Boston’s Stevens aligns stars with pregame video
NEW ORLEANS — One of the biggest perks for coaching an All-Star Game is spending quality time with the game’s best players and soon-to-be free agents.
Brad Stevens, who is both charming and cunning in a Pat Riley kind of way, seized upon that opportunity as only few have.
Stevens, according to two sources, showed a pregame video featuring all 12 Eastern Conference All Stars as younger players up until to present day. For example, the clips of Carmelo Anthony included one of Melo in braids.
LeBron James was said to be impressed with the thought and time Stevens and the Celtics coaching staff put into the video.
It doesn’t mean free agents will run to Boston in droves but you have to wonder what impression Stevens made on three players — Jimmy Butler, Paul George and Anthony — who have all been linked to various deals ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
Butler, the Bulls’ best player, has been mentioned prominently in a potential deal with Boston, which has the option of swapping first-round picks with Brooklyn in this June’s draft. The Nets pick should be a top three selection and possibly the first overall.
That pick is valuable, especially in what is considered a deep draft class. Whether Celtics GM Danny Ainge would trade that pick for Butler is unclear.
Two executives doubt that Ainge would give up the Nets pick in a deal for Butler. However, Ainge might consider it in a trade for George, the free agent-to-be who has doubts about re-signing with the Pacers.
“If (Ainge) thinks he can make a run at the Cavs this season, considering all the injuries Cleveland has had, I can see him making a move,” one of the executives said.
Ainge can keep building through the draft while waiting for LeBron to get old and for the eventual break-up of the Warriors, who won’t be able to pay all their players.
The Celtics were mentioned as a possible suitor for DeMarcus Cousins before Cousins was traded to New Orleans Sunday. There is a theory that the Celtics may have had second thoughts about pairing Cousins with Al Horford. It is unclear if Boston even attempted to make a play for Cousins.
How Anthony fits into into this is open for debate. The Celtics are not trading the Nets pick for Melo.
If the Celtics pass on a deal for Butler or George they may decide to take a run at Anthony, if they can steal him. The one stumbling block is that Anthony would have to waive his no-trade clause.
Melo was impressed by Stevens’ pregame talk and his video presentation. Stevens may have been the losing coach in the All-Star Game but he won the pregame by a landslide.