Celtics @ 7: Reasons Why Brooklyn Losing Is Good For Boston
BOSTON (CBS) - As the Boston Celtics approach the midway point of the painstaking 2014-15 season, The Sports Hub's Adam Jones said on Tuesday's Celtics @ 7 there's reason to root for another team besides the C's to enter the doldrums of the Eastern Conference. That team is the Brooklyn Nets, and a potential change in ownership could lead to just that.
Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov has made it public he wants to sell the team in the near future which could insinuate a domino effect in the Celtics favor.
"I think he looks at what went down a year ago with Donald Sterling, how much that organization sold for, and he's going to cash in his ticket," said Jones.
The first step in making the Nets a marketable sell is getting rid of the big salaries on their payroll -- something Brooklyn has in abundance. Last week the Nets engaged in trade talks with Oklahoma City and Charlotte to send center Brook Lopez to OKC as part of a three-team swap, but nothing official has happened to date. There's rumors that high-priced players Deron Williams and Joe Johnson could also be on the move.
Ainge's Draft Bounty: Upcoming Draft Picks Owned By Celtics
The stripping down of the Nets roster and potential sale of the team is beneficial to Boston because the Celtics hold the Nets first-round draft picks in 2016 and 2018 as well as an option to swap first-rounders with Brooklyn in 2017. If Brooklyn depletes their roster and enters a rebuilding process with new ownership, the value of those picks will increase dramatically for the Celtics.
"Brooklyn's picks are going to be the gift that keeps on giving for this organization. Personally, I'd be routing for Brooklyn to sell Brook Lopez, sell Joe Johnson, sell Deron Williams, and Mikhail Prokhorov to sell that team," said Jones.
The Celtics have Brooklyn's picks from the deal that sent Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry there in 2013.
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