Chad Ford ranks Celtics dead last among non-traders.

[MosheP]

People talking about re-signing Ray and KG for next year. So will the plan be guys who are too old to win the championship this year might be able to win it next year when the are slower and older?

Well, according to some here, the Big Four aren't really declining. That's why Ainge didn't trade anyone. Those guys are just as good as ever, obvious title contender, this year and the next. e.g. http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=54637.msg1169921#msg1169921

[Greenbean]

People talking about re-signing Ray and KG for next year. So will the plan be guys who are too old to win the championship this year might be able to win it next year when the are slower and older?

Well, according to some here, the Big Four aren't really declining. That's why Ainge didn't trade anyone. Those guys are just as good as ever, obvious title contender, this year and the next. e.g. http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=54637.msg1169921#msg1169921

Okay I clicked on your link and the poster is saying that if the Celtics get as legit big and a scorere on the bench we could compete...you dont agree?

[LooseCannon]

Garnett and Ray Allen don't make any sense in a rebuilding team. Can Boston build a contender around them? If the answer is negative, it's time to let them go.

There are a few restricted free agents out there who are good enough that it would make sense to being both back (or at least KG).  I may not think that Eric Gordon for a near-max contract is a good idea, but the poor man's Kevin Love, Ryan Anderson, for 75% of Kevin Love money sounds like a good deal to me if Orlando won't match it.  There are players who aren't available now, but who might become available in the summer with a disappointing playoff run or team dissension.

If Ainge could have swung a home run trade of youth and picks for the Big Three, then he should have gone towards re-building.  If Ainge could have made a re-loading trade that would have made people think that the Celtics were a legitimate contender with enough there that a solid acquisition and some good drafting would have Boston at worst the solid third-best team in the East, then he should have gone for that.

Without either being possible, he preserved the possibility of both directions.  It's a disappointment to those who think this team has no chance of contending next season and for those who want to see the team try its hardest to win every year, but both of those camps are wrong.

[Casperian]

ranking us dead last is too generous.  I still can't believe we didn't do a single thing to improve our team in the short or long term.  Unbelievable.  We basically are rolling over and dying.  Probably sign another unknown like Stinksma to fill our starting center spot ... and then watch us get ripped to shreds and embarrassed in the first round by the Heat or Bulls...

I  too am indignant that Danny didn't make the deals that were so obviously there to be made despite all evidence to the contrary, for I am a reactionary fan with a wannabe Cassandra complex.

Really?

I thought all you contribute are snarky one-liners and potshots at fellow Celtic fans, preferably behind their back so nobody can call you out.

Wait, of course you have a Cassandra complex. How else could you know the motivations and psychic conditions of people on the internet you never even met?

[KCattheStripe]

ranking us dead last is too generous.  I still can't believe we didn't do a single thing to improve our team in the short or long term.  Unbelievable.  We basically are rolling over and dying.  Probably sign another unknown like Stinksma to fill our starting center spot ... and then watch us get ripped to shreds and embarrassed in the first round by the Heat or Bulls...

I  too am indignant that Danny didn't make the deals that were so obviously there to be made despite all evidence to the contrary, for I am a reactionary fan with a wannabe Cassandra complex.

Really?

I thought all you contribute are snarky one-liners and potshots at fellow Celtic fans, preferably behind their back so nobody can call you out.

Wait, of course you have a Cassandra complex. How else could you know the motivations and psychic conditions of people on the internet you never even met?

Hey man, don't forget the funny photos. Also, that's not what a Cassandra Complex is.

[BMark3]

There was no way of avoiding what happened, as far as we know. What franchise players were really available at the deadline? If DA is really interested in acquiring "pieces" I would suggest he sign Deron Williams to a max contract this summer to play with Rondo. Williams certainly is big enough to play the 2

[More Banners]

Looks like we're in the middle of the "bridge years":

Veteran team fading from contention with young players not developed enough to be a budding winner.

IF this year counts as bridge year 1, which I think it does, how many will we have to endure before a contending core of players comes together again?  I'm counting Jeff Green as a Celtic, and even with JG and Rondo, we're quite a few pieces away.

[Fan from VT]

Looks like we're in the middle of the "bridge years":

Veteran team fading from contention with young players not developed enough to be a budding winner.

IF this year counts as bridge year 1, which I think it does, how many will we have to endure before a contending core of players comes together again?  I'm counting Jeff Green as a Celtic, and even with JG and Rondo, we're quite a few pieces away.

I don't think this counts as a bridge year, as it appears we're trying to improve our playoff positioning by still competing and keeping the core together and did nothing to try to improve our own draft position or cash in for picks, and doing nothing to try to speed the growth of guys under contract like Johnson.

Of course it doesnt' really count as a competing year because we based our last offseason on 1 year deals and made no trades to improve immediately.

I think it's a case of wanting our cake and eating it too, "competing" and happily coasting into low playoffs with no chance of winning in order to keep attendance up and get some playoff money, but really hoping to rebuild. We're sacrificing better rebuild and better odds of winning a single title in the next decade for increased revenue now; maybe that's what the owners need since our performance this year is so so far below the payroll status.

I think next year will be a true bridge year; KG and Ray will probably walk, Pierce will probably show up out of shape and coast on a non-playoff team until the end of his contract, and management will try to take some short-term flyers on high upside athletic guys to see if they play exciting basketball and see if any work out, but really tanking and being open to taking a bad contract or two and get paid in potentially better picks to do so. 

[scottwedman]

Doesn't make sense to add to the Big 4 over the summer.  Even if KG and Ray re-sign for minimum salaries over the summer, they will be 36 and 37 years old, respectively.

Say we get Kaman over the summer:

Rondo - 26
Allen - 37
Pierce - 35
Garnett - 36
Kaman - 30

Just on age alone, that's a .500 team.  They'll play like champions on occasion, but nagging injuries, fatigue on back-to-backs and old legs vs. athletic teams dooms them from getting a decent playoff seed.

Orlando has a habit of acquiring last legs players.  I say ship them Pierce, let KG and Ray walk, tank 12-13, then go all-in for Dwight Howard.

[More Banners]

Doesn't make sense to add to the Big 4 over the summer.  Even if KG and Ray re-sign for minimum salaries over the summer, they will be 36 and 37 years old, respectively.

Say we get Kaman over the summer:

Rondo - 26
Allen - 37
Pierce - 35
Garnett - 36
Kaman - 30

Just on age alone, that's a .500 team.  They'll play like champions on occasion, but nagging injuries, fatigue on back-to-backs and old legs vs. athletic teams dooms them from getting a decent playoff seed.

Orlando has a habit of acquiring last legs players.  I say ship them Pierce, let KG and Ray walk, tank 12-13, then go all-in for Dwight Howard.

I could see us looking for the younger player they will back up.  KG is looking quite resurgent, though.