Slagathor
2nd Team Getting Their First Start
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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.Danny Ainge needs to be fired. He has lost his long term view.
He just traded away a STUD in Al Jefferson. After the all star break last season Al Jefferson was one of the top 5 players in the NBA.
Garnett is 32, Jefferson is 22, and this past year Jefferson outplayed Garnett when the Celtics played the T'Wolves.
godamnit Danny.
I appreciate the enthusiasm but at NO point was AJ ever a top 5 player last year. He played alot better than before, but top 5 is a stretch.
I forgot which media stat guy did the analysis, but there's a list of Big Al as one of the best players in the league last year after the all star break. I just tried to look for it, couldn't find it immediately, but here are Al's stats from ESPN:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/splits?statsId=3832
After the all star break, Big Al averaged 20pts/game, 11.5rebs, 1.7blks, 1.1stls, shot 55%. in april he average 22.3pts, 10rebs, 2.5blks, 1.3 stls, shot 59%.
Who is a more promising 22 year old in the league than Big Al?
I've been against trading Big Al, but your argument is flawed when you think of the context in which he played well last season.
Pierce went down, simply put, somebody else was going to have to get points. This team was considered a joke last season, and most teams barely showed up to play us, to the point where it felt disrespectful (Spurs & Pistons games come to mind).
I would have loved to see if Al is the real deal, I think the reason it doesn't make that much sense to deal him is b/c he is both a help in the short term and in the long term.
That said, if the deal is done, so be it, I'll be excited about it. Jefferson's defense has left a lot to be desired, and his inexperience on that side of the ball has led to a lot of mistakes, and made other players D look bad in the process. We got a lot better defensively. We'll be a contender again. That is something that might never have happened under Big Al's career as a Celtic.
I tend to agree with you - it may be that 5 years from now that the T-Wolves clearly got the better of this deal - especially if AJ, Green etc. develop to their potential.
But the list of young guys in the NBA who fail to live up to their potential is a long one... much longer than the list of guys who the Celts have given up on too early (of which there are quite a few as well)
Although their stats aren't that different from last year, Garnett's a much better defensive presence, and gets his points the hard way - AJ still has to prove he can do it consistently in tough environments.
What I'm unclear on is how we stack up in the east now, and if Garnett's enough of an inside presence to bring us to the championship. Any insight would be appreciated.
I think we're clearly one of the best in the East right now, but we'll have to see how they mesh in order to really know. The next question becomes, what position do you play KG at? Do you go big and play Rondo-Allen-Pierce-KG-Perk? Or do you go small, Rondo-Allen-Pierce-Gomes-KG?
That recent question about lineup is VERY interesting. Al Jefferson was a natural power forward.
Where do you put KG? KG is a SMALL FORWARD. He doesn't have an elite post-up game.
This lineup is screwy now.
:rocker: Weei is reporting that Jefferson is not apart of the deal now and it will be replaced by two #1 picks. Nothing set in stone yet but if thats the case you have to be a ****** to have any negative vibes from that deal, even with Jefferson included this deal needs to be done, what good is keeping Al around to develope, to then need to replace Allen and Pierce? The time is now not 3 years from now, do the deal and pay the lux tax hit!
WEEI is now reporting that it was a mistake and that they are including 2 #1's and Jefferson...i want KG, but that's a lot to give up.