Which three players would you like to see with Perk and Rondo? (within reason)

[Brendan]

Don't think Perk is good enough to build around - I think he's who you trade to improve the team.

Whoever it is - Pierce is my 6th man. I can see him grinding out a few more years from the bench to push up his overall numbers.

I like going for either Melo or Durant when they hit FA - not sure how 'realistic' it is.

Bogut, Al Jefferson, Melo, Ray (I think Ray will plateau for quite a few years at his current level), Rondo

With Pierce off the bench - he can shift Melo to the PF in small ball, he can backup Melo or Ray when they are getting a rest. Fill in the blank role players as a backup big (need someone who can shoot, after looking Bogut has a bad shot - which I didn't realize) and backup guard that can shoot and handle.

[RJ87]

If we decide to build around Rondo and Perk with other younger players, who would you like to see replace Ray, Pierce, and KG?  Don't say Dwyane Wade, LeBron, and Chris Bosh.

I was thinking Josh Smith, Gerald Wallace, and Andre Iguodala.  All three guys are good passers and excellent athletes who would go well with Rondo on the break.  We'd still be a top defensive team and we'd be much better at rebounding.

Melo!   He is going to be a free agent in 2012 , the same year the C's will have a ton of cap space. With Denvers future looking shaky with an older Chauncey Billups and KMart who knows how much longer they will be contenders.

Melo is basically the same player as PP in his prime ,but has the potential to be even better.


You add Melo at SF and try to get a sharp shooter like Morrow from GSW and possibly even use BBD at PF . That team is easily 50+ wins for the next 5 years with room to grow.

Yes, I like the idea of Melo, esp if you add a guy like Anthony Morrow to the mix. If no Melo, then obviously, Durant.

Other guys of interest - Andre Iguodala, David Lee, Michael Beasley (yes, I said it), LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Love...

To be honest, I'm not sure Perk and Rondo are compatible long term - they play very different styles. I think a starting lineup that can run ala Steve Nash/Phoenix Suns should be a goal longterm if Rondo is the starting block.

[greg_kite]

If this is realistic I think you have to take Baby steps, like seeing who is available this summer as a free agent for the midlevel.

Anthony Morrow would definitely be worth the full midlevel.  He could fill Ray's spot in the offense and isn't a total liability on defense.

Ty Thomas would be a good backup to KG with still enough potential to be the starter.  BBD is good but really should be a backup.  

Josh Childress is a tall and athletic wing that could be a great addition to the C's next year and also be a future starter.

Janerro Pargo would be a cheap backup point guard who can put up some points quick.

I'd also be happy with Rasual Butler, Travis Outlaw, DJ MBenga and Mike Miller if any of them were signed for less than $3 million a year.  If you could get two of them with the midlevel it would be a start.

[Brendan]

I think you have to start with the premise you need all time elite talent to win a championship. There is some chance Rondo gets to that level - but I'm thinking he's only ever at the second fiddle level. Historically there are (SWAG alert) ~5 teams that won the championship in 50 years without having an all time talent.

2008 C's had KG (arguably the top PF of all time) who actually has more of a supporting game (great D, good blended offense, not dominant on offense) and they had the perfect compliment in Pierce (get the winning bucket wing) and the perfect SG to play next to Pierce. Rondo and Perk were solid role players (which is where Perk remains today) and Posey was a great 6th man who essentially backed up all of the starting 5 (due to the positional flexibility of the starting 5.)

So let's assume Rondo can be the second guy, we need an elite guy. The best guy that we could get is probably Durant, but I think it's a very long shot. He seems like a guy who will keep taking the max and staying as long as Presti is improving the team (and unlike CLE's management Presti is likely to make smart moves.) Of the guys we could conceivably get this summer, I could see Amare or Johnson as players we'd have a path to - but Johnson isn't that much of an upgrade over Ray. Amare - not sure he's good enough offensively to make up for his D to be your prime guy.

You start looking further out - let's say they get Ray Allen and Pierce into affordable deals over the next two summers 8-10 range, that starts to give them flexibility. So I think you have to look at some sort of trade in 2011 ofseason or FA move in 2012 to see a significant transition. I think Denver has petered out by then - Billups, Martin, Nene are all getting old in the tooth and Melo might look to move on. (As for concerns about Melo - everyone forgets that Pierce had similar concerns from the rest of the league a few years back and even a lot of posters on this site.)

Jefferson is just a pipe dream - I'd like to see him back in green, and I think Minny would move him - just not sure we can get him. Bogut was just a name I pulled out of my posterior.

[Birdbrain]

I don't want Jefferson anywhere near the C's.

He's glass and plays 0 defense.  He's no better than he was at the time of the trade in 2007 and just my opinion he doesn't appear to have a very high BBIQ.  That trade was steal of epic proportions.

[nickagneta]

Rondo and Perk and:

Evan Turner - C's purchase the 2010 first round pick of Atlanta then package their two first rounders this year and their first rounder in 2012 to some team with an idiotic GM for the #2 pick and take Turner

Eric Gordon and Kevin Love - during the 2012 free agent season LA and Minnesota are bad bad and overspent in previous years and can't match large offers for these two restricted free agents and Danny scoops them away with great offers after having Wallace, KG, Ray Allen and Tony Allen have their contracts run out together giving Ainge tons of cap space

2012 Celtics:

Rajon Rondo - age 26

Kendrick Perkins - age 28

Eric Gordon - age 23

Evan Turner - age 24

Kevin Love - age 24

Paul Pierce - age 35 in his last year

Travis Outlaw - age 28 with two years left on his 4 year MLE contract he signs in the 2010 off season

Dexter Pittman - age 24 picked up in the 2nd round of the 2010 draft

Trey Thompkins - age 22 taken as the Celtics 1st round pick in the 2011 draft

Mehmet Okur - age 33 signed to a veterans minimum contract

[Fafnir]

No way anyone trades Evan Turner for that package Nick.

I'd love it though....

[Chris]

Well, I would also get rid or Perk (or keep him as a backup), and get Dwight Howard, Kevin Durant, and Kevin Love.

Put a role player at SG who can defend and hit the open shot (Say, Aaron Afflalo), and you have the perfect young team.  My only real concern would be Kevin Love's durability, but I would really enjoy watching that team play.  Especially if someone can convince Howard to control his blocks...directly to Love, who is the best outlet passer in the league.

[nickagneta]

No way anyone trades Evan Turner for that package Nick.

I'd love it though....

I know. But I did call the guy an idiot and was trying to be at least a little realistic  

[Spilling Green Dye]

Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Michael Jordan

I'll need role players who can hit it from outside.

TP for making me laugh lol.  I think know a good shooter for your team:  Larry Bird.  He'd be a great passer too to help facilitate the offense. 

[nickagneta]

Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Michael Jordan

I'll need role players who can hit it from outside.

TP for making me laugh lol.  I think know a good shooter for your team:  Larry Bird.  He'd be a great passer too to help facilitate the offense. 

You two guys need to be playing in the Historical Draft

http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=36817.0

Join up we need more owners

[Spilling Green Dye]

If we decide to build around Rondo and Perk with other younger players, who would you like to see replace Ray, Pierce, and KG?  Don't say Dwyane Wade, LeBron, and Chris Bosh.

I was thinking Josh Smith, Gerald Wallace, and Andre Iguodala.  All three guys are good passers and excellent athletes who would go well with Rondo on the break.  We'd still be a top defensive team and we'd be much better at rebounding.

Melo!   He is going to be a free agent in 2012 , the same year the C's will have a ton of cap space. With Denvers future looking shaky with an older Chauncey Billups and KMart who knows how much longer they will be contenders.

Melo is basically the same player as PP in his prime ,but has the potential to be even better.


You add Melo at SF and try to get a sharp shooter like Morrow from GSW and possibly even use BBD at PF . That team is easily 50+ wins for the next 5 years with room to grow.

This is interesting.  I like Melo.  I disagree that he's as good as Pierce or ever will be (sans stats) because he lacks Paul's heart but, he is a top 5 go to guy on the offensive end. 

I still think you can win (2008) with Perk at Center but, you need a scorer at PF and great shooter to play alongside Rondo. 

I agree on the need for a PF and shooter in that lineup, but I have to disagree a bit on the 'Melo analays.  I used to really despise Carmelo in his early years (primarily for his immaturity, etc), but quite frankly I think he's going to be better than Pierce ever has been.  It's easy to say that Pierce has more heart b/c he's our Captain, but in just looking at performances in the Olympics Carmelo has shown more heart and leadership than Pierce.  The guy has been maturing and trying exceptionally hard, and IMO is one of the top 2 or 3 offensive players in the game.  At this rate of improvement I wouldn't be surprised if he is considered better than Pierce was in his prime.  

I also agree that Carmelo would be an ideal person for Rondo & Perk to play alongside.  With Perk's interior defense and Rondo's speed/passing, it'd be a deadly trio.  I'd love to see it in the future

[CoachBo]

Not that concerned about the idea because I think there's a good chance Perkins will be traded in the off-season. Garnett with these legs may have to go to the 5.

[Chris]

Not that concerned about the idea because I think there's a good chance Perkins will be traded in the off-season. Garnett with these legs may have to go to the 5.

Agree completely.  It will all depend on what they can get for him, but I would be shocked if he is not shopped hard.

[nickagneta]

Not that concerned about the idea because I think there's a good chance Perkins will be traded in the off-season. Garnett with these legs may have to go to the 5.

From interviews I have read and interviews with Doc and Danny I have heard on WEEI radio, KG, Doc and Danny all feel that come next year KG will be at about the same physical condition he was before he got injured. They all sound convinced of that.

If that is true and they feel that way, I think they keep the boys together for one more year to see if KG does actually return to his opld self physically and try for another banner next year. If KGs knee doesn't respond or his and Pierce's and Ray's game slide further, this team will start to be dismantled at next year's trade deadline. That's the way I see it.