Oden injury (and Presti and Ainge)

[Sabino]

>>>Did we trade for the wrong Seattle star?    Would we have been 
better off giving up that little (a second-round pick and a 
$9 mill trade exception or a reasonable facsimile) ) for Lewis 
rather than giving up Delonte, Wally, and #5 Jeff Green 
(or Jianlian who we would have taken had we kept the pick) 
for one-dimensional scorer, 32 year old Ray Allen?   

Egg<<<
   
   
  I do think it was a ballsy move on Presti's part to fully commit to rebuilding as he did.  He had that luxury being the new guy in town with a team that was going nowhere and an aging star.
   
  I still maintain that Ainge's initial move for Allen was nearly a panic move, driven by his knowledge that Pierce would get very vocal about wanting out if he had drafted Yi.  He wanted KG.  KG said no thanks.  Next he wanted Marion who likewise didn't want to come.  I think Ainge felt he HAD to get a quality vet in here to appease Pierce, and he then got Allen.  As THE BIG move of the summer, I feel like that would have been a panic disaster move.  Since it precipitated the KG move, and was thus the (relatively) minor move, it seems a decent one.
   
  Ainge did not feel he had the luxury of taking the Presti route this summer.  He was not in year 1 as Sam is.  I give Ainge credit for having once  picked a path (vets over youth), fully committing to it.
   
  I don't delude myself into thinking we have a 5 or 6 year window.  I think, realistically we have a 3 year window to compete for a championship.  I think it's fantasy to think our new Big 3 will be anthing close to the players they are now when they're in their later 30s.  That, to me, is homerish fantasy.
   
  Still, many (most) teams have no legitimate shot to contend ever, let alone 3 years.  So for me, the ideal would have been to win the lottery, and build a team that could have truly contended for a good 7 or 8 years, ala the 80s Celtics or the modern day Spurs.
   
  That ship sailed on lottery night, and Ainge putting together a team that can contend for even 3 years is fairly remarkable.
   
  It all looks good on paper thus far.  Hopefully it'll translate once the games start.
   
  In some ways I feel like we've just magically inherited a modern day version of the Celtics, circa 1987 or 88.  A little past their zenith, but still a formidable force.  The good thing is that unlike that earlier period, when the Lakers were still going strong, and the Pistons were deep and ready to take over the East, there really are no behemoths in the East now, so we probably have a shot.
   
  Anyway, I respect the route Presti took.   I also appreciate what Ainge did in his much different circumstances.
  
 

       
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