build next year's Celtics team here

[Anomandaris]

*Shaq & Jermaine will retire ( hopefully jermaine can be persuaded to come back)
* our options are limited, so i don't excpect any big signings in the summer. Need to get lucky with our MLE & not waste it on some mid 30 year old veteran.
* barring a blockbuster deal involving the big 3, i don't see Ainge hitting the bank & going on a spending spree.  He'll try to keep as much cap flexibility for 2012 as possible.

Starting 5:

PG: Rondo
SG:FA SG signing MLE ( need to get lucky landing a Crawford, JR Smith, Richardson type of SG that wants to sign with us for MLE)
SF: Green
PF: Garnett
C: Kristic

Bench:
Delonte
Ray Allen
Pierce
Backup PF/C (signed with package of S&T Davis + fodder or pick)
PF & C fodder...

[clover]

So our front-court depth would be Curly, KG, a 'backup F/C', and 'fodder'?

[clover]

I'd let Baby walk, S&T if possible, but if he would consider a 1 year 4 mil deal I'd think about it.

I'd still like to go after a center even if JO, Shaq, and Krstic (I'd like to see him back) returns.  At the top end with our full MLE I'd look at Delambert, Chamdler, and Jordan.   I feel like we won't be able get any of those 3.  As a result I'd take a flyer or vet min guy or use our BLE.   Someone like Ming, Kwame Brown, Mohammed, Przybilla, Kurt Thomas.  With 4 centers and KG able to play center at times it will be center by committee. 

Then I'd S&T Jeff Green to a team looking for more young players and has a veteran power forward. Marcus Camby would be great who can also play a little center.  I think he still has a couple solid years left (10 boards a game still) and you might be able to get a draft pick in return in this deal.   I'd also bring Murphy back only a season removed from a very solid year. 

Then I'd throw our whole MLE at either Jason Richardson, Prince, Battier, Caron Butler, or Kirlenko (maybe Grant Hill if he can play like last year).   I think we would have a good shot at getting one of those guys.   With a vet min or BLE contract I'd go after another wing player either keeping Pavlovic or taking a flyer or Michael Redd, Tracy McGrady, or Josh Howard.

  I'd like both West and Wafer to return. 

So the reshaped roster even though not really younger but it would be deeper.  Maybe you get another draft pick with the S&T with Green.

Centers Shaq, JO, Krtstic, vet min or BLE guy, Camby, KG
Power forwards KG, Camby, Murphy
Wings Pierce, Allen, full MLE guy, vet min or BLE guy, Wafer, West
Point Guards Rondo, West, Bradley

Trade our #1 pick or send him oversees as we wouldn't have a roster spot. 

That's it!  Let's see if we can make our team older--and forget about the next decade.

[bfrombleacher]

I'd let Baby walk, S&T if possible, but if he would consider a 1 year 4 mil deal I'd think about it.

I'd still like to go after a center even if JO, Shaq, and Krstic (I'd like to see him back) returns.  At the top end with our full MLE I'd look at Delambert, Chamdler, and Jordan.   I feel like we won't be able get any of those 3.  As a result I'd take a flyer or vet min guy or use our BLE.   Someone like Ming, Kwame Brown, Mohammed, Przybilla, Kurt Thomas.  With 4 centers and KG able to play center at times it will be center by committee. 

Then I'd S&T Jeff Green to a team looking for more young players and has a veteran power forward. Marcus Camby would be great who can also play a little center.  I think he still has a couple solid years left (10 boards a game still) and you might be able to get a draft pick in return in this deal.   I'd also bring Murphy back only a season removed from a very solid year. 

Isn't it better to draft a center and go from there? It's better for the future and the centers available are either too expensive, too injury prone or too flawed.

True about Murphy. He's only a season off his game and we haven't seen much from him because of Doc's funnel vision lineups. We get him for cheap anyway.

Jeff Green brings youth though and he was never really fully utilized. In my opinion, the main flaw of Danny's move is not trading their starting center but doing it at such a bad time such that Doc, who is so so very conservative with his lineups, cannot utilize any of the assets they gained. Of course, it's all because of Marquis Daniels's freak injury. Basketball gods just don't like us. At the very least, we should give him half the season to see what he has after summer training.

[Anomandaris]

So our front-court depth would be Curly, KG, a 'backup F/C', and 'fodder'?

Yup, never said it was gonna be pretty.  We need new blood at SG & at PF/C.  Our option of getting that are slim. Realistically we can get better quality SG with the MLE then PF/C.  The FA list is pretty thin at PF/C.  

With Rondo, Green & the FA SG we can run the break a lot.  Then we can switch to half court offense with Delonte, Ray & Pierce.

The way i see it. The best FA PF/C available for the MLE will sign with Miami, the Best SG will sign with Chicago. Boston is not the top destination anymore for FA ( unless you're old & almost done, types like M.Redd etc.

So barring a blockbuster trade, i realistically don't see us beefing up significantly in the middle. I don't like it, but that's how the cards have been dealt at the moment.

[JBcat]

I'd let Baby walk, S&T if possible, but if he would consider a 1 year 4 mil deal I'd think about it.

I'd still like to go after a center even if JO, Shaq, and Krstic (I'd like to see him back) returns.  At the top end with our full MLE I'd look at Delambert, Chamdler, and Jordan.   I feel like we won't be able get any of those 3.  As a result I'd take a flyer or vet min guy or use our BLE.   Someone like Ming, Kwame Brown, Mohammed, Przybilla, Kurt Thomas.  With 4 centers and KG able to play center at times it will be center by committee. 

Then I'd S&T Jeff Green to a team looking for more young players and has a veteran power forward. Marcus Camby would be great who can also play a little center.  I think he still has a couple solid years left (10 boards a game still) and you might be able to get a draft pick in return in this deal.   I'd also bring Murphy back only a season removed from a very solid year. 

Then I'd throw our whole MLE at either Jason Richardson, Prince, Battier, Caron Butler, or Kirlenko (maybe Grant Hill if he can play like last year).   I think we would have a good shot at getting one of those guys.   With a vet min or BLE contract I'd go after another wing player either keeping Pavlovic or taking a flyer or Michael Redd, Tracy McGrady, or Josh Howard.

  I'd like both West and Wafer to return. 

So the reshaped roster even though not really younger but it would be deeper.  Maybe you get another draft pick with the S&T with Green.

Centers Shaq, JO, Krtstic, vet min or BLE guy, Camby, KG
Power forwards KG, Camby, Murphy
Wings Pierce, Allen, full MLE guy, vet min or BLE guy, Wafer, West
Point Guards Rondo, West, Bradley

Trade our #1 pick or send him oversees as we wouldn't have a roster spot. 

That's it!  Let's see if we can make our team older--and forget about the next decade.

If you think Jeff Green is a building block for the future then I think we are in trouble.  He won't make Dwight Howard want to come here.   It's rare you can get a very talented young player with the MLE so might as well try to get vets that know how to win while the big 3 are here.  If you want young I'd consider Ray's expiring contract and the Clips pick for Monta Ellis. 

[OHCeltic]

Just about everyone agrees Doc doesn't like rookies. So trade draft picks for young players.

PG Rondo   West
SG Allen   C.Lee(Houston)
SF Green   Pierce
PF Garnett J.Hill(Houtson) or JJ Hickson(Cavs)
C  J.Oneal  A. Gray(N.O.)

Resign
Krstic PF/C
Arroyo PG
Von Wafer SG/SF

FA
Kwame Brown C

This way we get youth with some experience. Start the season with original line and transition through the season to a younger line up.

[bfrombleacher]

Just about everyone agrees Doc doesn't like rookies. So trade draft picks for young players.

I think he doesn't like unfamiliarity, not rookies...

[Anomandaris]

If we're going to get quality pieces, we need to get lucky with a team that want's to blow it up & start over or is strapped for cash.

That's how LA got Gasol, we Garnett ...

[clover]

So our front-court depth would be Curly, KG, a 'backup F/C', and 'fodder'?

Yup, never said it was gonna be pretty.  We need new blood at SG & at PF/C.  Our option of getting that are slim. Realistically we can get better quality SG with the MLE then PF/C.  The FA list is pretty thin at PF/C.  

With Rondo, Green & the FA SG we can run the break a lot.  Then we can switch to half court offense with Delonte, Ray & Pierce.

The way i see it. The best FA PF/C available for the MLE will sign with Miami, the Best SG will sign with Chicago. Boston is not the top destination anymore for FA ( unless you're old & almost done, types like M.Redd etc.

So barring a blockbuster trade, i realistically don't see us beefing up significantly in the middle. I don't like it, but that's how the cards have been dealt at the moment.

I think with what's available Danny drafts a full-sized (sorry, Gody) PF project in this year's draft.  JO comes back and is a serviceable starting center for a year. 

But one of the Big Three gets traded, JG starts, and hopefully another of the Big Three comes off the bench.

[caesar]

RESIGN:    Green, Wafer, Murphy & Krstic
F.AGENCY: Tayshaun Prince
                Battier OR Posey
                Marc Gasol (more offensive player than the other 2 choices at center position) OR Chandler OR Dalambert (defensive-minded centers)
                Leon Powe
                     
STARTERS:

PG- Rondo
SG- Allen
SF- Pierce
PF- Garnett
C- Marc Gasol OR Tyson Chandler OR Samuel Dalembert

Bench
      PG- West / Bradley
      SG- Green / Battier / Wafer
      SF- Tayshaun Prince / Shane Battier OR James Posey (if bought out)
      PF- Troy Murphy / Leon Powe / Krstic
      C- J ONeal / Krstic