It depends what we do in the offseason.
I think a very reasonable offseason would be trading Bradley and acquiring a power forward (Melo, Jamychal green, Dario Saric, etc etc doesnt really matter.
Then you have Thomas, Smart, Rozier, Fultz, Brown, Crowder, PF, Horford, Zizic, other bigs.
To start the season you would probably go:
Thomas
Brown or Smart
Crowder
PF
Horford
however, by the end of the year, Id fully expect that lineup to be:
Thomas
Fultz
Brown
PF
Horford
To start the season, you will probably not have Isaiah Thomas. Also, the "end of season" lineup that you're suggesting will only happen if we have a record of 25-50 or something similar.
Fultz is not your typical rookie. I dont think it is too ridiculous to think he might be close to AB level by the end of his rookie season. He is leaps and bounds better than Jaylen was coming out of college.
Also, I am expecting something of a leap from Jaylen Brown. One which carries him over Jae Crowder.
I really dont see why we cant win 50 games while slowly transitioning from my start of the year lineup to my end of the year lineup. Especially if you can get a good powerforward in here.
In Brad's system, if he isn't shooting the ball as well as Crowder from 3, not gonna happen.
People lose sight of it, but Brad will not play the kids unless he's getting what he needs out of them. I think he's good at developing talent, but i don't think he doles out opportunity to kids.
OK, so between Brown-Smart-Fultz, who starts at the 2 by the end of the season?
I don't think there are many Celtics that Danny Ainge's enjoys more than Avery Bradley. He paid him big bucks when we all thought that it was a bad contract. Bradley will always be a guy talked about when fans look at roster moves, but the reality is, he probably will be here for a long time.
I just don't see Ainge letting go of one of his personal favorites who is a model citizen, that he himself drafted. I say he gets paid another large contract before we ever see him leave.
So its Smart who gets traded?
So many things are in play, it's hard to guess. I think Ainge tries to keep the better play in Bradley no matter what, but it will all depend on the trade market imo. He's going to try to make deals, whoever is the key piece of a deal , goes imo.
Players can only play themselves into the starting lineup and tons of minutes. Simple as that.
Fultz and Jaylen Brown are players that grow EXPONENTIALLY. To rule either of them out for anything is foolish IMO. Fultz got cut from varsity as a soph and since his jr year has made YUUGE strides in his game in the off-season. Brown was taken #3 overall because he was the guy with the highest ceiling/ most potential/ highest reward and even before the regular season started he had already improved his 2 biggest weaknesses (finishing and the 3-pointer).
Fultz and Jaylen also have the length to defend multiple positions...
Fultz: 1-3
Brown:1-4...but mostly 2-4
I am extremely excited to plug Fultz into our strength and conditioning program and have him training/lifting/practicing full time as a pro.