Ainge on 98.5 FM’s The Sports Hub’s Toucher and Rich show, talk TPE

[colincb]

Agree with your POV on Beal and Tucker. I can't say I follow the fascination with Young though. Does he really move the needle in any meaningful way for this Cs team, or he just shuffling deck chairs, essentially?

I don't see how he impacts a playoff series vs the likes of MIL, NJ or others....

As to Young, in relation to our current rotation of swings and bigs, yes, I think he does provide an impactful upgrade.  Getting some incremental improvement at low cost to me is a realistic goal.  Now if Danny can figure out a way to turn Kemba into an even better big, great, but I am not expecting that.

Young's a very consistent player who has started about two-thirds of the games he's played in and has for his 13 year career a PER of 16.2 (at 18+ this season), 15.6 points per 36, and a DRating of 107. A high-level rotational player at a reasonable price through the end of next season.

Don't know if the Bulls would make him available because it's a sellers' market with 20 teams getting into the playoffs and the Bulls are probably in the picture for a 9th or 10th slot. He won't be a salary dump if they move him.

[Vermont Green]

Agree with your POV on Beal and Tucker. I can't say I follow the fascination with Young though. Does he really move the needle in any meaningful way for this Cs team, or he just shuffling deck chairs, essentially?

I don't see how he impacts a playoff series vs the likes of MIL, NJ or others....

As to Young, in relation to our current rotation of swings and bigs, yes, I think he does provide an impactful upgrade.  Getting some incremental improvement at low cost to me is a realistic goal.  Now if Danny can figure out a way to turn Kemba into an even better big, great, but I am not expecting that.

Young's a very consistent player who has started about two-thirds of the games he's played in and has for his 13 year career a PER of 16.2 (at 18+ this season), 15.6 points per 36, and a DRating of 107. A high-level rotational player at a reasonable price through the end of next season.

Don't know if the Bulls would make him available because it's a sellers' market with 20 teams getting into the playoffs and the Bulls are probably in the picture for a 9th or 10th slot. He won't be a salary dump if they move him.

Of course I don't know either what kind of plan the Bulls would have for him and how this market affects that but I would find it hard to believe he is in their long term plans.  As for the short term, if I was running the Bulls, I would look to trade first Otto Porter (get something before he becomes a UFA and likely leaves for nothing) but also Young.  Now if this is really a sellers market and the offers get too rich for Thad Young, fine, let someone else overpay for him in a trade.

The nice thing is that he fits part of the Hayward TPE, and I think we can take him back without having to move any other salary to stay under the tax threshold.  A first round pick is a reasonable return for Young I would think.  Nice clean simple deal.  I agree and don't expect them to just give him away for a second round pick / salary dump.

[seancally]

Zinger?

[chambers]

 Harrison Barnes is the guy.
Closing games with
Smart
Brown
Tatum
Barnes
Theis/TT would make us a true contender IMO.

[Birdman]

Barnes be great here but with the Kings vying for a playoff berth, be surprise they trade him unless they have a major collapse the next couple of weeks

[chambers]

Barnes be great here but with the Kings vying for a playoff berth, be surprise they trade him unless they have a major collapse the next couple of weeks

Depends how you look at it I guess.
Making the first round & getting bounced by LA vs making the lottery +getting some more picks from us and trying to build around Fox..

[todd_days_41]

Agree with your POV on Beal and Tucker. I can't say I follow the fascination with Young though. Does he really move the needle in any meaningful way for this Cs team, or he just shuffling deck chairs, essentially?

I don't see how he impacts a playoff series vs the likes of MIL, NJ or others....

As to Young, in relation to our current rotation of swings and bigs, yes, I think he does provide an impactful upgrade.  Getting some incremental improvement at low cost to me is a realistic goal.  Now if Danny can figure out a way to turn Kemba into an even better big, great, but I am not expecting that.

Young's a very consistent player who has started about two-thirds of the games he's played in and has for his 13 year career a PER of 16.2 (at 18+ this season), 15.6 points per 36, and a DRating of 107. A high-level rotational player at a reasonable price through the end of next season.

Don't know if the Bulls would make him available because it's a sellers' market with 20 teams getting into the playoffs and the Bulls are probably in the picture for a 9th or 10th slot. He won't be a salary dump if they move him.

Thad Young has played for 6 NBA teams since 2014. 6 Teams.

Apparently that consistency is not very impactful, because his teams don't seem to wanna keep him.

His fit would be decent, so if he could be had very cheap -- fine. But giving up much for him is not something Ainge is going to do. He knows they're not one minor move away ala 2008. They need an impactful trade or signing, not shuffling of deck chairs.

Ainge will leave overpaying for Young to some less disciplined GM.

[Jiri Welsch]

aaaaaaaaaaaand the hits just keep coming

https://twitter.com/Toucherandrich/status/1359871152777285640?s=20

[Tr1boy]

aaaaaaaaaaaand the hits just keep coming

https://twitter.com/Toucherandrich/status/1359871152777285640?s=20

All injured team at this rate

Brad may have to limit his min and also not play B2B (for now)

Any prolong inflammation/swelling can lead to a tear. Which is would be really bad

[Jiri Welsch]

aaaaaaaaaaaand the hits just keep coming

https://twitter.com/Toucherandrich/status/1359871152777285640?s=20

All injured team at this rate

Brad may have to limit his min and also not play B2B (for now)

Any prolong inflammation/swelling can lead to a tear. Which is would be really bad

This is crazy to say. But we really need Romeo back ASAP.

[NKY fan]

aaaaaaaaaaaand the hits just keep coming

https://twitter.com/Toucherandrich/status/1359871152777285640?s=20

All injured team at this rate

Brad may have to limit his min and also not play B2B (for now)

Any prolong inflammation/swelling can lead to a tear. Which is would be really bad

Is there a long term concern? Does he have to be managed from now on?

[Tr1boy]

aaaaaaaaaaaand the hits just keep coming

https://twitter.com/Toucherandrich/status/1359871152777285640?s=20

All injured team at this rate

Brad may have to limit his min and also not play B2B (for now)

Any prolong inflammation/swelling can lead to a tear. Which is would be really bad

This is crazy to say. But we really need Romeo back ASAP.

Yeah. They said mid to end of Feb for potential return

Team doesnt want anymore setbacks

[PhoSita]

If Jaylen is going to be limited for the near future dealing with nagging knee issues, this season is basically a lost cause already.

All around it's starting to feel like this just isn't meant to be a year in which the Celts seriously compete for anything, due entirely to things outside their control.

[Jiri Welsch]

If Jaylen is going to be limited for the near future dealing with nagging knee issues, this season is basically a lost cause already.

All around it's starting to feel like this just isn't meant to be a year in which the Celts seriously compete for anything, due entirely to things outside their control.

They really need to just be healthy at the right time, and all of these injuries they've experienced thus far are minor (in the sense that they're not season-ending).

I'm hopeful someone-- anyone!! -- besides Pritchard steps up and proves to be a legitimate NBA player with these opportunities. As long as we're within striking distance with 30 games left we have a puncher's chance.

[PhoSita]

If Jaylen is going to be limited for the near future dealing with nagging knee issues, this season is basically a lost cause already.

All around it's starting to feel like this just isn't meant to be a year in which the Celts seriously compete for anything, due entirely to things outside their control.

They really need to just be healthy at the right time, and all of these injuries they've experienced thus far are minor (in the sense that they're not season-ending).

I'm hopeful someone-- anyone!! -- besides Pritchard steps up and proves to be a legitimate NBA player with these opportunities. As long as we're within striking distance with 30 games left we have a puncher's chance.

I think my pessimism comes from the feeling that even if they do get healthy at the right time (i.e. the start of the playoffs and during), they won't have had the time to work out their flaws / issues together on the floor enough during the course of the regular season.


This isn't a team with an established and proven rotation that just needs to get healthy and on the same page, with the back end of the rotation shortened (see: 2010 Celtics).  This is a team with a lot of flaws and not much experience playing together that needs to work out its issues.  Even if you set aside changes in the roster from last year to this year, the core group needed to improve on crunch time execution.  I'm afraid due to injuries, COVID etc they're just not going to have the adequate opportunity to improve in those key areas of execution and consistency in time for the playoffs.


On top of that, the sheer number of lingering issues that they have on the roster makes it very hard to believe they're going to have the top 7-8 key players healthy.  And again, this isn't a team that can really afford to have one or two of the top half of the roster be unavailable or limited and still have a credible chance at upsetting a contender in a playoff series.