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

[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.

Kanter has been excellent rebounding. He just doesn't get many minutes because he's so bad defensively.

Adding another big at almost any cost as some want to do might seem ideal in some regards, but not if it costs one of our key players. We are one of if not the only team in the league that can get a mismatch almost constantly. We would lose a lot of that by trading, say, Hayward. And just like that what makes this team unique and difficult to defend would be gone.

Agree.

Hayward will not be going anywhere any time soon.

A small move like getting a guy like Poeltl is the best solution.

You have been incessant in your view that the Celtics go nowhere in the post season if they don't get a big to deal with Giannis, the Lopez brothers, Embiid, Anthony Davis and other bigs and you think the best solution is getting Jakob Poeltl?

Jakob Poeltl? A guy who is about a 6 point, 6 rebound bench player that can't get more than 18 MPG on a bad San Antonio club? He is your best solution for slowing down Giannis, Embiid and other dominant bigs and keeping them off the offensive boards?

Okay

If I remember right, Williams outplayed Poetl last time they met.

That's the difference between the regular season and the playoffs, you can get away with it once, but can you do it 4 times?

The playoffs is all about adjustments.

If you guys also don't want Poeltl then let's just say a "quality big man".

One thing's for sure, Ainge can't let the Celts go into the playoffs without addressing the big man issue.

Actually, it's not for sure, it's just your opinion. If their offense gets everyone healthy, they could get so good everyone would have to adjust to them. It's the old Lombardi football idea. Don't worry about/ adjust to what the opponent is doing, just do what you do so well, the opponents have to worry about/adjust to you. That's what champions do.

If you're talking about the Patriots then that's true.

But this year's Celtics team is not a champion team yet.

So saying "what champions do" does not yet apply to this Celts team.
Brad Stevens has yet to make it to the Finals.

Against the Cavs, the Celts allowed the Cavs to get 18 offensive rebounds, 8 from Tristan.
It didn't matter because the Cavs are a bad team.
Try letting playoff teams get 18 offensive rebounds against the Celts in the playoffs, I'm sure it will not end well for the Celts.

Obviously you aren't comprehending the concept here. You don't have to be a champion to have a team philosophy of a champion.

The concept here is play your game and play it to the best of your abilities and if you do so well enough, you can have some flaws and still win. Play your game so well that the opposition has to adjust to you not you adjusting to them. Play small ball so we'll, the other team has to go small to and play a game they aren't used to playing.

The Celtics are doing that and are 17-5, while also being 7-4 against teams currently slotted into the playoffs.

And if the Celtics don't win a title this year, guess what, they really weren't supposed to. This is a rebuild year given the team is the one of the youngest and least experienced in the NBA if not the youngest and least experienced in the league. This is a growth year.

With development and a whole off-season to add to the core, next year and beyond will most likely be the true contending years, not this year.

That's hedging.

If Toronto didn't trade for Gasol at the trade deadline last season, it could've been Philly celebrating a championship.

This season is not the normal NBA season.
Any team can win a championship this season because of all the player movement last summer.
So this is the Celts' biggest chance to win a championship.

If you don't agree then let me ask you this, will Ainge make a trade on or before the trade deadline?

I say yes, Ainge will make a trade on or before the trade deadline.

[Jvalin]

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.

Kanter has been excellent rebounding. He just doesn't get many minutes because he's so bad defensively.

Adding another big at almost any cost as some want to do might seem ideal in some regards, but not if it costs one of our key players. We are one of if not the only team in the league that can get a mismatch almost constantly. We would lose a lot of that by trading, say, Hayward. And just like that what makes this team unique and difficult to defend would be gone.

Agree.

Hayward will not be going anywhere any time soon.

A small move like getting a guy like Poeltl is the best solution.

You have been incessant in your view that the Celtics go nowhere in the post season if they don't get a big to deal with Giannis, the Lopez brothers, Embiid, Anthony Davis and other bigs and you think the best solution is getting Jakob Poeltl?

Jakob Poeltl? A guy who is about a 6 point, 6 rebound bench player that can't get more than 18 MPG on a bad San Antonio club? He is your best solution for slowing down Giannis, Embiid and other dominant bigs and keeping them off the offensive boards?

Okay

Or Tristan Thompson! Who we'd have to trade basically our entire big-man rotation for...

Not if we sign him via the buyout market though.

Thompson is on a $18,539,130 expiring contract. It's possible that the Cavs won't find a team willing to match salaries for him and they end up cutting him. I mean, they have the 3rd worst record in the NBA right now (5-18).

There's already talk of Toronto wanting to bring Tristan back home to Canada.

So why would Tristan choose Boston over Canada?

The problem with the buyout market is it's going to be a bidding war and the Celts only have the vet's minimum to offer right now.

All the cap space money remaining was given to Poirier.

Cause he'll be a starter for us and the C's are likely to make a deap playoff run.

The Raps have Gasol-Ibaka at the 5. I get that Gasol is struggling this season, but I highly doubt they would trade him for Thompson. The same goes for the Lakers (Howard-McGee are both playing great this season, plus AD can provide cover at the 5 as well), the Heat (Bam), you name it. If Thompson wants to play big minutes in the playoffs with a view to maximizing his value in free agency, we might be the ideal fit for him.

Not saying we would be favorites to sign him. Just saying that imo we would have a legit chance.

Too risky IMO.

If the Celts don't do anything and gamble on the buyout market, Celts could end up getting nothing.

Also, Tristan has significant trade value right now.
There will be a team who will give up assets for Tristan.

It's not like Tristan is old or damaged goods.

Tristan is just 28 years old.

Again, he's on a $18,539,130 contract. It's possible that the Cavs won't find a playoff team willing to match salaries for him. Not to mention, he can get bought out by another team, not necessarily by the Cavs. For instance, if the Cavs trade him to a non-playoff team for an albatross contract + pick(s)/prospect(s), chances are that he 'll still end up being bought out.

[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.

Kanter has been excellent rebounding. He just doesn't get many minutes because he's so bad defensively.

Adding another big at almost any cost as some want to do might seem ideal in some regards, but not if it costs one of our key players. We are one of if not the only team in the league that can get a mismatch almost constantly. We would lose a lot of that by trading, say, Hayward. And just like that what makes this team unique and difficult to defend would be gone.

Agree.

Hayward will not be going anywhere any time soon.

A small move like getting a guy like Poeltl is the best solution.

You have been incessant in your view that the Celtics go nowhere in the post season if they don't get a big to deal with Giannis, the Lopez brothers, Embiid, Anthony Davis and other bigs and you think the best solution is getting Jakob Poeltl?

Jakob Poeltl? A guy who is about a 6 point, 6 rebound bench player that can't get more than 18 MPG on a bad San Antonio club? He is your best solution for slowing down Giannis, Embiid and other dominant bigs and keeping them off the offensive boards?

Okay

Or Tristan Thompson! Who we'd have to trade basically our entire big-man rotation for...

Not if we sign him via the buyout market though.

Thompson is on a $18,539,130 expiring contract. It's possible that the Cavs won't find a team willing to match salaries for him and they end up cutting him. I mean, they have the 3rd worst record in the NBA right now (5-18).

There's already talk of Toronto wanting to bring Tristan back home to Canada.

So why would Tristan choose Boston over Canada?

The problem with the buyout market is it's going to be a bidding war and the Celts only have the vet's minimum to offer right now.

All the cap space money remaining was given to Poirier.

Cause he'll be a starter for us and the C's are likely to make a deap playoff run.

The Raps have Gasol-Ibaka at the 5. I get that Gasol is struggling this season, but I highly doubt they would trade him for Thompson. The same goes for the Lakers (Howard-McGee are both playing great this season, plus AD can provide cover at the 5 as well), the Heat (Bam), you name it. If Thompson wants to play big minutes in the playoffs with a view to maximizing his value in free agency, we might be the ideal fit for him.

Not saying we would be favorites to sign him. Just saying that imo we would have a legit chance.

Too risky IMO.

If the Celts don't do anything and gamble on the buyout market, Celts could end up getting nothing.

Also, Tristan has significant trade value right now.
There will be a team who will give up assets for Tristan.

It's not like Tristan is old or damaged goods.

Tristan is just 28 years old.

Again, he's on a $18,539,130 contract. It's possible that the Cavs won't find a playoff team willing to match salaries for him. Not to mention, he can get bought out by another team, not necessarily by the Cavs. For instance, if the Cavs trade him to a non-playoff team for an albatross contract + pick(s)/prospect(s), chances are that he 'll still end up being bought out.

What you're saying is possible.

But that's a gamble because what if Tristan doesn't get bought out?

Then what?

[footey]

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.

Kanter has been excellent rebounding. He just doesn't get many minutes because he's so bad defensively.

Adding another big at almost any cost as some want to do might seem ideal in some regards, but not if it costs one of our key players. We are one of if not the only team in the league that can get a mismatch almost constantly. We would lose a lot of that by trading, say, Hayward. And just like that what makes this team unique and difficult to defend would be gone.

Agree.

Hayward will not be going anywhere any time soon.

A small move like getting a guy like Poeltl is the best solution.

You have been incessant in your view that the Celtics go nowhere in the post season if they don't get a big to deal with Giannis, the Lopez brothers, Embiid, Anthony Davis and other bigs and you think the best solution is getting Jakob Poeltl?

Jakob Poeltl? A guy who is about a 6 point, 6 rebound bench player that can't get more than 18 MPG on a bad San Antonio club? He is your best solution for slowing down Giannis, Embiid and other dominant bigs and keeping them off the offensive boards?

Okay

If I remember right, Williams outplayed Poetl last time they met.

That's the difference between the regular season and the playoffs, you can get away with it once, but can you do it 4 times?

The playoffs is all about adjustments.

If you guys also don't want Poeltl then let's just say a "quality big man".

One thing's for sure, Ainge can't let the Celts go into the playoffs without addressing the big man issue.

Actually, it's not for sure, it's just your opinion. If their offense gets everyone healthy, they could get so good everyone would have to adjust to them. It's the old Lombardi football idea. Don't worry about/ adjust to what the opponent is doing, just do what you do so well, the opponents have to worry about/adjust to you. That's what champions do.

If you're talking about the Patriots then that's true.

But this year's Celtics team is not a champion team yet.

So saying "what champions do" does not yet apply to this Celts team.
Brad Stevens has yet to make it to the Finals.

Against the Cavs, the Celts allowed the Cavs to get 18 offensive rebounds, 8 from Tristan.
It didn't matter because the Cavs are a bad team.
Try letting playoff teams get 18 offensive rebounds against the Celts in the playoffs, I'm sure it will not end well for the Celts.

Obviously you aren't comprehending the concept here. You don't have to be a champion to have a team philosophy of a champion.

The concept here is play your game and play it to the best of your abilities and if you do so well enough, you can have some flaws and still win. Play your game so well that the opposition has to adjust to you not you adjusting to them. Play small ball so we'll, the other team has to go small to and play a game they aren't used to playing.

The Celtics are doing that and are 17-5, while also being 7-4 against teams currently slotted into the playoffs.

And if the Celtics don't win a title this year, guess what, they really weren't supposed to. This is a rebuild year given the team is the one of the youngest and least experienced in the NBA if not the youngest and least experienced in the league. This is a growth year.

With development and a whole off-season to add to the core, next year and beyond will most likely be the true contending years, not this year.

That's hedging.

If Toronto didn't trade for Gasol at the trade deadline last season, it could've been Philly celebrating a championship.

This season is not the normal NBA season.
Any team can win a championship this season because of all the player movement last summer.
So this is the Celts' biggest chance to win a championship.

If you don't agree then let me ask you this, will Ainge make a trade on or before the trade deadline?

I say yes, Ainge will make a trade on or before the trade deadline.

True, player movement has made this year a possibility for multiple teams, like the Celtics, to win it all.

What is not necessarily true is that an upgrade at center is needed to win it all.  We simply don't have enough data yet to reach that conclusion. Our record vs top teams thus far has been quite good. We just got back one of our best players after a one month absence.

Are we going to struggle against the bigger teams?  Denver is a big team and we pretty much blew them out of the water. The Bucks are a big team, and we beat them (albeit early in the season).  Raptors have size but we handled them. Only the Sixers were a problem, but Embiid wasn't the issue, we handled him well. Ben Simmons destroyed us inside, for the first time in his career. I would imagine we will have a better game plan for that this week.

My real point is this: Let's  see how we do against the big teams some more before deciding if we are ill equipped to play them. My one concern is the Lakers; they are really good and could see their size being a real problem for us.  But we won't know until we play them. And it is very possible they will get knocked off by the Clippers in WCF, and we seem to match up much better against the Clips.

So let's wait and see whether we really need to make a trade.  By end of January we should have a good idea.

[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.

Kanter has been excellent rebounding. He just doesn't get many minutes because he's so bad defensively.

Adding another big at almost any cost as some want to do might seem ideal in some regards, but not if it costs one of our key players. We are one of if not the only team in the league that can get a mismatch almost constantly. We would lose a lot of that by trading, say, Hayward. And just like that what makes this team unique and difficult to defend would be gone.

Agree.

Hayward will not be going anywhere any time soon.

A small move like getting a guy like Poeltl is the best solution.

You have been incessant in your view that the Celtics go nowhere in the post season if they don't get a big to deal with Giannis, the Lopez brothers, Embiid, Anthony Davis and other bigs and you think the best solution is getting Jakob Poeltl?

Jakob Poeltl? A guy who is about a 6 point, 6 rebound bench player that can't get more than 18 MPG on a bad San Antonio club? He is your best solution for slowing down Giannis, Embiid and other dominant bigs and keeping them off the offensive boards?

Okay

If I remember right, Williams outplayed Poetl last time they met.

That's the difference between the regular season and the playoffs, you can get away with it once, but can you do it 4 times?

The playoffs is all about adjustments.

If you guys also don't want Poeltl then let's just say a "quality big man".

One thing's for sure, Ainge can't let the Celts go into the playoffs without addressing the big man issue.

Actually, it's not for sure, it's just your opinion. If their offense gets everyone healthy, they could get so good everyone would have to adjust to them. It's the old Lombardi football idea. Don't worry about/ adjust to what the opponent is doing, just do what you do so well, the opponents have to worry about/adjust to you. That's what champions do.

If you're talking about the Patriots then that's true.

But this year's Celtics team is not a champion team yet.

So saying "what champions do" does not yet apply to this Celts team.
Brad Stevens has yet to make it to the Finals.

Against the Cavs, the Celts allowed the Cavs to get 18 offensive rebounds, 8 from Tristan.
It didn't matter because the Cavs are a bad team.
Try letting playoff teams get 18 offensive rebounds against the Celts in the playoffs, I'm sure it will not end well for the Celts.

Obviously you aren't comprehending the concept here. You don't have to be a champion to have a team philosophy of a champion.

The concept here is play your game and play it to the best of your abilities and if you do so well enough, you can have some flaws and still win. Play your game so well that the opposition has to adjust to you not you adjusting to them. Play small ball so we'll, the other team has to go small to and play a game they aren't used to playing.

The Celtics are doing that and are 17-5, while also being 7-4 against teams currently slotted into the playoffs.

And if the Celtics don't win a title this year, guess what, they really weren't supposed to. This is a rebuild year given the team is the one of the youngest and least experienced in the NBA if not the youngest and least experienced in the league. This is a growth year.

With development and a whole off-season to add to the core, next year and beyond will most likely be the true contending years, not this year.

That's hedging.

If Toronto didn't trade for Gasol at the trade deadline last season, it could've been Philly celebrating a championship.

This season is not the normal NBA season.
Any team can win a championship this season because of all the player movement last summer.
So this is the Celts' biggest chance to win a championship.

If you don't agree then let me ask you this, will Ainge make a trade on or before the trade deadline?

I say yes, Ainge will make a trade on or before the trade deadline.

True, player movement has made this year a possibility for multiple teams, like the Celtics, to win it all.

What is not necessarily true is that an upgrade at center is needed to win it all.  We simply don't have enough data yet to reach that conclusion. Our record vs top teams thus far has been quite good. We just got back one of our best players after a one month absence.

Are we going to struggle against the bigger teams?  Denver is a big team and we pretty much blew them out of the water. The Bucks are a big team, and we beat them (albeit early in the season).  Raptors have size but we handled them. Only the Sixers were a problem, but Embiid wasn't the issue, we handled him well. Ben Simmons destroyed us inside, for the first time in his career. I would imagine we will have a better game plan for that this week.

My real point is this: Let's  see how we do against the big teams some more before deciding if we are ill equipped to play them. My one concern is the Lakers; they are really good and could see their size being a real problem for us.  But we won't know until we play them. And it is very possible they will get knocked off by the Clippers in WCF, and we seem to match up much better against the Clips.

So let's wait and see whether we really need to make a trade.  By end of January we should have a good idea.

Agree!

I'm not saying the Celts make a move now, what I'm saying is the Celts can't stand pat at the trade deadline like last season.

If not a major move then a minor move.

Celts have lots of assets right now.

This is not a rebuilding season anymore.
I mean how can it be rebuilding when the Celts are spending 35m per year on a player like Kemba.
If it's rebuilding then Ainge would not have signed a max free-agent and just opted to build around Jayson and Jaylen.

[Jvalin]

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.

Kanter has been excellent rebounding. He just doesn't get many minutes because he's so bad defensively.

Adding another big at almost any cost as some want to do might seem ideal in some regards, but not if it costs one of our key players. We are one of if not the only team in the league that can get a mismatch almost constantly. We would lose a lot of that by trading, say, Hayward. And just like that what makes this team unique and difficult to defend would be gone.

Agree.

Hayward will not be going anywhere any time soon.

A small move like getting a guy like Poeltl is the best solution.

You have been incessant in your view that the Celtics go nowhere in the post season if they don't get a big to deal with Giannis, the Lopez brothers, Embiid, Anthony Davis and other bigs and you think the best solution is getting Jakob Poeltl?

Jakob Poeltl? A guy who is about a 6 point, 6 rebound bench player that can't get more than 18 MPG on a bad San Antonio club? He is your best solution for slowing down Giannis, Embiid and other dominant bigs and keeping them off the offensive boards?

Okay

Or Tristan Thompson! Who we'd have to trade basically our entire big-man rotation for...

Not if we sign him via the buyout market though.

Thompson is on a $18,539,130 expiring contract. It's possible that the Cavs won't find a team willing to match salaries for him and they end up cutting him. I mean, they have the 3rd worst record in the NBA right now (5-18).

There's already talk of Toronto wanting to bring Tristan back home to Canada.

So why would Tristan choose Boston over Canada?

The problem with the buyout market is it's going to be a bidding war and the Celts only have the vet's minimum to offer right now.

All the cap space money remaining was given to Poirier.

Cause he'll be a starter for us and the C's are likely to make a deap playoff run.

The Raps have Gasol-Ibaka at the 5. I get that Gasol is struggling this season, but I highly doubt they would trade him for Thompson. The same goes for the Lakers (Howard-McGee are both playing great this season, plus AD can provide cover at the 5 as well), the Heat (Bam), you name it. If Thompson wants to play big minutes in the playoffs with a view to maximizing his value in free agency, we might be the ideal fit for him.

Not saying we would be favorites to sign him. Just saying that imo we would have a legit chance.

Too risky IMO.

If the Celts don't do anything and gamble on the buyout market, Celts could end up getting nothing.

Also, Tristan has significant trade value right now.
There will be a team who will give up assets for Tristan.

It's not like Tristan is old or damaged goods.

Tristan is just 28 years old.

Again, he's on a $18,539,130 contract. It's possible that the Cavs won't find a playoff team willing to match salaries for him. Not to mention, he can get bought out by another team, not necessarily by the Cavs. For instance, if the Cavs trade him to a non-playoff team for an albatross contract + pick(s)/prospect(s), chances are that he 'll still end up being bought out.

What you're saying is possible.

But that's a gamble because what if Tristan doesn't get bought out?

Then what?

Then we'll do our best in the playoffs and we'll probably lose either to the Bucks or to the Sixers.

Don't get me wrong, I agree 100% with you that the C's should trade for a starting-caliber Center. It's just that we disagree on the Drummond idea. The way I see it, Drummond reminds me a little bit of Howard. He isn't a talented offensive player, yet he demands the ball in the paint. I wouldn't want him taking shots away from our big 4 (Kemba, Brown, Tatum, Hayward). If you ask me, we can't have 5 alphas in the starting lineup. There won't be enough shots for everybody and we 'll end up a dysfunctional team, like we were last season.

[Vermont Green]

We are doing fine so far with our current roster.  But some flaws or weaknesses have been exposed along the way.  We don’t have any real talent in our big rotation.  Daniel Theis is our top guy and then it is Kanter, Ojeleye, RWilliams, GWilliams.  Is there any team in the league with a worse 5 man big rotation?

Now I know it would be ideal to bring in a stud defensive big with 3-point range but unless you are willing to give up Hayward, Smart, Brown, or Tatum, that caliber of player is not going to be had.  That doesn’t mean we can’t get someone who is a little better than Their or Kanter and simply make our worst group a little better.

I think the likelihood of a big trade for someone like Towns or Drummond or another real stud big man is very slim.  If we could get someone like Towns or Drummond, I would consider trading Haywood or Smart, the Memphis pick, Langford, whatever, and we would likely be better for it, but I just don’t see something like that lining up and going down.

No, more likely we get someone like Kaminski or Trey Lyles, a middle of the road big but someone better than anyone we currently have that makes us a little bit better and a little bit deeper.

[nickagneta]

No, I don't think Ainge makes a trade at this year's deadline. You make trades so they make a difference on this team. He won't trade the 5 core guys. And, the Celtics simply won't be getting a difference making player without trading one of the 5 core guys.

Ainge doesn't make trades just to make trades, which I think some people(or one person) in this thread appear to want to do. Ainge makes trades to make a difference. I don't see any trade proposal in this thread that makes sense or makes a difference.

And just because last year a team made a mid season trade that propelled them to a title doesn't mean you have to do that every year. What were the mid-season trades that propelled Cleveland, GSW and Miami to titles?

Ainge(and most likely most if not all teams) aren't going to do a 4 for 1 or 5 for 1 trade mid-season. For Ainge it would mean then needing to add 2-4 more terrible players just to have a roster and for some other team it would mean needing to cut 3-4 players and eat their salary just to pull off the trade. You just don't see those types of trades in season.

And players like Poetlt or other bench bigs, just are not enough of an upgrade, if an upgrade at all, over Theis or Kanter or Timelord.

For all those reasons, besides the fact that come deadline day, it could be obvious a trade isn't necessary for the success of the team, I don't see Ainge pulling off a trade.

[keevsnick]

No, I don't think Ainge makes a trade at this year's deadline. You make trades so they make a difference on this team. He won't trade the 5 core guys. And, the Celtics simply won't be getting a difference making player without trading one of the 5 core guys.

Ainge doesn't make trades just to make trades, which I think some people(or one person) in this thread appear to want to do. Ainge makes trades to make a difference. I don't see any trade proposal in this thread that makes sense or makes a difference.

And just because last year a team made a mid season trade that propelled them to a title doesn't mean you have to do that every year. What were the mid-season trades that propelled Cleveland, GSW and Miami to titles?

Ainge(and most likely most if not all teams) aren't going to do a 4 for 1 or 5 for 1 trade mid-season. For Ainge it would mean then needing to add 2-4 more terrible players just to have a roster and for some other team it would mean needing to cut 3-4 players and eat their salary just to pull off the trade. You just don't see those types of trades in season.

And players like Poetlt or other bench bigs, just are not enough of an upgrade, if an upgrade at all, over Theis or Kanter or Timelord.

For all those reasons, besides the fact that come deadline day, it could be obvious a trade isn't necessary for the success of the team, I don't see Ainge pulling off a trade.

I could see him flipping Kanter+ minor assets for a guy like Davis Bertans, Bjelica, ie a stretch forward type just to give the C's a shooting option off the bench. But I agree that its hard to find any workable "defensive minded" big man trade. I'm hoping a guy like Thompson or Favors gets a buyout.

[tenn_smoothie]

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.

.

You have been incessant in your view that the Celtics go nowhere in the post season if they don't get a big to deal with Giannis, the Lopez brothers, Embiid, Anthony Davis and other bigs and you think the best solution is getting Jakob Poeltl?

Here's the games before the trade deadline when we play the teams with the aforementioned bigs that our lineup of midgets can't deal with (I threw Detroit and Drummond/Griffin in there for giggles). So far we've only played Philly (away) with Kemba shooting poorly and Milwaukee which we won.

Dec 12 - Philly (Home)
Dec 20 - Det (Home)
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I honestly think we should at least see how we play against them before we start giving away assets to pursue Poeltl or Kardashian et al to beef up our frontcourt. We may actually do ok.

Big difference between one game and a long playoff series.

Plus, Kanter does well on the offensive boards, but is ordinary for defensive rebounding.

[tenn_smoothie]

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.

If center is the least important position, why is the best player for each top team a dominant big man ??

[celticsclay]

 

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.

If center is the least important position, why is the best player for each of the top teams in the league a dominant big man ??

I guess I am a bit confused what teams you are referencing here. Two best teams in LA are Lakers and Clippers. Lakers is probably a toss up between Lebron and Davis (Davis is clearly a big, Lebron has been operating somewhat as a guard, but could be anything except a center)
Clippers best two players are wings
Bucks best player is Giannis (are you counting him as a  big?)
Celtics - Best play is kemba a guard
Heat best player - Butler
76ers - best player is Embiid
Rockets best player is Harden
Nuggets - Jokic (True big)
76ers - best player embid (true big)
Mavericks best player is Donic

So I guess 2 true bigs and then an argument for a third based on Davis versus Lebron? 

[SHAQATTACK]

believe after the Davis / kyrie ordeal ,  not seeing Danny moving players who all like each other and are playing as a unit with a single mind.

[tenn_smoothie]

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.

If center is the least important position, why is the best player for each of the top teams in the league a dominant big man ??

I guess I am a bit confused what teams you are referencing here. Two best teams in LA are Lakers and Clippers. Lakers is probably a toss up between Lebron and Davis (Davis is clearly a big, Lebron has been operating somewhat as a guard, but could be anything except a center)
Clippers best two players are wings
Bucks best player is Giannis (are you counting him as a  big?)
Celtics - Best play is kemba a guard
Heat best player - Butler
76ers - best player is Embiid
Rockets best player is Harden
Nuggets - Jokic (True big)
76ers - best player embid (true big)
Mavericks best player is Donic

So I guess 2 true bigs and then an argument for a third based on Davis versus Lebron?

Looking at who we have to beat to win a title, that would be who I am referencing ..........

Bucks - Yes, I am counting Giannis as a big because that is where he does all his damage, in the lane area.
Sixers - Embid, obvious - plus their size killed us on opening night
Lakers - Yeah, I know Lebron is motivated and all, but Davis is the difference this season.
Clippers - You are correct about them, but right now they are probably 4th among contenders

Heat, Mavs, Nuggets I don't consider elite contenders. Right now, it's a four team race and we are still two players away I think - a post player defender/rebounder & a bench shooter. .......... Hope I am wrong. And No, I am not in favor of breaking up any of our core players - I don't want to be watching nba-tv one night and see a scroller about a Celtic blockbuster trade. Just gotta find a way to acquire some solid help inside.

Could Danny have kept Horford & Baynes if he went all in this season. Maybe he didn't anticipate us being this close.

[bellerephon]

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.

If center is the least important position, why is the best player for each of the top teams in the league a dominant big man ??

You're being a little slick with your argument here. Not all big men are centers, stretch 4s and combo 3/4s are counted as big men, but aren't centers. AD can play center, and Embiid is a center, but Lebron, Giannis aren't centers. When was the last time a team won the championship with a center as their best player? You need good bigs, but you don't need a true center.