Chandler wrote:I think there’s bad blood between Ainge and Riley going back to at least Ray Allen. Plus they don’t have pick and need to move Lowry and probably oladipo somehow
The miracle of Riley also has mistakes. Duncan Robinson had a bad season and they over paid. Jimmy Butler might not age well for all his incredible efforts, Bam is very good, but uneven and not a finished player (yet?), and Lowrey was an expensive luxury that did not get them over the hump. They had a trip to the finals and some recent success. We did not. But we have assets Ainge should want.
The bad blood, or good, these guys are pro’s. Like the CAA fallacy fans have and like to point out. Facts are players want to get paid and the whole thing was created by media anyway. Leon has to negotiate just like the rest of them. Ainge will deal with riles if he can get one done. He might be using them to drive up price. As might we?
Fact is if we do this deal our future for the role players is getting more Grimes type picks and development. Miami and other teams succeed in that culture vacuum to support the expensive core. Heat have high turnover. Dipo is back and he could be the next thing there. Bu that took three years to pay off if it in fact does. Strus was a Celtic kid who got cut.
What makes Riley so good is he is not a pussy. He is not scared to fail and his confidence is that he will fill in the role players but its not all laid out for fans to see. Why? He might not the answers himself. They don’t succeed every year. Difference he has enough success to be cool and not be a pussy. Knick fans in large are way too damaged to think anything will be good going forward and want the sure thing.
At some point you have to think like a successful person does. If not, hire one. Leon never did this job before but he succeeded massively over a long time. Yes, PHil did too. but just because that did not work out does not mean you don’t try and try again.
So I don’t go with all media, and I filter out some of my friends here too because its that hindsight thing. I have no idea if any of this will work but I do know that we are in a very different spot than at any time in the last 25 years. That Grimes a low pick is this important to a deal or on the court is very cool. SO is OBI and IQ, and all the picks we been hoarding. All that “WTF is ALLER doing” shit and noise from media is above our thinking. Don’t mean it is absolute success. Far from it.
I’m not lamenting on Frank failure, or that franchise killing Noah contract, or how we humiliated Kamba and we had to burn something to “pay for last years sins”………….. Truth is I enjoyed RJ emerge last season, and EF get some chemistry and finish the second half stronger. I did not like all of what Randle did but love he told us to STFU while he got hot, and we beat the Celtics in OT on RJ shot! I expected nothing from Deuce so his Gleague play and uneven NBA minutes was a plus. And Grimes getting better over time was fun!
Now we looking at a potential fresh new back court and the potential of what they can do for RJ and Randle. By the way, Thibs loves PNR and Brunsona and Donovan are really good at this!!
This comes together it has potential. comes with risks. That’s what Riley does. Takes them. Starphuchs don’t work because the remaining assets don’t. That is the question and its sorted out on the court. Not media trade grades.
