Worse trade: Billups or Johnson

[Wandering Athol]

I admit to not following the Celts too closely since the Carr days, but I'm wondering which trade Celts fans think was worse:

Feb 18, 1998: Toronto Raptors traded Kenny Anderson, Zan Tabak and Popeye Jones to the Boston Celtics for Chauncey Billups, Dee Brown, Roy Rogers and John Thomas.

Feb 20, 2002: Boston Celtics traded Randy Brown, Joe Johnson, Milt Palacio and a conditional 2002 first-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for Tony Delk and Rodney Rogers.

The first trade has Rick "I love me some me" Pitino written all over it. The second has Jim "just get into the playoffs like the Bruins" O'Brien's mark on it.

What say you?

[Patti37]

I would have to say they were equally bad. Okay upon further review I would probably give the Joe Johnson trade a slight edge in being the worst trade. At least Dee Brown brought something to the Celtics.

[3 Point Stan]

I think the Billups trade set them back longer.

I don't know that the Johnson trade ultimately made a difference in terms of interim success between then and now.

So I'll say Billups.

[Patti37]

I think it was the entire Rick Pitino stint as general manager that set them back more than anything.

[Mikiemo83]

Billups trade, Johnson plays Peirces position

[groganfan]

Billups.

[soxin07080910]

both horrendousss

[Sam Malone]

I'd have to give the slight nod to the Billups trade.

Keep in mind, leading up to the Draft Lottery, the Celtic brass (as was the case with all of us fans) were holding high hope they'd get the top overall pick and subsequently land Tim Duncan. When the balls fell and Boston wound up with pick 3, there was a collective groan throughout the New England region, and it sent Slick Rick in to a tailspin. Honestly, I don't think he really ever had a backup plan, and they seemed to take Billups almost by default. When he didn't immediately set the world on fire, Pitino was very trigger happy and seemed ready to take the first servicable body they could get in return. Little did they know or suspect, Billups would become a rather good PG in his own right.

Granted, both deals sucked the high one, but picking one versus the other, I'll lean towards the Billups giveaway.

[patriotspride]

i cant pick one they both suck. if i had to i would pick the billiups trade the worst. they just didnt give him any time. he was gone after 50 something games for christ sake. thats just pathetic to give up on your number one pick in less than a year. a top five pick if memory serves. just god awful.