Like the rest of the NBA world, the Celtics were “stunned” by Friday’s news that the Pacers agreed to send Paul George to Oklahoma City in a trade for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis, according to Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald.
[RELATED: Pacers to trade Paul George to Thunder]
Boston had been planning to put a formal, competitive offer on the table for George, but the team wasn’t ready to try to finalize a deal with the Pacers until Gordon Hayward made a decision, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (link via RealGM).
According to Wojnarowski, the Pacers were interested in a package of Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart, and multiple picks from the Celtics. Sources told Bulpett that the Celtics were “more than ready” to propose a deal that included multiple players and picks, suggesting that Boston’s best offer probably would have been Crowder, Smart, and three future first-rounders (likely some combination of the Celtics’ own picks and the Grizzlies’ and Clippers’ picks).
Previous reports had suggested that the Celtics were unwilling to include their 2018 Nets and Lakers first-rounders, or recent lottery picks Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Between Wojnarowski’s and Bulpett’s accounts, there seems to be a little ambiguity about whether what was actually on the table for the Pacers from the Celtics. I get the impression that Boston likely would’ve been willing to offer Crowder, Smart, and multiple first-rounders eventually, but weren’t prepared to make a commitment yet, prompting the Pacers to move on to make a deal with the Thunder.
According to Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com, many NBA executives he has spoken to believe that Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard was too “hell-bent” on keeping George out of the Eastern Conference. Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link) confirms that he has heard this too, though he adds that some Western teams are confused because they felt their offers were better than Oklahoma City’s.
According to Wojnarowski, one scenario involving a Western team that the Pacers turned down was an offer of Gary Harris and a protected first-round pick (which likely would’ve become a second-rounder) from the Nuggets. George would have gone to Cleveland in that scenario, with the Nuggets getting Kevin Love.
The word should be “grateful” not stunned. Celtics really lucked out here in my book.
Lol why they basically would’ve been giving up nothing. Two role players and late first rounders for a star. Even if it’s one year, it would’ve been better than that package.
I just don’t understand how they couldn’t even get the Thunder’s 2017 draft pick Ferguson in the deal as a third piece
Hey celtics at least the cavs didn’t get
George! Unfortunately my Lakers missed
to!
This honestly has to go down as one of the worst trades of all time. Oladipo frankly has negative value because of the contract, and Sabonis is meh. Presti turned part of a 1 yr rental of Serge Ibaka into a 1 year rental of Paul George. How does that even make sense? Jae Crowder and Smart without the picks is a better deal… heck, just the picks is also a better deal.
I didn’t even think of it like that, he looks like a genius
Worst trades of all time? If George walks next summer then it will be for OKC. Seems like everyone is undervaluing Oladipo. I thought dealing Serge for Oladipo and Sabonis was a steal for OKC. Oladipo’s value went down playing with Westbrook. He was up and coming with the Magic. And again, Sabonis wasn’t used properly with the Thunder. I think Indiana will win this trade if George only plays 1 year with OKC.
But think about it. Part of the return for 1 year of Serge Ibaka, not even the whole thing, turned into 1 year of Paul George. Everyone said Ibaka was had for an overpay, but this is a massive underpayment.
Indiana loses automatically because they rejected better offers.
So the Pacers will wallow in mediocrity…and the C’s will attempt to land GH and then draft two top five picks in next year’s draft. The top drafted talent will be ready to take over the team as Horford’s and Hayward’s contracts expire. Plus PG could still theoretically sign with Boston next year…unlikely, but still possible.
Yea I think it’s definitely a risk because even for OKC, George might talk Westbrook into leaving for the Lakers with him at the end of the year if LaBron decides to stay in Cleveland. Then how smart would OKC be. If I’m the Celtics I’m only doing the deal if it’s a risk you feel confident you are willing to make assuming he leaves or if you think the move cements GH signing with them. Otherwise you can use those picks and players to help you get other pieces for your roster. Such shooters off the bench and rebounding off the bench while you also develop Brown and Tatum.
Wow! Without any leverage somehow Sam Presti held a gun to Pritchard’s head and got him to accept a deal without any draft picks and all before FA started. Unless he had photos or promised Pritchard a FO job when he gets canned from Indy, Presti is hands down the best GM in hoops.
Cannabis must be legal in your state! This is the GM who traded Harden…let Durant leave….because he had a coach who could not find a way to get the three of them to play together! Think about that…Durant/Harden/Westbrook…he should be fired. After George leaves…maybe he will. Russ just delayed his extension…he will leave too. OKC down the tubes.
But think about it. He turned part of the Serge Ibaka rental into a Paul George rental with potential to resign due to bird rights. Good deal even as a rental.
He was forced to trade Harden because his owner was to cheap to fork over 5 extra million dollars.Didnt want to pay the luxury tax not knowing the salary cap would increase. Durant leaving had little to do with Presti and more to do with Donovan’s system and Westbrooks tunnel vision and ballhog attitude. Yes he averaged 10 assists but look at when he begins to pass the ball, its usually when the shot clock is about to reach zero. Presti tried talking to Durant and Durant acted committed to the thunder during the end of the season.
The best gm is clearly RC Buford
Very good move from booth teams
Indiana with oladipo and OKC with George !!!
Sabonis is a nice player
It’s terrible value for George what are you talking about. Gary Harris is better than those players values combined.
Haha Connorsox is an idiot. Gary Harris will be getting paid 20+ next contract too
By your own logic Connor, that will be negative value with Harris given his future deal, and then as the article states most likely would be a 2nd round pick
But Harris would be worth it. Oladipo is a defensive minded guard who can’t shoot but has a good draft pedigree. Offense gets paid, and Harris provides it. No purely defensive guard deserves what Oladipo gets paid. Harris is worth more than Oladipo, also getting paid later is fine because they can make moves now and just match an offer sheet and be over the cap. Which is why what OKC did with Dipo was fine, but picking him up in a trade as a rebuilding team isn’t. That cap space could be allotted much better.
I can sort of understand why Indy didn’t want PG13 to re-up with an Eastern Conf team so that’s why their asking price for Celts & Cavs was much higher but why make such a quick deal with OKC and turn down better offers from Western Conf teams???
Kevin Pritchard
Class of 1985
Edison High School
Tulsa, OKLAHOMA
I knew it. This trade was an inside job
The only value was Sabonis. But they just drafted Leaf and have Turner. So now u have 3 big guys. I like the get of Sabonis. But the oladipo part is bad. That’s a lot of money to take on for a average player
I think GMs are tired of Danny Ainge’s lowballing, media leaking tactics.
I’d take Victor Oladipo and Damontas Sabonis over Gary Harris and a heavily protected first.
If that was the best offer, then GM’s and fans need to stop complaining.
It’s a one year rental. Westbrook and George might go to LA.
Oh, and the Pacers are a for-profit business and must sell season tickets. They needed players now, and Oladipo sells more tickets in Indiana than Marcus Smart, Jae Crowder or Gary Harris.
I think people like you dislike Boston and so can’t get past your own bias. NBA teams aren’t dumb enough to not bother with better packages because of PERCEIVED (and likely untrue) “lowballing”. Ainge has simply refused to GIVE IN to EXCESSIVE packages, which is fair, just as it’s fair for the teams he is trying to trade with to hold out for more.
I figured this had a lot to do with getting George out of the East, and THAT seems to be the most likely explanation. Ainge clearly wasn’t lowballing given the deal that was agreed to, so clearly it wasn’t his fault. It just wasn’t going to be in the cards unless he greatly overpaid, and he doesn’t do that.
Time to fire Danny. He is afraid to make a mistake
Oh my!!! My gm is an idiot for not wanting to throw away the future in a futile attempt to beat the Cavs!!! What a moron!!!
Celtics should call Preston and say,”it’s going to hurt when they both leave you. So let me offer you 4 1st round picks and a player for George AND Westbrook!!! Yeah I said it!
Only chance OKC has. They won’t win this year with those 2. They’ll be good , but not good enough. And those high picks and all the payroll flexibility is where they should start. And Boston better buck up and go get it before that ole window closes in 3-5 years
Celtics think they can get superstars without trading anything. Its ok danny keep hoarding draft picks
You saw the trade offers they made right? Since when are those not trading anything??
The 3 first round picks were all from playoff teams. If it was the nets or lakers pick fine. But 3 late picks and crowder is nothing for the pacers to keep PG in the east. Only legit offer 4 months ago at the deadline. Since then the C’s effort has been minimal
And Smart. Lakers offered Clarkson, randle, 27, 28. Smart and randle have equal value. High draft picks, same control, haven’t quite lived up to it but potential still there. Clarkson is more expensive and not as good as Crowder. 3 future firsts is better than 27 and 28. Even if it’s 30 30 and 30 it’s still better.
Randle and smart have like the same hair.
I joked earlier that Boston couldn’t draft Fultz because his haircut and Jaylen Brown’s haircut wouldn’t fit in the same gym
But the Thunder are still not going to be serious contenders. They weren’t great with Durant and Westbrook why would they be great with PG and Westbrook?
So if Celtics were only offering late first rounders those players often are bench guys. The nuggets were basically offering a 2nd rounder as pick.
It comes down to:
Harris or crowder and smart or the package they took.
Harris will get a huge deal so the money is close to victors. Smart and crowder as a package value might be better but individually neither is better than Harris or victor.
And then you have the Indiana factor. Victor will play for home town team. You can bet fans will love that and he might take it to another level.
I forgot about the Indiana factor. That may have played a role, but I still think they could’ve gotten more out of OKC ore someone else.
Ainge always has an excuse. Too bad Danny, you snooze you lose. Keep sitting on your assets.
They should fire him
Hopefully as a Lakers fan that would make the Celts bad
Pacers are trying to jump start a multi-year rebuild, not help the Celtics. They got two young starters (entering age 25 and 21 seasons), controlled at fixed prices (4 years, and 3 years + RFA), both of which fit and have significant upside. Celtics had no offer on the table; but if it was just the players and picks they’re talking about, it would be zero players of that ilk. Crowder and Bradley aren’t old, entering their age 27 seasons, and Crowder has a good contract, but he isn’t a great rebuild asset. Bradley is a rental (not rebuild asset at all). Smart is the right age, but failed as a starter (and a RFA after this season, that will be tough to match a large offer on). The picks figure to be very low and the Clips as likely to convert to 2nds. If the package was really on the table, then Pacers maybe could have called around to see if they could flip some of these pieces for better rebuild assets. But it wasn’t, and lots is going to happen over the next 5-7 days.