Originally Posted by
Pelicanidae
Not really. I've favoured the Knicks trade since like, March. And we don't need Ainge to offer us everything for the leverage created by them being involved to apply. You think that, for example, Pelinka has any idea what Ainge is planning? God no. And he isn't going to find out by magic power. Ainge won't tell him, and Ainge isn't stupid enough to spread that kind of thing to people he know will leak it unless he wants to. Griffin is the same. Pelinka, or whoever else, is not going to KNOW what Boston is actually offering. Therefore just knowing that Boston is involved creates the leverage, even if they're not actually offering everything because the threat of that offer drives prices up.
The reason Boston would be inclined to make that trade is precisely BECAUSE Kyrie is so mercurial. Kyrie cannot make his free agency choice until basically three weeks after the draft. Acquiring AD and losing some of the youth that Kyrie disliked playing with so much would be a pretty good way for the Celtics to entice him to return, and even if he did leave, acquiring AD would by definition prevent NYC or Brooklyn from doing so, allowing Ainge to prevent the formation of a superteam in his own back yard. Both are good reasons for Boston to at least make a credible run, even if they don't want to pony up the entire war chest.
Yeah, I'm definitely ready for the trade to just happen.