Thankful we won't repeat the mistakes of 01-02 this year

[obnoxiousmime]

Remember that 12 years ago? The Eastern Conference may have been even more mediocre than it is now (at least there are the Heat and Pacers this season) and the Celtics ownership thought they could make a run in the playoffs and get some cash. They traded a promising young player in Joe Johnson for Tony Delk and Rodney Rogers, then proceeded to lose in the ECF to a team that was predictably destroyed by the Lakers.

To make matters worse, that offseason management refused to re-sign Rogers and he left for the team that beat the Celts, the Nets! This destroyed any remaining illusion that Gaston might value winning over the bottom line.

The similarly poor East this year reminded me of that season and I'm so relieved we have management that drafts well and has a long-term strategy in place. Even though I believe they started rebuilding a year too late (a misleading Heat series contributed to them spending a bunch of money on Terry and Lee and extending Bass and Garnett), I don't think anyone can be displeased with what they were still able to get in the Brooklyn deal.

Let's not overrate the current team just because the East is bad. They only have one win against the West this year and it was against Utah. Judge the Celts by a leaguewide, championship standard and you'll see why Ainge won't be making any moves this year that do not benefit the team long-term.

[BigAlTheFuture]

if I could go back in time i'd find Gaston and kick his dog and slap his wife.

Hahahahaha oh no you did not just say that.... hahahahah

[Moranis]

Yeah but if we had traded Kedrick Brown instead of Joe Johnson, things might look a lot different.  Or maybe if we don't exercise that draft pick in the first place and let it roll over, things might look a little different.  We just didn't have a very good GM at the time, that was the problem.

[BballTim]

if I could go back in time i'd find Gaston and kick his dog and slap his wife.

  Leave the dog out of this.

[Jailan34]

Yeah but if we had traded Kedrick Brown instead of Joe Johnson, things might look a lot different.  Or maybe if we don't exercise that draft pick in the first place and let it roll over, things might look a little different.  We just didn't have a very good GM at the time, that was the problem.

I think mine's point still stands though, this ownership shouldn't trade any of our young talent in an effort to win now just because the rest of the east is so terrible too. They are, hopefully, committed to the rebuild of the team.

[billysan]

Yeah but if we had traded Kedrick Brown instead of Joe Johnson, things might look a lot different.  Or maybe if we don't exercise that draft pick in the first place and let it roll over, things might look a little different.  We just didn't have a very good GM at the time, that was the problem.

I think mine's point still stands though, this ownership shouldn't trade any of our young talent in an effort to win now just because the rest of the east is so terrible too. They are, hopefully, committed to the rebuild of the team.

I truly feel that it will take a minimum of 2 years and possibly 3 to construct a team that will be a longer term contender for an NBA championship. I am sure that Danny could whip out a few trades and a FA signing for next year and make us an ECF contender but for how long and how good would we be?

We still have to get past the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers. One or two added players arent going to do that anyway IMO. Lebron and George are still the elite players in our conference until someone beats them.

[JSD]

Even though I believe they started rebuilding a year too late (a misleading Heat series contributed to them spending a bunch of money on Terry and Lee and extending Bass and Garnett).

Of course you believe that now, everyone does. With the benefit of hindsight it has become a fact.

[Jailan34]

Even though I believe they started rebuilding a year too late (a misleading Heat series contributed to them spending a bunch of money on Terry and Lee and extending Bass and Garnett).

Of course you believe that now, everyone does. With the benefit of hindsight it has become a fact.

There were plenty of people who wanted to rebuild after the series, I only recently joined this site but I didn't want to try to "reload".

[coco]

Even though I believe they started rebuilding a year too late (a misleading Heat series contributed to them spending a bunch of money on Terry and Lee and extending Bass and Garnett).

Of course you believe that now, everyone does. With the benefit of hindsight it has become a fact.

There were plenty of people who wanted to rebuild after the series, I only recently joined this site but I didn't want to try to "reload".

I agree.  Cs didn't come close on game 6 at home.  That was the flag right there.  No contest
on game 7.  We got far, but DRose sat out giving us an opening.  Most people also forget we barely beat Philly earlier in the series.

[BballTim]

Even though I believe they started rebuilding a year too late (a misleading Heat series contributed to them spending a bunch of money on Terry and Lee and extending Bass and Garnett).

Of course you believe that now, everyone does. With the benefit of hindsight it has become a fact.

There were plenty of people who wanted to rebuild after the series, I only recently joined this site but I didn't want to try to "reload".

  There were plenty of people who wanted to rebuild in 2009 after KG missed the playoffs with a knee injury.

[Clench123]

if I could go back in time i'd find Gaston and kick his dog and slap his wife.

  Leave the dog out of this.

Hahahaha

[BASS_THUMPER]

They traded a promising young player in Joe Johnson for Tony Delk and Rodney Rogers

i liked Tony Delk
he was a balla

[BballTim]

They traded a promising young player in Joe Johnson for Tony Delk and Rodney Rogers

i liked Tony Delk
he was a balla

  I was bummed because we dumped a better guard to keep him and his contract, Eric Strickland I think.

[Moranis]

Yeah but if we had traded Kedrick Brown instead of Joe Johnson, things might look a lot different.  Or maybe if we don't exercise that draft pick in the first place and let it roll over, things might look a little different.  We just didn't have a very good GM at the time, that was the problem.

I think mine's point still stands though, this ownership shouldn't trade any of our young talent in an effort to win now just because the rest of the east is so terrible too. They are, hopefully, committed to the rebuild of the team.

But had they swapped Kedrick Brown for Joe Johnson, your point might not exist at all because maybe that team makes the finals multiple times (JJ has been significantly better than Brown every year in the league past that first one).  Maybe with PP and JJ, Boston doesn't crater at all and is a consistent contender.  The problem with your premise is Boston had a sub-par GM at the time who made terrible decision after terrible decision.  A better GM and who knows what happens back then, which is why that trade was made in the first place (he also gave up a first rounder in the deal to compound the injury). 

[GreenWarrior]

  I was bummed because we dumped a better guard to keep him and his contract, Eric Strickland I think.

funny you mention Eric Strickland. if we played him on j kidd during that playoff series back then I really think we would have won. kidd struggled mightily against Strickland all season.