Despite the late season surge, I don't see this as a 40 win team right now. We snuck up on some teams who weren't familiar with our role players. I think lotto is more likely than 50 wins. Ainge might pull something off though.
This thread too? C'mon man, the point of this thread is clearly defined: how can the Celtics become a 50 win team. Not what are we now and what catastrophe of a season could happen. This thread is about positivity, trying to figure out where we can go from here. Try thinking about the positives of the team, just on this thread at least.
you realize of course, that you may be forcing larbrd's head to explode.
There's infinite paths Boston can take to get to 50 wins next season. Most of them are unlikely. Right now this is a 32-45 win team as-is (if we resigned Crowder and Bass).
A lot of the paths have been roughly laid out already. I doubt Ainge has any idea what he'll do, but he'll jump at an opportunity. I could think of endless hypotheticals. I'll come up with a crazy one on the fly.
In this scenario, the Knicks land the #1 pick, draft Townes and decide it's best to build around the young phenom. They put Melo on the market. Boston goes all-in and offers Marcus Smart, Wallace's expiring, Thomas, Sully, Oly, Zeller, Young, #16, #28, Brooklyn's 2016 1st, Dallas 2016 1st, Brooklyn 2018 1st... Knicks reluctantly take the offer, because the Lakers shockingly refuse to give up Julius Randle or their top 4 pick in a trade offer. Irate celticbloggers have a panic attack.
We let Bass, Crowder and Jerebko walk.
We trade Bradley for a future pick and trade exception. We renounce all trade exceptions.
Boston now has the following on the books:
Melo - 22 mil
Turner - 3.4 mil
That leaves 41 mil in cap space and Melo/Stevens as a draw.
Offer Rondo 10 mil
Offer Monroe 14 mil
Offer Asik 9 mil
Offer Afflalo 8 mil
Ride or die with PG - Rondo, SG - Afflalo, SF - Melo, PF - Monroe, C - Asik. Turner as the 6th man... Fill out the roster with whatever. It aint pretty, but it gets you your 50 wins.