ones who need expiring deals for the LeBron – DWade – Bosh sweepstakes…. and frankly, none of them are that desperate yet.

by alskor on Jun 27, 2009 10:35 PM EDT up reply actions

As was noted in the article

the salaries don’t need to match up

by alskor on Jun 27, 2009 1:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Even if we don't need to match salaries

We still have holes to fill

by BballTim on Jun 27, 2009 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Then it would still be better for us to not have to match the outgoing salaries.

As was also mentioned in the article we could then offer more of the MLE without hitting the cap.

I seriously doubt it was Darko.

by alskor on Jun 27, 2009 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions

There is no way it was Perk for just the #2. People need to remember that these are just GM’s kicking the tire to see what is possible.

by B-ball on Jun 27, 2009 10:13 AM EDT reply actions

I think it is quite Possible it was just Perk for #2. Remember Perk has a reasonable contract for the next 2 year , but the Celts will likely have to resign him for 8 MIL + when his contract runs out. If you can get a # 2 pick then you can probably turn it around and send it out for Amare Stoudemire …

by rondohondos on Jun 27, 2009 10:16 AM EDT up reply actions

More phony rumours

First the Perk rumor was clearly false as it fails the test from the one absolute that Danny made. He is not going to make any move that makes it harder for us to win this year. Particularly trading starter for draft picks.

Second the rumours of his trying to trade all of these people for a second round pick is 99% likely false as he said that no one after the top half for the first round was better than what he already has on the team specifically mentioning Giddens, Walker and Pruette

by Steve from Milford on Jun 27, 2009 10:41 AM EDT reply actions

You are assuming a connection between what Danny says and what Danny does.

by Raef on Jun 27, 2009 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Well said.

-sw

"I didn't go there with the intentions of getting ejected. I went there with the intentions of just telling Kobe, 'You got to relax. You're hitting the wrong person. Don't you know you're hitting Ron Artest?'" -Ron Artest, 05.06.09

by Steve Weinman on Jun 27, 2009 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Good. I don’t want to trade expirings for a draft pick. We need to move them for bench help, since the free agent prospects have darkened considerably.

by CoachBo on Jun 27, 2009 11:03 AM EDT reply actions

LOL

This doesn’t sound even remotely true. Even Danny is not that stupid. What reason would Danny have for trading away Scal and TA for a 2nd round draft pick. In Danny’s own words, there is nothing in the 2nd round better than what we already have. Besides, we need to save Scal and TA for a trade that could possibly get us someone along the lines of a Nocioni/Magette type player.

by 420celticsFAN on Jun 27, 2009 11:04 AM EDT reply actions

Why would Sacaramento flip us Nocioni for that garbage?

by Tradetime on Jun 27, 2009 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Well...

Seeing Tony leave Beantown would be a blessing…..

by Scalablob990 on Jun 27, 2009 1:40 PM EDT reply actions

My own fantasy trade

How about Ray Allen to Clippers for Baron Davis and Marcus Camby? Baron’s contract isn’t superb, but I think this improves the team for next year. It gets the team a second credible center.
Camby
Powe/Davis
is a much better second-team C/PF combo lineup than
Davis
Powe

by dslack on Jun 27, 2009 2:18 PM EDT reply actions

Pretty sure even Danny knows

That the 36th pick, which could’ve been Budinger, Blair or Sam Young would’ve all been significant upgrades over the horrificness that is Tony Allen/Scal.

by Tradetime on Jun 27, 2009 2:39 PM EDT reply actions

Trading Scal and Tony for basically nothing

It would have been clearing luxury tax space more than anything. That way the Celtics would have about $6M more in wiggle room. That means they could sign Big Baby and an MLE guy (and maybe even Marbury to something more than what he got last year) and keep the payroll closer to what it was last year.

Trading Perk for the number 2, doesn’t necessarily make sense, but considering the number of teams supposedly interested in guys like Curry and Rubio, they could’ve flipped it for a package of players. Also without a starting center I suppose that might have made Boston more appealing for a guy like Rasheed (unless he’s just bent on warm weather or something).

by Berkcelt on Jun 27, 2009 2:51 PM EDT reply actions

These were the 4 replace Posey by committee Celt players

If true, it just shows how badly Danny handled the Posey deal.

by brianceltfan on Jun 27, 2009 3:58 PM EDT reply actions

Total baloney

What appears to be true is the assessment that this is a terrible draft, like the 2000 draft. Danny is not going to offer certified pro players for 2nd round leftovers when the 1st round had so few blue chippers. We all have our frustrations with Tony Allen but he’s a Top Ten in this draft. C’mon guys, don’t bit on everything.

by Wildblu1 on Jun 27, 2009 6:46 PM EDT reply actions

Rumors

Let’s move on the FA rumors.

"I don't come to play, I come to WIN"--Larry Bird
"Criminally Negligent Officiating"--Tommy Heinsohn

by TrueGreen on Jun 28, 2009 9:42 AM EDT reply actions

Danny Ainge absolutely.......

Cannot build a team for a long haul. He pulled a desperate attempt to keep his job by getting KG. The reward was sweet, but it will be short. And soon the leprechauns will be just as they were in the mid-00’s. IRRELEVANT. Now that guy in L.A., what’s his name, Mitch Cupcake? Yea, he built a team around Kobe (the best player in the league) and are set up to win more championships than the dramatic celtics. If I hear one more word out of Pierce’s naive mouth about how the Celtics are coming back like a pack of ferocious dogs, I’m going to flip. Danny Ainge will be fired within the next 4 years because the big three will be too old to win anymore playoff games, and they will have no money to sign any young free agents or get any good draft picks.

P.S.- Boston fans are extremely gay.

by pharoah on Jun 28, 2009 8:23 PM EDT reply actions