February 20, 2016
If only we had this rumor two days ago…
The day after the trade deadline, Boston Celtics president Danny Ainge went on local radio station 98.5 The Sports Hub. During this interview, Ainge said the Celtics were very close to making a trade for a big name at the deadline that involved the extremely valuable unprotected first-round pick from Brooklyn:
“I can’t tell you the team or the name, but it was very close. It was something we had been deliberating on for two days straight,” said Ainge. “We were wrapping ourselves around a big package to do a deal, and at the very last minute … they did not want to do it, they backed out.”
ALSO: Danny Ainge said the mystery team involved would've surprised fans because rumor was "never reported" #Celtics https://t.co/wT5QixfFn2
— Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) February 19, 2016
These remarks prompted tons of speculation, especially because Ainge ruled out the obvious subjects like Kevin Love or DeMarcus Cousins. Some writers wondered if Ainge was having some fun and making the story up (or at the very least, embellishing).
According the Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald, the mystery player was none other than Sixers center Jahlil Okafor:
Danny Ainge clearly doesn’t. And that is healthy. It’s why he spent the last several days trying to get the kind of magnetic player needed to lift the Celtics from the NBA’s middle earth. While a league source has indicated the late target Ainge has referred to in radio interviews was Philadelphia’s Jahlil Okafor, Ainge has turned silent on the matter.
In any case, we do know the deal was dead on Wednesday and that the other club pulled the plug. The locals left the porch light on, but nothing returned to life.
There is a lot to unpack here. If you recall, there was an ESPN report before the draft that the Celtics were “offering a mother lode” to move up and take Okafor. Then again, Sam Hinkie said yesterday that the Sixers weren’t that close to making a deal at the deadline.
It’s tough to know who is telling the truth, but the Brooklyn pick straight up for Okafor would be an extremely tempting offer from the Sixers' standpoint.
Follow Rich on Twitter: @rich_hofmann
