Celtics 2024-2025 Discussion

[captain stone]

The Brad DESPISES Big Men. So did Danny. ****ing ***gots.

**** the 3-point shot.

Welcome again to Loserville USA.

 

[BTTA]

I stand corrected.

Two absolute steals for the Celtics. They rid themselves of these contracts and are totally off the hook after 1 season. And maybe Simons will stick.

Yeah, Simons is going to be as good as JB offensively. He's just been in NBA purgatory. If he can use this opportunity to take the defense to the next level, you don't let him go anywhere.

 

[BTTA]

So suddenly the team has a handful of young quick, energetic athletes. Pritchard as the veteran and pace setter, plus the guys from last year who can get playing time this year, plus Simons and the Spanish kid. That's quite a change in team energy, and a nice intervention to the passivity they've shown as an older team in the past couple of years. Stevens is quite the chess player.

 

[borg]

So suddenly the team has a handful of young quick, energetic athletes. Pritchard as the veteran and pace setter, plus the guys from last year who can get playing time this year, plus Simons and the Spanish kid. That's quite a change in team energy, and a nice intervention to the passivity they've shown as an older team in the past couple of years. Stevens is quite the chess player.

The defensive regression will be impressive.
Holding a team to 120 will be the goal.

 

[borisman]

The defensive regression will be impressive.
Holding a team to 120 will be the goal.

Pritchard isn't the defensive liability he's made out to be, especially after this past year. And with Brown and White still on the team he won't have guard Maxey or like players for 30 minutes. His defensive rating was pretty high last year (top 35 or so in the league).
Simons will have to show something. I think it's exaggerating to say we'll be giving up 120 per game.

 

[borisman]

Draft day 2 is here (BFD!) and C's have the second pick. Brad usually would trade down in this scenario but we need a big and still need a bigger guard off the bench and whoa and behold there are 2 7-footers (Maxime Raynaud and four-time DPOY, Ryan Kalkbrenner) still on the board and a power forward (Rasheer Fleming) aong with a combo guard Brad likes to utilize (Kam Jones).
Not going to watch the second round but I am 90% sure we will get one of these players. Where do I bet? My money is on one of Raynaud or Kalkbrenner.

 

[aluminum seats]

Al came back last season because he wanted to run it back. No Tatum, likely going to trade white.. the teams resetting.. al retires.

I think white stays too. We will see

 

[UrbanCowboy]

I've seen the Spanish kid described as a point guard, a wing, and a center so far, and averaging whopping 3 points a game.

 

[borg]

I've seen the Spanish kid described as a point guard, a wing, and a center

Also......................"Can't score.......but great intangibles"

 

[UrbanCowboy]

Haha...right? Who knows, maybe he is a "steal." Here's hopin'

Also......................"Can't score.......but great intangibles"

 

[BTTA]

I've seen the Spanish kid described as a point guard, a wing, and a center so far, and averaging whopping 3 points a game.

If only the Celtics could figure this out from the three years they've been following him

 

[Brick27]

Draft day 2 is here (BFD!) and C's have the second pick. Brad usually would trade down in this scenario but we need a big and still need a bigger guard off the bench and whoa and behold there are 2 7-footers (Maxime Raynaud and four-time DPOY, Ryan Kalkbrenner) still on the board and a power forward (Rasheer Fleming) aong with a combo guard Brad likes to utilize (Kam Jones).
Not going to watch the second round but I am 90% sure we will get one of these players. Where do I bet? My money is on one of Raynaud or Kalkbrenner.

Yeah any of that sounds good, happy with a big.

Otherwise, Noah Penda is another to keep an eye on. Thiero as well—not as aware on him, but what have read in recent weeks checks out:

“Standing at 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot wingspan, Thiero possesses ideal size, length and athleticism for a forward in the modern NBA. He is an aggressive offensive rebounder and has the ability to consistently finish above the rim. Thiero is also a menace on the defensive end, as he proficiently uses his length to create turnovers and erase shots at the rim.” - Per NBA.com prospect profiles.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I'm a little disappointed they didn't draft someone at 32, but that trade seems insane to me (then again, I do not understand NBA trades in general).

 

[RobertWeathers]

What the Cs did in the draft was fine. 2nd rounders are basically your 6th or 7th round NFL prospects. Some make the roster and become decent role players. Some go to the PS/ D League, and some become stars. Most become nothing.

Brad isn't done by a long shot. More trades coming. More salary to be dumped.

Best news I've heard is JB will be 100% by camp.

 

[borisman]

I'm a little disappointed they didn't draft someone at 32, but that trade seems insane to me (then again, I do not understand NBA trades in general).

You're not the only one. If explained to me, I would still not 100% absorb all of it.
But it looks like the C's got a 2026 2nd rounder (most favorable of Miami, Detroit or Milwaukee) and a 2027 2nd rounder (most favorable of Minn, NY, NO or Portland). The C's had already traded their other 2 second rounders next year so they recoup those in this trade.

That's all fine and dandy but a problem could be when we lose our 1st (protected for top pick only) in 2028 to San Antonio (they also have the right to swap picks) so we can't suck that year. C's also likely lose their 1st rounder in 2029 as well. I don't think there are protections for that pick but hopefully I find something that clarifies it for me.

 

[borisman]

Yeah any of that sounds good, happy with a big.

Otherwise, Noah Penda is another to keep an eye on. Thiero as well—not as aware on him, but what have read in recent weeks checks out:

“Standing at 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot wingspan, Thiero possesses ideal size, length and athleticism for a forward in the modern NBA. He is an aggressive offensive rebounder and has the ability to consistently finish above the rim. Thiero is also a menace on the defensive end, as he proficiently uses his length to create turnovers and erase shots at the rim.” - Per NBA.com prospect profiles.

Thiero was the other kid I liked as well but didn't think we'd pick him over the other available players.
So I just lost money on that bet saying we'd take one of the bigs. Reports say Brad Stevens had his eye on Fleming, who went with the first pick of the second round and I guess he didn't like Kalkbrenner or Renaud enough so he traded down. Amari Williams scouting report says he is a good passer, rebounder, defender and rim protector/runner but he can't really shoot.
I would think one of Horford or Kornet is coming back this year.
Has the off-season begun yet?

 

[UrbanCowboy]

If only the Celtics could figure this out from the three years they've been following him

yes, it could be they've been tracking him since he was 16. The point I was making (if there was one) is that it was pretty funny that different sources reported three different positions. Somewhat of an obscure commodity. Let's hope they have the deep intel on him.

 

[patfanken]

Just a couple of thoughts since there is just the same ole, same ole over on the football forum:
1. The Celtics HAD to do something about the cap THIS year. Being in the 2nd apron is really untenable. Not only for the money, but for the myriad other ways it ties up a franchise.

2. Still kind of disappointed that Tatum and Brown didn't opt for something less than the max deals they took. Did they think they couldn't live on $50MM/yr instead of $60MM? Both are good guys and both deserved the cash, but still there are just too many examples where stars have helped the team (and thus themselves win) by being flexible. The best example now (imho) is Otani's deal in LA.

3. Loved the Portland deal - They got a potential offensive threat wing, who needs work on his defense. But so did Prichard and Houser. They were BOTH defensive liabilities their first couple of years and neither are now. Good defense is one part knowledge and experience, and 9 parts want to. The defensive mind set on the Celts is such that it soon becomes part a players' make up to "want to", when they come here.

4. I have little doubt that Tatum will get back to at least 99% of what he was (a top 5 player), but it's not going to happen this coming season. He MIGHT give us "something" next spring, but I wouldn't count on it, and he might not be at his best in '26. But if KG is a model, he will be back to his all star self shortly. (and JT is younger than KG when he got injured.

So, I look at next year as being a reset for the C's, with the goal being to be about .500 and get to at least the play in games. I think there is enough talent for that. Get the younger guys like Davidson and Baylor more playing time. I also want to out run Indy next year and bring back Red's fast break mentality and run teams out of the gym and play top 10 defense.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Just a couple of thoughts since there is just the same ole, same ole over on the football forum:

2. Still kind of disappointed that Tatum and Brown didn't opt for something less than the max deals they took. Did they think they couldn't live on $50MM/yr instead of $60MM? Both are good guys and both deserved the cash, but still there are just too many examples where stars have helped the team (and thus themselves win) by being flexible. The best example now (imho) is Otani's deal in LA.

Looking a little bit into the CBA, there are, as I understand it, two issues here:

1. There is a minimum threshold for such a deal (i.e., it must be at least 30% of the salary cap). I'm not sure of the calculations, so I don't know if they could have taken less money.
2. More importantly, there is only a two-year window in which players can sign these supermax deals. IOW, if they don't take the deal in that window, they can never get it.

 

[jimnance]

The NBA parity rules suck.
Like the NFL, that's what they want:
No dynasties.
The NFL rules suck as well but the NBA has just carried it to an extreme.
MLB is much better on this than both of the above.
But it is what it is and having a very sharp guy in charge is even more important now. Thank God for Stevens.
What the Patriots did from 2001- 2018 is just incredible and will likely never be duplicated. The fact they achieved it during the salary cap era is even more incredible. That's why it's the greatest dynasty in NFL history by a long shot.
C's will be a playoff team in 2026 just because of DWhite and JB.
We'll see about 2027. Achilles is no joke.
But KD returned from it better than ever and JT is younger than Durant was.
Also a better athlete. So there's hope.