Enter the Green Dragon: Could Goran Dragic go to Boston?

Oh, you must know Sam Cassell!

There's been an extremely interesting development down in Phoenix, where former Most Improved Player winner and All-NBA third team member Goran Dragic has grown a tremendous set of nuts and summarily stopped fucking around. He wants out:

Okay, so this was no Westbrook-esque, hovering on the edge of an ass-kicking sort of ultimatum (and I wish it were!), but it's still an occasion to be cherished whenever an athlete makes things awkward as shit seemingly out of nowhere. Especially when that suddenly untenable situation may result in the Celtics nabbing a Hell of a guard, as several NBA writers have suggested is a real possibility. Which leaves us to confront a few questions.

Does Trading For Dragic Make Sense For The Celtics?

Make no mistake about it - Dragic is a real talent. At 28, he can shoot, he can pass, but most importantly, he's a shifty, hard-to-guard creator off the dribble and in the pick and roll game. He has a lot of the same skill set you used to associate with Steve Nash, or Manu Ginobli. I'd stop short of putting him in those players' class, but the things he can do right now make Dragic an instant fit in the pace-and-space universe of Brad Stevens.

He's also a free agent next year. So, before any trade happens, the Celtics have to gauge if they can convince Dragic he ought to be in Boston for the duration of a contract likely to be in the neighborhood of 4 years and $80 million. For his part, Chris Mannix doesn't think it's likely, and Chris Broussard thinks it is totally likely. As is often the case as the trade deadline approaches, there's little to go on in trying to determine if Mannix or Broussard's sources are more accurate; the galling thing is that they could both be right, and the Celtics could land Dragic even if the guy appears to have little interest in staying for the long term. You've probably seen Danny Ainge's crazy eyes before. He's just crazy enough to try something like that.

I doubt we're getting any real answers before the last possible minute tomorrow afternoon. Rest assured, though, Dragic is going to get that money somewhere. The real question - because I think Ainge leaps over his desk, screaming with joy, to trade one of his expendable vets and a pick or two for Dragic - is:

Do The Celtics Make Sense For The Green Dragon?
Allow me, if you will, to address Goran Dragic directly here for a moment.

Goran, my man. You're very wealthy and talented. I think lots of people actually refer to you as The Dragon with a straight face. You don't need me to sit here and bore you with our roster, our cap space, our treasure trove of draft picks, our brilliant, committed young coach, our GM, our make-it-rain ownership, or the championship pedigree of Boston, which is so consistent at this point that it's almost boring. So instead, let's just review the situations of the other teams that you've named as acceptable potential landing spots.

The New York Knickerbockers
I'm going to throw it over to Knicks reporter Al Iannazzone for an update on the state of affairs in New York:

Mother of God. It's weird that Iannazzone left out the part about how Phil Jackson was weeping uncontrollably when he said those words.

The Los Angeles Lakers
You can't talk about the Lakers without mentioning the best player on the team, the face of the franchise, the legend himself:


OH WHAT'S UP GORAN SWAGIC. WELCOME HOME, BABY.

(Up to you, Goran. Seriously, best of luck.)

The Houston Rockets
A few points:
  • I will get fired from CelticsLife if I take the time to explain all the ways you will grow to hate playing with and/or being around Dwight Howard, Goran. 
  • Do you know what James Harden's beard smells like? It smells like old pizza and sadness. You don't to deal with that every day.
  • Do you know what the city of Houston smells like? It smells like James Harden's beard.
  • You thought playing off the ball and having your role reduced was tough with the Suns? Goran, I'd like you to meet Josh Smith and Jason Terry and Corey Brewer and also WELCOME TO YOUR NIGHTMARE.

The Sacramento Kings and the Miami Heat
Just kidding. I'm not dignifying this with a joke.



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Photo credit: SBNation, LakersNation
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