Thank you David Lee: Warriors trade the big man to the Celtics

So after all the long hours, the wondering days, the questioning and opining, it has finally come to this: David Lee will be a member of the Boston Celtics.

I just want to take this moment to say something simple and sincere.

Thank you, David Lee.

Thank you for being such a team player this last year once Draymond Green took your starting spot.

Thank you for being the consummate veteran, taking all these talented, young players under your wing and showing them how to comport themselves in this league.

Thank you for never, ever complaining.

Thank you for buying in to the team philosophy.

Thank you for staying ready, and for coming off the bench and saving our ass in the playoffs.

Thank you for putting up endless double-doubles, even as some in the media and among the fan base used that very metric to deride your efforts.

Thank you for not caring about our squabbles.

Thank you for making me feel the desire to, when I broke my right wrist some years ago, develop and work on my left. I wanted to be ambidextrous just like you.

Thank you for laughing on the bench with Stephen Curry.

Thank you for dancing with all the guys.

Thank you for the spin moves.

Thank you for the funny half-beard that reminded me of a bunch of bros I know here in NYC, many of whom frequent East Village bars where once only drunks and night-men sat.

Thank you for working on your defense, even though you probably knew you'd never be an elite defender.

Thank you for making me look up who we had to trade (almost five years ago, to the day) to acquire you and then in turn fondly spending a minute reminiscing about Anthony Randolph, Kelenna Azubuike and Ronny Turiaf. Good God man! You HAVE been here for a long time. Remember when Anthony Randolph was the future? Shit. I remember, once in summer league, Anthony Morrow and Anthony Randolph had both been kicking ASS, and I wrote a post, in the early days of facebook, saying something to the effect of "Fuck! If these two guys can keep this up, we might actually have a good fucking team next year!!" and then my mom called me and reprimanded me because my grandfather was on facebook and wouldn't want to see me swearing in a public forum and still to this day I refrain from using profanity in facebook updates even though no one cares anymore.

Thank you for being such a baller that all the NY Knick fans on my block stand around and pine for the "old David Lee days." Their muscled, tattooed arms waving in the summer wind, screaming, "That's the goddamn problem now! With the Knicks? Shit. Motherfuckers don't know how to PASS, ya know? You see whassI'm saying, these goddamn—now when we had D-LEE? Sheeeet."

Thank you for once living in the same building in White Plains, Westchester, where I taught a drum student and that kid was so proud to live in the same building as you. He was sad when you moved out.

Thank you for standing behind Keith Smart, Mark Jackson, and then Steve Kerr.

Thank you for making me feel like if I was ten or eleven inches taller, I could develop some sweet moves and play in this league.

Thank you for being our first All-Star since Latrell Sprewell.

Thank you for not choking anyone.

Thank you for not having a first name that looks and sounds like "Latrine."

Thank you for literally, and metaphorically, not being a latrine pit in the wilderness.

Thank you for bringing respectability and professionalism to the team.

Thank you for smiling so gracefully on the championship float.

Thank you for being a champion.

Thank you for being you.

Good luck in Boston, man. They're gonna love you.

I gotta feeling that if Boston loved the whole White Mamba experience, they are gonna fricking FLIP for the David Lee experience.

— Golden State of Mind (@unstoppablebaby) July 7, 2015

God Speed David. Good luck out there.

David Lee is, and always will be, a champion. He oversaw the regeneration of this team. God speed in your new journey @Dlee042!

— Golden State of Mind (@unstoppablebaby) July 7, 2015