If the Celts are going to make a blockbuster...

[Fafnir]

We've officially gone over the deep end when we are discussing matching up with DeAndre Jordan and Jarrett Allen.....

Jordan hasn't been good all year and wasn't good against the Cs!!

[MichiganAdam]

A large part of our Bench scoring problems go away when Gordon Hayward takes 30 minutes/game away from Edwards, G Williams, Green, Semi.  With our core 5 back together for basically the first time it will be eisier to keep 2 and 3 of the 5 on the court basically the whole game.  Would a 3 and D shooter be helpful, of course.  Would a 6-9 to 7-0 big man who can rebound and play plus D(all or most of interior and team/switching/PNR) be more helpful...yes sir.  Look at depth alone.  If Theis were to miss 15 games like Hayward did/has we would be hurting.

[fairweatherfan]

Center is like the least important position in the league right now. Particularly on offense. If we're going to upgrade it it should be done as cheaply as possible. Not at the cost of any of our top 5, unless someone like KAT is available, which he's not.

Drummond in particular is Embiid's whipping boy and no point in even trying to put him on Giannis. No real value in getting him.

[RockinRyA]

Center is like the least important position in the league right now. Particularly on offense. If we're going to upgrade it it should be done as cheaply as possible. Not at the cost of any of our top 5, unless someone like KAT is available, which he's not.

Drummond in particular is Embiid's whipping boy and no point in even trying to put him on Giannis. No real value in getting him.

Yes. If you want an upgrade to a Big Man, you'd most likely want it for someone like Embiid and Giannis. Drummond doesn't really defend that well. I think Kanter is a better matchup against Embiid and Theis better against Giannis than him.

[MichiganAdam]

http://

WE all like to discuss weakness and how to eliminate them, within reason of course.  Big man is a weakness, but one that will be hard to do much more than add a nice complimentary piece due to lack of assets that are trade able, and worth anything.  Adding another theis/kanter level of asset is probably the best we can hope for, if even that.   

[tenn_smoothie]

I don't think the Celts should actually be that worried about the lack of size inside.

I don't think there's a solution to that problem that isn't going to cause issues elsewhere.

If anything I think they should be concerned with upgrading shooting on the bench without compromising too much on defense.

Great analysis. Let's not screw up great chemistry again.

It's a tough problem because I do agree with the OP - we need an upgrade in the post. I think, to win our next title, we need a dominant post player for this group. Either that, or Robert Williams makes big improvements over the next year and we add some knock-down shooters and go with a quick, scrambling defense and overwhelming offensive firepower. Still, no rebounds, no rings.

As for Smart, he is our Draymond Green playing at guard instead of post. He is a difference maker and it seems most title teams have an intangible player like him.

[PAOBoston]

I don't think the Celts should actually be that worried about the lack of size inside.

I don't think there's a solution to that problem that isn't going to cause issues elsewhere.

If anything I think they should be concerned with upgrading shooting on the bench without compromising too much on defense.

Perfect analysis.

We do need an upgrade in the post. I think, to win our next title, we need a dominant post player for this group. Either that, or Robert Williams makes big improvements over the next year and we add some knock-down shooters and go with a quick, scrambling defense and overwhelming offensive firepower. Still, no rebounds, no rings.

As for Smart, he is our Draymond Green playing at guard instead of post. He is a difference maker and it seems most title teams have an intangible player like him.

I disagree. They don’t need a dominant big man. They just need a good role player like a Baynes to fill a role. No need to mortgage half the roster for a big name. They can survive with the current big group. They need a vet shooter of the bench big time though.

[tenn_smoothie]

I'm just afraid a "decent" post player is not gonna get it done in the playoffs vs Giannis, Embid or Davis. We gotta have some real defensive and rebounding backbone to anchor a very good perimeter defense. But I don't want to mortgage half our team either. We should have learned our lesson with Kyrie. Don't mess with great chemistry.

[PAOBoston]

I'm just afraid a "decent" post player is not gonna get it done in the playoffs vs Giannis, Embid or Davis. We gotta have some real defensive and rebounding backbone to anchor a very good perimeter defense. But I don't want to mortgage half our team either. We should have learned our lesson with Kyrie. Don't mess with great chemistry.

The reality is you just need a competent defensive big guy. Star bigs aren’t really required to win in modern day basketball. There are some guys that are really good but they are not the norm.

[Somebody]

I'm just afraid a "decent" post player is not gonna get it done in the playoffs vs Giannis, Embid or Davis. We gotta have some real defensive and rebounding backbone to anchor a very good perimeter defense. But I don't want to mortgage half our team either. We should have learned our lesson with Kyrie. Don't mess with great chemistry.

The reality is you just need a competent defensive big guy. Star bigs aren’t really required to win in modern day basketball. There are some guys that are really good but they are not the norm.

You really don't need a star in any one (or two if your top 3 is absolutely amazing) position to win in the NBA. As long as your team has the right combination of top end talent to provide sufficient starpower, role players to fill out the supporting cast and talent that fits together you can compete for a title in the NBA. It was just easier for teams to stack up on perimeter talent this decade.

[keevsnick]

I'm just afraid a "decent" post player is not gonna get it done in the playoffs vs Giannis, Embid or Davis. We gotta have some real defensive and rebounding backbone to anchor a very good perimeter defense. But I don't want to mortgage half our team either. We should have learned our lesson with Kyrie. Don't mess with great chemistry.

The reality is you just need a competent defensive big guy. Star bigs aren’t really required to win in modern day basketball. There are some guys that are really good but they are not the norm.

You really don't need a star in any one (or two if your top 3 is absolutely amazing) position to win in the NBA. As long as your team has the right combination of top end talent to provide sufficient starpower, role players to fill out the supporting cast and talent that fits together you can compete for a title in the NBA. It was just easier for teams to stack up on perimeter talent this decade.

A Marc Gasol, Trista Thompson, Derrick Favors level guy is really all this team needs. Marc Gasol isnt gonna be  available and Favors/Thompson both have a high enough salary that its hard to make a deal for them. I think the best case scenario is the NOP continue to underwhelm and Favors gets a buy out.

[Fierce1]

In the win against the Cavs, Tristan Thompson got 8 offensive rebounds.

Celts won easily but the Cavs outrebounded the Cs 45-39.

Cavs also got 18 offensive boards.

Getting outrebounded by the Cavs isn't really a problem because the Cavs are a bad team.

But if it's a good playoff team the Celts are up against, Celts can't afford to give up that many offensive rebounds.

Theis was good against the Cavs, but he only had 1 rebound the whole game.

[Fierce1]

I'm just afraid a "decent" post player is not gonna get it done in the playoffs vs Giannis, Embid or Davis. We gotta have some real defensive and rebounding backbone to anchor a very good perimeter defense. But I don't want to mortgage half our team either. We should have learned our lesson with Kyrie. Don't mess with great chemistry.

The reality is you just need a competent defensive big guy. Star bigs aren’t really required to win in modern day basketball. There are some guys that are really good but they are not the norm.

You really don't need a star in any one (or two if your top 3 is absolutely amazing) position to win in the NBA. As long as your team has the right combination of top end talent to provide sufficient starpower, role players to fill out the supporting cast and talent that fits together you can compete for a title in the NBA. It was just easier for teams to stack up on perimeter talent this decade.

A Marc Gasol, Trista Thompson, Derrick Favors level guy is really all this team needs. Marc Gasol isnt gonna be  available and Favors/Thompson both have a high enough salary that its hard to make a deal for them. I think the best case scenario is the NOP continue to underwhelm and Favors gets a buy out.

I think the buyout market is not reliable because it ends up becoming a bidding war.

Obviously Celtic fans think all NBA players want to join the Celts.

Trade deadline is still 2 months away.
Celts control their own destiny if they go the trade market route.

[MichiganAdam]

Sure was hoping Kanter was going to be the rebounder.  Apparently not.  They need a guy.  Once the big 5 is together I really think all scoring is taken care of.  I really think those 5 can average 85-90 points.  After that little scoring is needed as they will play at least 2 of those 5 all game.  POst D and rebounding is the biggest weakness.

[Fierce1]

Sure was hoping Kanter was going to be the rebounder.  Apparently not.  They need a guy.  Once the big 5 is together I really think all scoring is taken care of.  I really think those 5 can average 85-90 points.  After that little scoring is needed as they will play at least 2 of those 5 all game.  POst D and rebounding is the biggest weakness.

True.

Celts don't need a big man like Love.

Like what you said, if all 5 Celtic star players are healthy, scoring is not an issue.

It's protecting the paint and not allowing opposing bigs to get a lot of 2nd chance points that are the two major concerns.