Kemba Walker (Kemba to formalize agreement on Sunday, pg 40)

[smokeablount]

God, Ainge is so bad. What a useless signing.

Welcome to your 2019/20 Boston Hornets.

Anyone who sleeps on 21 year old Tatum and 22 year old Brown has not been paying much attention. Celticsblog had good article about them. Add recovered Hayward and Kemba and that is a very, very good team years beyond the Hornets.

https://www.celticsblog.com/2019/6/26/18759050/jaylen-brown-jayson-tatum-future-boston-celtics

I can buy leaps by Brown and Tatum, but people need to stop acting like Hayward's recovery is a sure thing. We cannot count on him.

I reluctantly agree with this, because I consider myself largely rational.  But the counter-argument is it took PG13 until what would be this year for Hayward to get right. 

Now Hayward is not Paul George and George had to adapt his game some, but I think it's safe to say he will at least be better this year than last.  But I agree, expecting Utah Hayward this year is unwise.

[celticinorlando]

Jeff Goodman
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Source close to Kemba Walker told me that primary reason for the All-Star point guard choosing Boston was chance to go deep in playoffs — and play with talented guys like Tatum, Hayward and Jaylen Brown. Doesn’t feel as if he has to do it all by himself - which was case in CLT.

[CelticsElite]

Jeff Goodman
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Source close to Kemba Walker told me that primary reason for the All-Star point guard choosing Boston was chance to go deep in playoffs — and play with talented guys like Tatum, Hayward and Jaylen Brown. Doesn’t feel as if he has to do it all by himself - which was case in CLT.

love it. We didn't have to beg for him to come. We didn't have to trade for a superstar. Lets do this..


The Kemba era now begins

[jpotter33]

Kemba Walker plans to commit to a four-year, $141M maximum contract with the Boston Celtics after free agency opens on Sunday, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.

https://twitter.com/shamscharania/status/1145068763345248258?s=21

Kemba Walker plans to be in Boston on Sunday to finalize a formal agreement with the Celtics, league sources tell ESPN.

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1145068958330081281?s=21

This really is amazing that this happened this fast with Kemba not even meeting with any other teams.

While a bit older and probably in a vacuum not quite as talented as Kyrie, his better overall record of health and much better fit with this team makes this move a net positive to bring in Kemba at the expense of Kyrie.

[celticinorlando]

Kemba...please wear #8 so my throwback Celtics jersey becomes current again.

[BringToughnessBack]

I am psyched! Watch all of our players be better next year. Bet Stevens is excited he is getting a player of Kemba’s character. He is well liked by all he has played with.

[blink]

Jeff Goodman
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Source close to Kemba Walker told me that primary reason for the All-Star point guard choosing Boston was chance to go deep in playoffs — and play with talented guys like Tatum, Hayward and Jaylen Brown. Doesn’t feel as if he has to do it all by himself - which was case in CLT.

love it. We didn't have to beg for him to come. We didn't have to trade for a superstar. Lets do this..


The Kemba era now begins

Ah man that quote is like a breath of fresh air after these last few months.

[GreenCoffeeBean]

Jeff Goodman
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Source close to Kemba Walker told me that primary reason for the All-Star point guard choosing Boston was chance to go deep in playoffs — and play with talented guys like Tatum, Hayward and Jaylen Brown. Doesn’t feel as if he has to do it all by himself - which was case in CLT.

I'm on board with all of that except for the part where Charlotte is abbreviated as "CLT."

[celticinorlando]

Team will def. be one of less drama IMO. No questions about impeding free agency (Kyrie, Rozier), no talk about being traded for Davis (Tatum, Brown). No injury to recover from (Hayward).

Think this will be a good team that people want to see do well. Also think it will be right in Stevens wheelhouse.

[RJ87]

Kemba Walker plans to commit to a four-year, $141M maximum contract with the Boston Celtics after free agency opens on Sunday, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.

https://twitter.com/shamscharania/status/1145068763345248258?s=21

Kemba Walker plans to be in Boston on Sunday to finalize a formal agreement with the Celtics, league sources tell ESPN.

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1145068958330081281?s=21

This really is amazing that this happened this fast with Kemba not even meeting with any other teams.

While a bit older and probably in a vacuum not quite as talented as Kyrie, his better overall record of health and much better fit with this team makes this move a net positive to bring in Kemba at the expense of Kyrie.

Yeah, we tampered hard lol.

But I like Kemba. Curious to see how we address the frontcourt now. We ran so much through Al and I don't think we can easily replace what he brought to the table, especially defensively.

[CelticsElite]

Kemba Walker plans to commit to a four-year, $141M maximum contract with the Boston Celtics after free agency opens on Sunday, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.

https://twitter.com/shamscharania/status/1145068763345248258?s=21

Kemba Walker plans to be in Boston on Sunday to finalize a formal agreement with the Celtics, league sources tell ESPN.

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1145068958330081281?s=21

This really is amazing that this happened this fast with Kemba not even meeting with any other teams.

While a bit older and probably in a vacuum not quite as talented as Kyrie, his better overall record of health and much better fit with this team makes this move a net positive to bring in Kemba at the expense of Kyrie.

it's sort of a no brainer

We may be homers but the Celtics are undeniably a well assembled team in need of a star point guard

The puzzle piece couldn't fit better

[Vox_Populi]

I'm getting cautiously optimistic about next season.

[CelticsElite]

Jeff Goodman
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@GoodmanHoops
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Source close to Kemba Walker told me that primary reason for the All-Star point guard choosing Boston was chance to go deep in playoffs — and play with talented guys like Tatum, Hayward and Jaylen Brown. Doesn’t feel as if he has to do it all by himself - which was case in CLT.

I'm on board with all of that except for the part where Charlotte is abbreviated as "CLT."

that's the Charlotte airport code

[smokeablount]

To expect Utah Hayward is asking a lot.  It's asking too much.  That doesn't mean he has no value.

Just something between Utah Hayward and last year (didn't advanced stats say he was better than he looked?)...or how about 3/4 of Utah player.  I do think he'll get better gradually over the next two years...up until the point when age starts to level him off, then back down the slope. 

This year I expect Hayward to come off the bench and be one of the best bench players in the league, a calming influence, an all around type player and facilitator, coach on the floor, etc.  Plus scoring. He's clearly an asset.

If we needed to use Tatum's great value to get the big we want...then I'd be okay with Hayward starting at SF.  I just don't think he should start over Tatum or Brown.  Maybe he can start over Smart if our new center is beefy enough.   

Friends with Kemba too. Maybe helped get him in here...

I haven't fully thought this through, but I feel like we need Hayward to start this year more than we needed him to start last year.  Not even because we expect him to be better, which I do, by at least a bit.  Even with no improvement, it makes sense with the loss of Al.  Last year as starters we had Kyrie with 7 apg, Smart with usually at least 4-5 apg as a starter, and Al as a focal point.

This year I expect Brown to start over Smart, taking one of those good passers out of the lineup with no replacement, and gone is Al who was perhaps the focal point of the ball movement on offense.

I think it makes sense to consider starting Hayward and letting him play a facilitator type role like Horford but from the wing and as a driver, as opposed to Al doing so in the paint as a post player.

Last year we saw Hayward struggle to score if he wasn't shooting the lights out.  But we know he can pass, and we need another passer to compliment our new scoring PG Kemba, who can pass but could use some help creating shots and a guy to bring out the best of his elite off ball shooting skills.

The Jays are pretty poor passers and we don't know who our C is.  I also don't really see Smart starting as he seems needed as a backup pg and sg both.  So I feel we may need Hayward as a 2nd creator.

[GreenFaith1819]

This is AWESOME...quite simply.



Welcome to BOSTON, Big Guy...and PLENTY of DEEP playoff runs.

And Danny ain't finished.