I think we're just about done with the Leon Powe stories around here. At least, until the Cavs and C's meet on February 25 (which I assume will be the first time he could play against us).
But both sides spoke today, and the Herald has a ton of quotes.
“I talked to [Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca] for 45 minutes,” said Powe. “But he said they weren’t going to do nothing. It was quite a shock to me, but he said they didn’t have the extra money to sign me, and (Pagliuca) said that he would have to pay out of his own pocket for them to wait on me.
“I understood what he was saying, because it was the same thing I heard from Danny. I told Danny that I would take the one-year deal. But that was it. After (talking to Pagliuca), I didn’t call them no more.”
Danny Ainge says Leon turned down the same deal he just took with Cleveland: 2 years at the minimum with the second being a team option. Leon wanted a 1-year deal, which the team refused.
“Unfortunately, the way things turned out, Leon took it to mean that we didn’t want him back, and that wasn’t necessarily the case,” said Ainge. “Though we didn’t extend him the qualifying offer, we did talk to him about coming back. I told Leon from the beginning that what happened is what I thought would happen - that he’d get a two-year contract with a team option.
“But I want everyone to know that I love Leon and wish him the best,” said Ainge. “I hope he does well. We’re all better for having known Leon.”
In the end, Leon continues to endear himself to us fans.
“Yeah, that’s going to be unusual, because I love Boston and all of its fans,” he said. “There’s no hard feelings. I understand that you need someone who can play the whole season.”
I don't know what to think anymore. I'm just hoping to move on at this point.
