Do the big 3 - retire Celtics ?

[cupofjoe1962]

Do the big 3 retire Celtics or do they end their career in another city?

I think we have a great shot at another title next year, but what if one or
two of the big 3 goes down with a injury.

The window of opportunity is closing each year as these guys get older.

Do we allow all 3 to rid into the sunset of retirement Celtics?
We would then go back into the draft lottery and challenge the Clippers for the
overall #1 pick year after year in hopes of landing a franchise player?

Or do we trade some of them away in hopes of landing a future star?

I am not saying.... do a trade now.... but what if Pierce get's hurt next
year. Do we trade Ray Allen for a lottery pick? Or do we trade a Garnett
for a Aldridge/Roy type package?

 

[Real World]

Anything could happen with Danny Ainge as the GM. Personally, I think we're going to see some wheeling and dealing in the next year or so. I doubt Pierce gets dealt. I wouldn't say never, but I think DA will have him retire as a Celtic, so long as Pierce doesn't let money be an issue. Contract wise, Allen is done this coming season, Pierce is done in 2011, and Garnett 2012. So the deals are stacked by season, with each being anywhere from $17-19 million per. I'm not sure that the Celtics will be under the cap for the 2010 (next years) free agent class, even with Allen retiring. However, they could do a deal with his salary if I'm not mistaken. If not, they could move Allen in a deal this season, since he has an expiring contract, that so many teams desire. One issue for the Celtics is that they really don't have any other desirable commodities. Rondo obviously, but who wants to deal him? Perkins is a player other teams would want, but why deal him and create a hole at center. The C's therefore don't have a lot of chips that they can juice a deal up with. Also, the C's aren't going to suck, so their 1st round picks won't be as attractive either.

I think DA would trade Allen in the right deal. I think he'll actually shop Allen quietly. This might sound crazy, but with NO strapped for cash as a franchise, would you do a Ray Allen/Rondo deal, for Chris Paul/Chandler? Hmmm.... Interesting pieces to a deal if you ask me. How about moving Ray Allen to the Knicks for a deal centered around David Lee? With teams trying to dump salary for expiring deals, to simply looking to open up more space for the 2010 free agent class (Wade, Lebron, Bosh, Nowitski, etc), or cuz of the economy, there will be action. Ray Allen's expiring deal makes the Celtics a player in all of that. Of course, the flip side is that a healthy C's team, with Allen, could win it all.

 

[scout]

Anything could happen with Danny Ainge as the GM. Personally, I think we're going to see some wheeling and dealing in the next year or so. I doubt Pierce gets dealt. I wouldn't say never, but I think DA will have him retire as a Celtic, so long as Pierce doesn't let money be an issue. Contract wise, Allen is done this coming season, Pierce is done in 2011, and Garnett 2012. So the deals are stacked by season, with each being anywhere from $17-19 million per. I'm not sure that the Celtics will be under the cap for the 2010 (next years) free agent class, even with Allen retiring. However, they could do a deal with his salary if I'm not mistaken. If not, they could move Allen in a deal this season, since he has an expiring contract, that so many teams desire. One issue for the Celtics is that they really don't have any other desirable commodities. Rondo obviously, but who wants to deal him? Perkins is a player other teams would want, but why deal him and create a hole at center. The C's therefore don't have a lot of chips that they can juice a deal up with. Also, the C's aren't going to suck, so their 1st round picks won't be as attractive either.

I think DA would trade Allen in the right deal. I think he'll actually shop Allen quietly. This might sound crazy, but with NO strapped for cash as a franchise, would you do a Ray Allen/Rondo deal, for Chris Paul/Chandler? Hmmm.... Interesting pieces to a deal if you ask me. How about moving Ray Allen to the Knicks for a deal centered around David Lee? With teams trying to dump salary for expiring deals, to simply looking to open up more space for the 2010 free agent class (Wade, Lebron, Bosh, Nowitski, etc), or cuz of the economy, there will be action. Ray Allen's expiring deal makes the Celtics a player in all of that. Of course, the flip side is that a healthy C's team, with Allen, could win it all.

Real World, you read the Celtics Blog today, didn't you? The one line about Ainge that really hit me was, his insistence to Red that they should trade Mchale while they still could get something for him. I like Ainge as a GM, great judge of talent and absolutely no touchy feely feelings (his close friendship with McHale case in point). What a cold hearted SOB.

 

[Real World]

Real World, you read the Celtics Blog today, didn't you? The one line about Ainge that really hit me was, his insistence to Red that they should trade Mchale while they still could get something for him. I like Ainge as a GM, great judge of talent and absolutely no touchy feely feelings (his close friendship with McHale case in point). What a cold hearted SOB.

I check out CelticsBlog all the time, but I honestly haven't been there since the C's lost to Orlando. I just love sports, and the intricacies outside of the playing field. Trades, drafts, player values, sabermetrics, minor leagues, rumors, etc. I follow it all, for just about every sport. My freshman year in college I was a communications major, with the intent of becoming a sports broadcaster. I was obsessed with sports. While my major changed to business, my affinity for sports remained the same.

BTW, I love Ainge too. I remember when people wanted him canned during his first couple of seasons. The guy has a very good eye for talent, and isn't afraid to make an unpopular deal, that's in the best interests of the franchise.

 

[cupofjoe1962]

I think DA would trade Allen in the right deal. I think he'll actually shop Allen quietly. This might sound crazy, but with NO strapped for cash as a franchise, would you do a Ray Allen/Rondo deal, for Chris Paul/Chandler? Hmmm.... Interesting pieces to a deal if you ask me. How about moving Ray Allen to the Knicks for a deal centered around David Lee? With teams trying to dump salary for expiring deals, to simply looking to open up more space for the 2010 free agent class (Wade, Lebron, Bosh, Nowitski, etc), or cuz of the economy, there will be action. Ray Allen's expiring deal makes the Celtics a player in all of that. Of course, the flip side is that a healthy C's team, with Allen, could win it all.

I would drive Allen & Rondo to the airport if we could get Chris Paul.
Add Chandler to the deal and we would be a force.

 

[Real World]

I would drive Allen & Rondo to the airport if we could get Chris Paul.
Add Chandler to the deal and we would be a force.

hahaha...I would too. I love Chris Paul. You know, Danny Ainge offered Paul Pierce to the teams inside the top couple of picks in the draft that year, cuz he wanted Chris Paul so badly. He loved CP3 that year. We've since won a championship, so I wouldn't change what we've done, but it's cool to see that DA's head was in the right spot.

 

[efin98]

Garnett is the heart of the team while Pierce is the soul. Allen is the one member of the big three that I don't believe would be fatal for their season if he was removed via trade to help the team in the long run. He has what he wanted and he has nothing left to prove to anyone.

Pierce will retire as a Celtic, I don't think even DA would dare trade the guy who is so key to the team. Pierce gets about a five to seven year deal that that allows him to retire with them(takes him to 18th season, age of 38). Garnett might have no choice in staying as he will have been in the league for 17 seasons and at 36 years old he might not have too many options other than being the big name on a garbage team again...he might get a short term deal(three years) and retire with dignity after the contract expires.

 

[WhiskeyBreath]

Good chance Allen is dealt. As we all know he has an expiring contract and he should have plenty of interest.

 

[scout]

Garnett is the heart of the team while Pierce is the soul. Allen is the one member of the big three that I don't believe would be fatal for their season if he was removed via trade to help the team in the long run. He has what he wanted and he has nothing left to prove to anyone.

Pierce will retire as a Celtic, I don't think even DA would dare trade the guy who is so key to the team. Pierce gets about a five to seven year deal that that allows him to retire with them(takes him to 18th season, age of 38). Garnett might have no choice in staying as he will have been in the league for 17 seasons and at 36 years old he might not have too many options other than being the big name on a garbage team again...he might get a short term deal(three years) and retire with dignity after the contract expires.

Pretty much agree with one exception (Pierce trade). DA would trade his mother if he thought it would improve the club.

 

[efin98]

Pretty much agree with one exception (Pierce trade). DA would trade his mother if he thought it would improve the club.

And when he does that he gets run out of town by fans for removing the most important player on the team...even Ainge has scruples and trading Pierce will only cause harm than good for the team.

 

[scout]

And when he does that he gets run out of town by fans for removing the most important player on the team...even Ainge has scruples and trading Pierce will only cause harm than good for the team.

He's not going to be run out of town. Paul Pierce will have his number retired on the rafters and will be near the top of the all time scorers in Celtic history. But he will never, ever, be in the same category as other Celtic legends regardless of how many points he scores.
Ainge has already brought one title to Boston and is a great judge for talent. He will pull the trigger regardless of the player if it will improve the team. Heck, he lobbied Red to trade his very good friend (McHale) while he still had trade value.
Pierce is a great player, one who still has trade value and DA is a cold blooded GM who the fans will come to respect more then one of their aging stars.

 

[efin98]

He's not going to be run out of town. Paul Pierce will have his number retired on the rafters and will be near the top of the all time scorers in Celtic history. But he will never, ever, be in the same category as other Celtic legends regardless of how many points he scores.
Ainge has already brought one title to Boston and is a great judge for talent. He will pull the trigger regardless of the player if it will improve the team. Heck, he lobbied Red to trade his very good friend (McHale) while he still had trade value.
Pierce is a great player, one who still has trade value and DA is a cold blooded GM who the fans will come to respect more then one of their aging stars.

I can respect that but I don't believe he will actually pull the trigger on a Pierce trade unless it is a once in a lifetime take it or leave it offer that not only improves the team, it puts them in a driver's seat for championships for years to come.

I don't see how removing Pierce without a major change in the Celtics' offensive and defensive schemes would improve them on any level anytime soon...it would take nothing short of Doc being fired and a new, dramatically different coach coming in to do that.

And even then I don't think the owners would want to see their major marquee name gone, not without someone who can be the poster child for the team for another decade and bring in millions more in revenue to the team.

 

[IcyPatriot]

I saw something from Paul Pierce the last 2 games that I thought I would never see. Pierce was passing off and not looking for contact. I think Pierce's future with the Celtics or with another team is as a #2. Just my opinion ... I think Pierce has given us everything he had and more. the rest of his career IMO he will have to be a passer and shooter as his body has taken a beating ... and then some for our team. How can Allen and Pierce share a position tying up all that cap space for basically 1 player ... I don't see it happening but Danny will figure it out.

 

[Real World]

There is absolutely ZERO chance that the Celtics sign Pierce to a 5 year deal, till he's 38. The only way that happens if it's for MLE type money, which I highly doubt Pierce would take. Pierce is on the back end, of the back nine. He's 32/33 years old, where perimeter players quickly begin their decline. If PP understands that his best days are behind him, and in order for him to stay long term, he's got to be paid less, then he'll be here. If he thinks he's still on top, and wants max money for too many years, he'll be gone. In today's NBA, signing max, or big money deals to declining players, will kill your franchise. A good GM will make the difficult decision on not overpaying for marginal production, so as to prevent a handcuff of the teams salary cap. It's the same reason why DA won't resign Big Baby, when some team offers him their MLE. As he shouldn't.

 

[ghost_of_steve_grogan]

If Ainge is anything like Belichik and has the longterm goal of being competitive, then he will trade at least one of them while they still have value.

My gut tells me the celtics are going to repeat history: let the big 3 get old and start over from scratch. ugg

 

[JAYHAWKS34]

everyone but PP, he retires a Jayhawk.. ROCKCHALK