Coach, I don't want to retire yet

Chapter 544 The missing Paul!
Chris Paul's days with the Boston Celtics are numbered, and now it all depends on which team is willing to trade Paul away.

Paul is now a recognized superstar in the league, and he is only 31 years old. As a traditional point guard, this age is the golden period. As a traditional point guard, Paul can still be at his peak for at least three or four years.

In the NBA, excellent traditional guards are synonymous with longevity.

There is Stockton from afar, and Kidd and Nash from recently.

So Chris Paul has no shortage of suitors.

But there is no denying that Paul's current value is indeed somewhat embarrassing.

To put it simply, Paul is useless for a bad team or a trash bottom team. Paul can only perform better in a championship team.

If a championship-contending team wants to trade Paul, it will have to see whether the Celtics are willing to do so.

Giving you Paul increases the strength of the team. If my Celtics meet you in the playoffs or the finals, won’t we be at a huge loss?

For the Celtics, the best thing would be to trade Paul to a mediocre team and then get the players they need.

However, this will certainly be very difficult.

Take for example the current super teams in the NBA.

The Eastern Conference has the Cavaliers, Bobcats, Celtics, and Heat.

In addition to these four super teams, the teams in the playoff zone are the Raptors, Knicks, Bulls, 76ers, Pacers, Pistons and other teams.

These ordinary strong teams do have a great need for Paul. If they get Paul, their strength will increase significantly, but the key is that these ordinary strong teams have no bargaining chips!

Because of the mediocre record, the draft picks are not valuable, and because the team lacks depth, the players' value is not high either.

In this situation, what can we use to trade Paul?

Just when Paul's trade was at a stalemate, turmoil suddenly broke out on the Pacers side!

The Pacers' star player, the team's small forward Paul George, suddenly submitted a trade request to the Pacers' top management.

"I'm tired of not being able to compete for the championship every year. I know the Pacers have tried their best. We are a small city, a small basketball market, and we can't afford the high cost of competing for the championship. I can understand the Pacers. I love the Pacers and I love Indianapolis. However, I have been in the Pacers for six years. I want to fight for my championship one last time. I want to go to Boston, I want to go to the Celtics, to find my own championship!"

"I know you may not believe it, but this is true. I have never communicated privately with Danny Ainge of the Celtics. I simply want to go to the Boston Celtics. There is everything I need there!"

Paul George is still smart. He knows the feud between Danny Ainge and Larry Bird. If Larry Bird knew that he was colluding with Danny Ainge in private, he would never go to the Celtics.

Paul George finally chose to play the emotional card.

He broke a leg for the Pacers, and now he doesn't want to stay here and waste his life in a daze.

He respects the Pacers' choice.

I also hope the Pacers respect his choice.

Paul George's remarks did win the sympathy of many fans.

Paul George has always been very popular among fans around the league, and what he said is also true.

After Paul George announced his request for a trade, local media in Indianapolis soon broke the news.

This season, there was actually a superstar power forward who wanted to come to the Pacers to partner with Paul George, but was rejected by the Pacers' management, who refused due to the small market and lack of money.

The Pacers management is unwilling to pay high salaries and expensive luxury taxes. This is the sadness and fate of small cities.

But for George, this means he won't be able to find outstanding teammates, nor will he have the possibility of breaking out of the Eastern Conference or even winning a championship. This is intolerable for George.

Just like Durant had already reached an agreement with Battier, but in the end the Thunder lost Battier and a championship for just a few million.

Learning from past experience, Paul George doesn't want to continue wasting his life in a small city like Durant did.

This is indeed understandable.

And Paul George is really nice. After the team rejected the superstar power forward's joining in the summer, Paul George still played diligently, did not tell the inside story, and kept his mouth shut and played hard.

There is indeed no problem with his professionalism, which is much better than Leonard betraying the Raptors.

Therefore, Paul George, who has won the sympathy of many fans, especially Celtics fans, hopes that the Pacers can fulfill his wish.

Even many Celtics fans knelt down to Larry Bird on the Internet.

Not only did he kneel down to Larry Bird, the legend of the team, he even called on Danny Ainge to come over and kneel down to Larry Bird.

He encouraged the team to trade Larry Bird, but ultimately failed, and Danny Ainge himself was traded instead.

Although this matter did not succeed, Larry Bird will remember Danny Ainge for the rest of his life.

After all, Danny Ainge was the glue of the team in the locker room. From the perspective of other players, Danny Ainge was a "good guy". Danny Ainge handled the relationship between stars such as Larry Bird and McHale in the locker room very well.

We are all friends.

That's what it looks like on the surface.

Well, you are smiling in front of everyone on the surface, but you are stabbing people in the back.

Is this appropriate?

Not only do you want to sell out the boss with a star role player from TN, you also stab him in the back.

Even if you are Larry Bird, you can't stand it and feel like you are blind.

He mistook a sinister and vicious villain for a good person.

Of course, this last incident also made Larry Bird see the Celtics clearly. Although the Celtics did not trade Larry Bird in the end, you guys actually discussed this matter with that villain Danny Ainge.

This thing shouldn't have happened.

Do you think the problem will be solved by letting Danny Ainge go?

This incident was also one of the reasons why Larry Bird returned to his hometown in Indiana after his hasty retirement. This incident was also the reason why there was almost no active positive evaluation of Larry Bird after he left the Celtics.

As one of the greatest stars in Celtics history, who has ever seen Larry Bird stand up and speak for the Celtics at critical moments in the Celtics' playoffs or key games?
No, almost no. I say almost for the sake of rigor.

Larry Bird left the Celtics, which was a tarnish to his pride. I broke my back and damaged my body for you, and you treat me like this?

I feel hurt.

Now Celtics fans want Larry Bird to remember their friendship in the past. This may be a little mysterious.

Larry Bird once said that he would hate Danny Ainge for the rest of his life.

This is not just about hating Danny Ainge for the rest of his life, this is about even the Celtics hating him for the rest of their lives.

Maybe Larry Bird will reconcile with the Celtics one day.

But at this moment, Danny Ainge will definitely not reconcile with him.

In fact, when Celtics fans knelt down to beg Larry Bird and asked Danny Ainge to kneel down to beg Larry Bird, Danny Ainge had already taken action.

Danny Ainge admires Paul George very much.

Because Paul George is also a Durant-like player.

In other words, a Durant-like player is the dream lover of many Celtics legends.

Russell, Danny Ainge, and many Celtics legends like Durant.

Why is this happening?

They don't love Durant at all, they love a physically enhanced version of Larry Bird.

The Celtics' love for Bird has never stopped.

The Celtics really like those players with strong offensive ability at the 3rd and 4th positions. In their eyes, this is the next Big Bird in the future. Although the Celtics have been blacklisted in Big Bird's heart.

But Bird will always be the white moonlight in the hearts of the Celtics.

Danny Ainge is still very thick-skinned. Why does George try so hard to distance himself from Danny Ainge?

Because Danny Ainge came up and made an offer the moment George requested a trade.

Paul is traded for George, a quasi-superstar is traded for a quasi-superstar. Since you are one of our legends, I will not let the Pacers give away the draft pick. Brother, am I being fair?

On the phone, Danny Ainge was still talking nonsense, which made Larry Bird on the other end of the phone laugh.

This bastard thinks I'm an idiot!
Of course Larry Bird decisively refused.

In the NBA management circle, Ainge has a very big reputation. As some general managers said, "When Ainge calls me, he must be ready to trick me."

Danny Ainge, no matter who he is, basically the first thing he does is to make a mistake.

What if the other person is a fool?

He certainly doesn't think Larry Bird is a fool.

But what if Larry Bird still cares about the brotherhood he had with the Celtics?
Danny Ainge really wants these what-ifs, but there are still few fools in this world, and what-ifs are also very rare.

Larry Bird doesn't have so many what-ifs.

After learning that Larry Bird did not have much affection for him and the Celtics, Danny Ainge finally adopted a business attitude.

Made a normal offer, but was rejected by Larry Bird.

Larry Bird's double-team is simple, that is, the Nets' 2016 and 2018 draft picks!
If nothing else works, the Pacers can accept Chris Paul as a player to balance the salary, and just think of it as the Pacers doing charity and receiving a garbage contract.

Larry Bird's price tag is clearly a rip-off. No, it clearly shows that he doesn't want to do business with the Celtics.

For Leonard, he only traded the Celtics and the Nets' 2017 draft pick swap, as well as Rudy Gay and his own future first-round pick with little value.

Why does Paul George want so much?
"You don't have to send Paul over. I only want the 2016 and 2018 Nets draft picks. You can do whatever you want with the rest. If you can match Paul George's salary, I'm fine with that."

In fact, if this is the case, then Larry Bird's deal doesn't seem to be too bad.

Rudy Gay + a first-round pick can be considered a top five or even top three draft pick, equivalent to a Nets draft pick.

Plus the Nets draft pick in 2017.

Indeed, in order to get Leonard, he sent two chips worth the equivalent of the Nets' draft picks.

Now Larry Bird also wants two, which does make sense.

So, he doesn't even have to trade Chris Paul to get Paul George.

Paul George is only 26 years old now, a quasi-superstar player in his prime.

The trading value of such a player is indeed not comparable to Paul's.

For such a player, the average team does need to pay such a price.

Larry Bird is willing to do business with the Celtics at a normal price, which is indeed a face-giving act.

Logically speaking, even if Larry Bird didn't answer his call, even if he asked for a huge sum of money, there was nothing he could do.

It seems that the Celtics fans' kneeling pleas online are effective.

Danny Ainge did not reject the request immediately.

There are always more ideas than solutions.

The Celtics have Paul as a bargaining chip.

Paul is still wanted by many.

For example, the Raptors who just did business with the Celtics.

The Raptors also need a point guard.

And Paul is a quasi-super point guard.

The Raptors also made an offer for Paul.

Now the Raptors are in urgent need of a point guard to stabilize their playoff run. If they can get Paul, they can also gain market share and NBA recognition.

This is awesome.

As for whether it was too cruel to Paul, Danny Ainge never thought about it.

Soon, under the promotion of Danny Ainge, the Celtics, Raptors and Pacers completed a three-way trade.

Celtics send 2016 draft pick to Nets for Chris Paul

The Raptors sent the draft picks that the Nets and Celtics exchanged in 2017, sent the Celtics' future lottery protection, sent Carroll, sent Scola,

Pacers traded Paul George

The Celtics got Paul George and that lottery protection for the Celtics' future

Raptors get Chris Paul

The Pacers got the draft pick swapped with the Nets in 17, the Nets' draft pick in 2016, and two garbage contracts of Carroll and Stella.

In this deal, the Celtics sent a Nets draft pick plus Paul in exchange for George and a first-round pick. For someone like Danny Ainge who loses money without taking advantage, this is definitely a small loss.

For the Raptors, they only gave away a Nets draft pick and a future first-round pick to get Paul, and also gave away two junk contracts. Not only did they form the Big Three of Gay, DeRozan and Paul, but they also have future operating and signing space. They definitely made a profit, at least, they are making a profit now.

As for the Pacers.

Without George, they have to rebuild, so the two junk contracts don't matter. The Nets got two future draft picks, which is the market price of Paul George, so they neither make a profit nor a loss.

Larry Bird also gave a favor to Celtics fans, which may be the only thing he earned.

In fact, the transactions among these three teams are all transactions at market prices.

However, for the three teams, this deal changed too many things.

The trade took place during the All-Star break.

At the press conference on the day of the All-Star Game, all the reporters were frantically asking Du Kang, the head coach of the Eastern Conference All-Stars.

Paul George went to the Celtics. Will this completely change the landscape of the Eastern Conference playoffs?

Let’s not talk about whether Paul George is suitable for the Celtics or not, and let’s not talk about whether Paul George will be better than Paul in the Celtics or not.

Such a big deal itself will give fans, experts and the media huge room for imagination.

Du Kang was silent for a while and then replied.

"I think that instead of caring about the future of the Celtics, you should be more concerned about Chris Paul who went to Toronto. He definitely needs your care more now."

Is it a mockery?
The reporters were stunned.

Then, they found out that Coach D was serious!

"Is Coach D really worried that Paul will retire sadly?!"

Because, after the trade, Paul also disappeared!!!

The Raptors top management is going to be in trouble!
Do you really think we Raptors are easy to bully? ! !

(End of this chapter)