re: Rich Paul publicly warns Celtics not to trade for AD

quote:

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Maybe that’s the under-the-table deal in place to send a message to players that they don’t get to dictate trade destinations.

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If you're a mega star you get, to some degree, to dictate trade destinations. AD's team is using the only leverage play that have, that they will only sign longterm deals with a few teams.

While quitting on your current team midseason was despicable, I understand AD's play here because he ultimately, doesn't get to decide his future right now. The Pels still have him under contract.

The question is do the other teams not named NY/LAL care about AD's only threat? My gut says not really.

Boston is still the most intriguing. They are FAR closer to being a championship level team than LA/NY AND they will tell AD what deep down he already knows, he's not that marketable on his own. He simply doesn't have the personality. Even in LA or NY he will need to be on a championship level team to reap the marketing benefits. And it doesn't appear likely those two organizations are that close right now.

In Boston he becomes the centerpiece of a championship caliber team. That will allow him to overcome his personal lack of marketability.