No rest for dealin’ Dan
Phone still ringing after big Philly trade
A fresh round of Jimmy Butler rumors broke out yesterday — chief among them that the Cavaliers were going after the Bulls forward and longtime Celtics trade target.
For the first time in awhile, the Celts were nowhere to be seen in the vicinity of the smoke, but with Danny Ainge being Danny Ainge, that could change fast.
The Celtics president admitted during a conference call yesterday that his number has become popular with other general managers in the aftermath of this weekend’s pick swap with Philadelphia.
Ainge wouldn’t shoot down the general possibility of this happening, anyway.
“There’s always the possibility,” he said of a followup trade. “The phone has been ringing since news of this deal came out. But we’re happy with this pick.” For now, certainly. Ainge shed some light on his motives for swapping the first pick with Philadelphia for No. 3 and a protected first-rounder down the road.
The Celtics were going to take someone other than Markelle Fultz if they held onto the top pick in Thursday night’s draft, and believe that same player will be available to them now in the third slot.
Duke’s Jayson Tatum, a high-scoring forward who worked out for the C’s in their Waltham practice facility yesterday morning, and Kansas forward Josh Jackson have both been rated in the top four by the team. If UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball is taken by the Lakers with the second pick, the Celtics will have their choice of the two.
Ainge said during a conference call yesterday that the team is now trying to schedule a workout with Jackson for today. Jackson was in New York, according to the Celtics president.
“Even before the lottery, we have been evaluating these kids for the last few years, and we felt that they were all close,” he said of the talent level between Fultz, Ball, Jackson and Tatum. “The player we would take at No. 3 was close to the player at No. 1.
“We’ll still be able to get the player we want in the draft.”
Ainge was especially pleased with the additional value he was able to squeeze out of trading down two slots in a deal that was finalized yesterday. The Celtics will receive a 2018 Lakers pick, but only if it is second, third, fourth or fifth overall. Otherwise, they will receive either a 2019 Sacramento pick or the Sixers’ top 2019 pick, whichever is higher. Both those possibilities also have No. 1 protection.
“It’s very good value for us, and obviously (Philadelphia) wanted that No. 1 pick,” said Ainge. “(Fultz) is someone they really wanted, who fits in with what they’re trying to do.”
The Celtics, on the other hand, have their eyes on getting more athletic at the wing forward positions.
The gamble is enormous for Ainge, who has run the risk that Fultz will blossom into an NBA All-Star for a division rival. But the Celtics president didn’t sound like a man with a tightening collar.
“Obviously there are bigger risks when you make a trade like this under a microscope,” he said. “But we’re not afraid of that. If there was a 50-50 split in our group over who we liked there would be more concern, but we are very excited about this deal.
“We get the player we want — (Philadelphia) got the player they want.”
Celtics notes
Isaiah Thomas’ decision on whether to treat his right hip with surgery or some other means of treatment may be nearing. Ainge said that though he hasn’t received a recent update on his star guard’s search for a solution, “we should know something this week.” ... The Celtics are close to signing David Theis, a rugged center from Germany who rates as a strong rebounder, albeit with limited offensive potential. His team (Bamberg) won the German Bundesliga title this year.
‘The player we would take at No. 3 was close to the player at No. 1. We’ll still be able to get the player we want in the draft.’ — CELTICS PRESIDENT DANNY AINGE On rationale behind trade with Philadelphia