Trade Thoughts Thursday

[wayray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

- So Danny Ainge loves the upcoming draft and wants to acquire another
draft choice or two.  I'm a big fan of the upcoming draft myself, but it's
definitely a long term proposition, what with all the high-schoolers and Euros/
Brazilians that will be in it. We're talking 4-year projects in a lot of the
cases. Hell, Podkolzine could be a six-year project.

- So why bother with Detroit and Atkins, with their very low first round choice?

- And besides, if you're going to help a team to the Finals, you need to be holding out
for something better, at least Carlos Delfino and the pick.

- But if Ainge is truly interested in picking up a quality draft choice, why not Phoenix
and Jahidi White?  They have the Knicks pick and Cleveland's, and White's contract
expires next season, making for a great trade package with Stewart and him.

- If Ainge is PF hunting, Donyell Marshall appears preferable to the
rest. Besides, Toronto needs a center. This is the perfect spot for
Mihm or Blount or both. 

- Whatever Ainge does will be "window dressing", says Michael Ventre,
NBC.Com Sports:  "If you want to discuss a team in need of new players, try the Boston Celtics. Danny Ainge, the team's general manager, is looking to make a deal. The Celtics' hold on a playoff berth in the East is tenuous, and Ainge is only slightly more popular in Beantown these days than George Steinbrenner. But he really doesn't have much to offer.
Jim O'Brien resigned as head coach because he wanted to design the Celtics as a defensive-minded team. Ainge had other ideas. But he doesn't have the players to suit his philosophy. He could give up on Ricky Davis quickly, but that would be admitting a mistake. There is talk of Boston trading away Chris Mills or Raef LaFrentz. Whatever Ainge does, it will be window dressing. He's a long way off from a meaningful remodeling of this once-proud franchise."


- I tend to disagree, if Ainge makes the right trade. . .
Ray