Celtics Future?

[pork3]

So with a second half performance that reminded me all too much of that game 7 in LA, it's become readily obvious that this team is lacking in talent on the bench and needs to start preparing for life without the big 3.

The question is, what should their next steps be?

1. Should they go out and get players such as Josh Smith and, who knows, Dwight Howard?
2. Should they resign Garnett assuming he's not retiring?
3. What about Ray Allen? Is it prudent to resign him seeing as, currently constituted, we don't really have a true shooting guard in his absence.
4. What about Jeff Green? Should we rest our hopes on the oft chance he might prove to be a valuable tweener (small forward/power forward).
5. Are the likes of JJJ and Moore going to pan out, or is it better to trade them for proven veterans in the league.

Honestly, I don't envy Ainge right now, as this team's future is nebulous at best.
I'd be interested in hearing your guys take on this topic.

-Jamman

 

[captain insano]

if they can get kg to sign a team friendly deal you bring him back for sure. the same with ray allen. he would have to be willing to come of the bench. if either wants max money then you let them go. the celts are all set in the back court with bradly and rondo. they are going to drive teams nuts with there defense. the celtics have two first rd picks this year and a ton of cap room. it all depends on kg and if hes willing to take less to stay so the team is able to go after a max or mid level contract free agent or two. if kg does come back they will be able to extend there window of contending. i don't know how bright the future is just yet. talk to me in a couple of weeks.

 

[chicowalker]

So many other FAs, too. Brandon Bass would be a good guy to have back. Jeff Green potentially could have been an important piece, as an athletic guy who could score.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Josh Smith? No....please no

 

[ausbacker]

There's a lot of work to be done around Rondo. He's the key building block. The team needs to get athletics to maximize his ability to push the ball, something we sorely lacked in transition this season.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

KG...just take the vet min for next year and come back for another run


Rondo needs to work on his jump shooting this offseason..man if he can knock them down like he did in that 40 pt game...unstoppable

 

[captain insano]

Josh Smith? No....please no

why not josh smith?

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

why not josh smith?

Guy is a absolute bone head IMO. This past series proved just that to me.

 

[captain insano]

Guy is a absolute bone head IMO. This past series proved just that to me.

im thinking of the guy who plays for atlanta.

 

[BradyManny]

There's a lot of work to be done around Rondo. He's the key building block. The team needs to get athletics to maximize his ability to push the ball, something we sorely lacked in transition this season.

Avery Bradley.

A Rondo-Bradley backcourt would be awfully exciting. And effective on both ends. We'd be playing tomorrow nite if we got to continue through the playoffs with that backcourt.

Jeff Green is another player who complements Rondo - I'm not huge on Green's game all around, but he has value to us if we want to build around Rondo. He can also slash, post, stretch the court - none at elite levels, but good enough. He can defend at 3, but not at 4. Rondo would greatly maximize his potential.

Pierce and Rondo's games clash a little, IMO. They both need the ball in their hands a lot. Granted they have accomplished so much together, but fundamentally, I think dollar for dollar, they are probably better off with a Rondo-Bradley-Green combo than a Rondo-Allen-Pierce combo at this stage.

In an ideal world, I'd still bring back all the big 3 and just have them play reduced roles, which would also maximize their effectiveness. Allen off the bench is a no-brainer.

A player as unique as Rondo is a great building block - but he must be built around in a manner as unique as his skillset. Athleticism, slashing ability, ability to spread the court and hit spot-up jumpers - those are the guys around him. With a straight-up scorer like Paul Pierce, you aren't necessarily maximizing effectiveness out of either player.

It's worked for us, we've accomplished a lot with it, and Pierce's ability to hit spot up 3's has been huge - but when Rondo is just sitting in the corner watching Paul work (which he did way way less of in this playoffs), Rondo becomes a liability, not the huge asset that he is.

 

[chicowalker]

This year demonstrated how valuable Posey and House were, imo. Posey could do a little bit of everything off the bench. House was a legit 3-point threat who could help spark the offense. Both played better defense here than they did with other clubs.

Having just a House type off the bench would have been big, let alone 2 bench players who could score.

Ideally Bass or Green would have been 1 of those guys, but a legit 3-point threat as a backup would have been nice -- particularly with Allen and then Pierce struggling.

Not sure who's available next year to play those kinds of roles, though.

 

[pork3]

^^
Sadly, there's not much in the way of talent in this year's crop of free agency in the role that Eddie House etc. provided. I would take a stab at O.J. Mayo if I could though.

Shooting Guard
(name, team – 2011-12 salary – status)

Eric Gordon, New Orleans Hornets – $3.8 million – Restricted ($5.1 million Qualifying Offer)
O.J. Mayo, Memphis Grizzlies – $5.6 million – Restricted ($7.4 million Qualifying Offer)
Ray Allen, Boston Celtics – $10.0 million – Unrestricted
Landry Fields, New York Knicks – $0.8 million – Unrestricted*
Carlos Delfino, Milwaukee Bucks – $3.5 million – Unrestricted
Nick Young, L.A. Clippers – $3.7 million – Unrestricted
Jamal Crawford, Portland Trail Blazers – $5.0 million – Player Option ($5.2 million)
Louis Williams, Philadelphia 76ers – $5.2 million – Early Termination Option ($5.4 million)
J.R Smith, New York Knicks – $1.4 million – Player Option ($2.6 million)
Mickael Pietrus, Boston Celtics – $1.2 million – Unrestricted
Courtney Lee, Houston Rockets – $2.2 million – Restricted ($3.2 million Qualifying Offer)
Rudy Fernandez, Denver Nuggets – $2.2 million – Restricted ($3.2 million Qualifying Offer)
DeShawn Stevenson, Brooklyn Nets – $2.5 million – Unrestricted
Damion James, Brooklyn Nets – $1.2 million – Unrestricted
C.J. Miles, Utah Jazz – $3.7 million – Unrestricted
Shannon Brown, Phoenix Suns – $3.5 million – Unrestricted
Josh Howard, Utah Jazz – $2.2 million – Unrestricted
Gerald Green, Brooklyn Nets – $0.4 million – Unrestricted
Terrence Williams, Sacramento Kings – $2.4 million – Unrestricted
Jodie Meeks, Philadelphia 76ers – $0.9 million – Unrestricted*
Marco Belinelli, New Orleans Hornets – $3.4 million – Unrestricted
James Anderson, San Antonio Spurs – $1.5 million – Unrestricted
Matt Carroll, Charlotte Bobcats – $3.9 million – Early Termination Option ($3.5 million)
Brandon Rush, Golden State Warriors – $3.0 million – Restricted ($4.1 million Qualifying Offer)
Alonzo Gee, Cleveland Cavaliers – $0.9 million – Unrestricted*
Danny Green, San Antonio Spurs – $0.9 million – Unrestricted*
Tracy McGrady, Atlanta Hawks – $1.3 million – Unrestricted
Jerry Stackhouse, Atlanta Hawks – $1.3 million – Unrestricted
Willie Green, Atlanta Hawks – $1.2 million – Unrestricted
Jason Kapono, Cleveland Cavaliers – $1.2 million – Unrestricted
Marquis Daniels, Boston Celtics – $1.2 million – Unrestricted
Sasha Pavlovic, Boston Celtics – $1.2 million – Unrestricted
Cory Higgins, Charlotte Bobcats – $0.5 million – Unrestricted*
Anthony Parker, Cleveland Cavaliers – $2.3 million – Unrestricted
Keith Bogans, Brooklyn Nets – $0.8 million – Unrestricted
Michael Redd, Phoenix Suns – $1.3 million – Unrestricted
Mo Evans, Washington Wizards – $1.2 million – Unrestricted
Kelenna Azubuike, Dallas Mavericks – $0.4 million – Unrestricted
Bobby Simmons, L.A. Clippers – $0.5 million – Unrestricted
Morris Almond, Washington Wizards – $0.1 million – Unrestricted
Alan Anderson, Toronto Raptors – $0.2 million – Unrestricted
Xavier Silas, Philadelphia 76ers – $0.1 million – Unrestricted*
Cartier Martin, Washington Wizards – $0.1 million – Unrestricted
Von Wafer, Orlando Magic – $1.0 million – Unrestricted

 

[chicowalker]

Pietrus had the opportunity to play one of those roles. He could have been a difference maker in this series with a few makes. But overall he was a disappointment, even when healthy.

(He did help them with the win in game 5, I think, to be fair)

 

[captain insano]

i really hope kg comes back. hes so important to that team on and off the floor in so many ways. guys like him dont come along very often. most super stars in the nba are all about themselves. endorsements money status ect ect. kg is old school. hes the type of all star that makes the last guy on the bench feel like hes a part of the team. he brings everybody a long with him. he sets a hard working positive team first attitude for everybody to follow. the result is young guys the vets everybody says if kg is doing it then so will i. fingers crossed he comes back.

 

[ausbacker]

i really hope kg comes back. hes so important to that team on and off the floor in so many ways. guys like him dont come along very often. most super stars in the nba are all about themselves. endorsements money status ect ect. kg is old school. hes the type of all star that makes the last guy on the bench feel like hes a part of the team. he brings everybody a long with him. he sets a hard working positive team first attitude for everybody to follow. the result is young guys the vets everybody says if kg is doing it then so will i. fingers crossed he comes back.

It's time for a philosophical change for the Celtics. Bosh coming back drew KG away from the paint and the Celtics became even more incompetent in the paint.

 

[chicowalker]

It's time for a philosophical change for the Celtics. Bosh coming back drew KG away from the paint and the Celtics became even more incompetent in the paint.

What change do you want that requires no KG?

 

[Kontradiction]

What change do you want that requires no KG?

I don't think aus is saying that he wants a change that doesn't include KG. I took at as him saying that they should be looking at a center. Depending on who you give up, the C's might have the bargaining power to lure in Dwight to play with Rondo without having to give up KG. Pierce, Allen, and a couple of draft picks might get it done.

 

[ausbacker]

What change do you want that requires no KG?

I don't think aus is saying that he wants a change that doesn't include KG. I took at as him saying that they should be looking at a center. Depending on who you give up, the C's might have the bargaining power to lure in Dwight to play with Rondo without having to give up KG. Pierce, Allen, and a couple of draft picks might get it done.

Something along those lines Kontra. The C's will have to replace KG with another PF which means rather than just a PF they'll need a PF and C. I understand Stiemsma has plantar fasciitis (which is excruciating) I just don't think he's an overly good player. Hollins.. well let's reserve that opinion.

I tend to agree that Rondo, Bradley and Jeff Green are all solid and young starting points to work around. If KG stays that's another. I'm sure Pierce will be here, but he looked like an incredibly old man and his D was pathetic in games 6 and 7.

I wouldn't mind Kaman as a bit of a stop gap incorporated into Ainge's wider plan.