Should we Tank?

[philr13]

It seems to me that the purpose of tanking is to draft players who have the potential to develop into all-stars. We've already accomplished that.

I think it's important to remember how young Brown and Tatum still are, and that the team has control of them for 3 more seasons and 4 more seasons respectively.

We are in post-tanking mode right now. As least that's how I see it. 

It's time to build a better team around them. We need better vets around them, and we need our other young players to develop. A few of them look pretty good.

[Tr1boy]

You would think at the minimum

Theis, Tatum, Brown, Smart, Walker should be a competitive starting lineup able to make some noise. It was the lineup that went to the ECF

If after several games before the trade deadline, the roster cant cut it. The Celts should start making some small trades.

- TT gone.  He came here for a deep playoff run. If Celts are barely a playoff team. Pretty sure he wouldnt mind joining a contender somewhere else. I would hope he could fetch a late 1st.

- Theis gone. Not bad not great. Not a true big. Use the money for something else. Already have TL as an energy big. Fetch a 2nd. Maybe a late 1st

- Semi.  3 and D with 6 threes made game outburst.  Should fetch a 2nd

- trade or waive Teague

Decrease Tatum, Brown time on the court to 25 min per game.  Sit Brown here and there to manage knee tendonitis.   Sit Smart here and there to manage calf soreness.  Sit Walker for the rest of the season. 

Play the other players a ton of minutes. Even Tacko etc.  To accelerate development and signal lost season.  Decrease pressure on Brad, Jays.

Celtics likely wont be a good team and in the hunt for a high draft pick.  Lots of options possible from there.   Draft a stud prospect or trade it with a package for a high end player like KAT etc.

On a side note. I would like the Celtics to sign Olynyk in the offseason to stabilize the bench.  He would help free up space on the floor for the Jays and Walker. Good passer and shooter. High iq. Great at setting picks. Body has improved. Knows Brad system. 

[Vermont Green]

Theis, Tatum, Brown, Smart, Walker should be a competitive starting lineup able to make some noise. It was the lineup that went to the ECF

Not exactly, we did have Hayward in the mix some of the time but on the other hand, Walker was gimpy, a shell of even how he is playing now.

I agree with what I think is your basic point though.  This core team of Theis, Tatum, Brown, Smart, Walker did well in the playoffs, even with Walker being limited.  Hayward did contribute but was in and out with injury (as usual).

No need to start selling off the pieces, at least the useful pieces, right now.

[philr13]

Theis, Tatum, Brown, Smart, Walker should be a competitive starting lineup able to make some noise. It was the lineup that went to the ECF

Not exactly, we did have Hayward in the mix some of the time but on the other hand, Walker was gimpy, a shell of even how he is playing now.

I agree with what I think is your basic point though.  This core team of Theis, Tatum, Brown, Smart, Walker did well in the playoffs, even with Walker being limited.  Hayward did contribute but was in and out with injury (as usual).

No need to start selling off the pieces, at least the useful pieces, right now.

That lineup has only been able to play together a total of 28 minutes so far this season due to Covid and injuries.

[RodyTur10]

It truly looks like Stevens has lost the team. Maybe he's past his expiration date?
He has been the Celtics headcoach for almost 8 seasons. That's a long time.
Dave Joerger or Becky Hammon can be good candidates to replace him.

The team just isn't going in the right direction. The offensive system isn't working and especially end of game execution has been bad for over a year now. No accountability and too much selfishness.

Yet having Brown and Tatum as building blocks is still a good position to be in.
A refreshment could bring the team back on track possibly.

I'd like Ainge to take that route. End the Stevens experience in a subtle and respectful way.
Set up a coaching staff with more NBA experience and then step aside and let Mike Zarren takeover.

This summer we go in with Walker (and Thompson, unless we can get a buyer before the deadline) and the TPE to get two or more starting caliber players to fit alongside Tatum and Brown. Go into the tax and start to compete.

[action781]

I didn’t think I’d ask this at the beginning of the season but here we are...

This team has problems. DA had a terrible offseason.  But on the bright side we have two of the best young wings in the league.

We have a large window with two young stars, but this team isn’t winning anything this year.

Why not get in the lotto? Strong draft, the ping pong balls fall correctly, and we’re in business with another young stud.

Impressing onto your two young all-stars that "you are not good enough just the two of you, we're going to take actions to land someone hopefully better" is just about the worse thing that you can do for their potential development into superstars.

[Tr1boy]

It truly looks like Stevens has lost the team. Maybe he's past his expiration date?
He has been the Celtics headcoach for almost 8 seasons. That's a long time.
Dave Joerger or Becky Hammon can be good candidates to replace him.

The team just isn't going in the right direction. The offensive system isn't working and especially end of game execution has been bad for over a year now. No accountability and too much selfishness.

Yet having Brown and Tatum as building blocks is still a good position to be in.
A refreshment could bring the team back on track possibly.

I'd like Ainge to take that route. End the Stevens experience in a subtle and respectful way.
Set up a coaching staff with more NBA experience and then step aside and let Mike Zarren takeover.

This summer we go in with Walker (and Thompson, unless we can get a buyer before the deadline) and the TPE to get two or more starting caliber players to fit alongside Tatum and Brown. Go into the tax and start to compete.

I would say there was a stronger case for this 2 years ago with Kyrie leading the charge.  That guy did tune out Stevens eventually.

But last season, the team went back to the ECF.  So they listened ....  minus a few games in the playoffs

This season ... I mean 2nd half of last night game, the Celtics came out with great energy and desperation.   One has to ponder where that surge has been the past 3 games.   Especially in the 2nd halfs when counter punches were needed

Stevens overall is not very good in lighting the fire.  He needs help from guys like Crowder, IT4 and Smart.   Thompson plays hard himself but it hasn't trickled/branched off to the rest of the team

[PhoSita]

Tanking isn't really an option, but I would start resting Tatum & Brown as much as possible.

There's no point in running them ragged trying to save this season when the roster --- as everybody on the team readily admits -- just isn't good enough.

[Tr1boy]

Celtics have to at least do 2 and 2 in the upcoming 4 game homestand

Stay around 8-9 seed for now. Until Smartford returns

Then we will see

[tstorey_97]

Well as of today Thursday February 25, 2021 the Celtics have the 11th pick in the draft.

Sengun 6'9" center from Turkey 24.9 ppg and 11.4 Rebs he'll be 19 in July.

All we had to do is do an "ole" with the Pelicans, OKC, Wiz, Hawks, Magic and we get a clean shot at...

Jalen Green - G league
Scottie Barnes - Florida State
Jalen Johnson - Duke
James Bouknight - UConn

Remember, when the Celtics are getting torched by the Knicks and everybody else? You are tanking for Scottie Barnes!

When you've gone 6 and 14 in your last 20 games? You're tanking for Jalen Johnson!

When Javonte Green is your assist leader and Tacko is averaging 22 minutes a night along with Carsen Edwards jacking 14 threes a game....if the ping pong balls fall right? you're tanking for
Jonathan Kuminga from...from...the g league!

There are 9 teams in the east that are withing ONE GAME of each other. Who needs "covid" when you can have "NBA parity."

Pritchard -Waters - Teague - Edwards (he'll have to play some small forward)

Nesmith - Green

Grant - Semi - Tacko can play center

They're all going to be playing 30 minutes or so. There will be nights where the "shooters" go bonkers and win some games. Since the NBA has parity now there aren't many teams left to beat up on.

Give them 15 games to get some rhythm and they'll go 12-24 and we can get Scottie Barnes.

The issue with tanking now as we've let the "other" bad teams get a jump on us.

It would be fun to watch Nesmith, Pritchard, Waters and Edwards bomb the threes. Brad would probably play Pritchard for 47 minutes a night.

[ozgod]

We'll see these over TD Garden before the Celtics do any tanking.

[Walker Wiggle]

I agree that there’s no point in tanking. However, I do think the team should:

- Rest Tatum and Brown whenever an excuse arises. Tatum has lingering covid symptoms and Brown has knee tendonitis, and I think they’re both gassed.
- Try and offload Thompson before the trade deadline and give more center minutes to the two Williamses.
- Banish Teague and play Pritchard heavy minutes.
- Continue to play Nesmith and try and work in Langford when he’s back.
- Offload Kemba as soon as you can get positive trade value. Might be this off-season, or might be never.

I don’t call that tanking. I just call it multi-year planning. If this team is destined to compete for a title this year, let them do it as a low seed in a weird covid playoffs with mostly empty gyms. If not, develop the young talent on your roster so you either know who can play what role, or you can use them as trade chips in a big off-season trade.

[Ogaju]

If what they are doing is not tanking then they are not doing it well.

[BoulderMike]

I agree with everything ... except Kemba's contract prevents us from ever trading him for value.  We need to plan to attach a 1st round pick to get someone to take on his contract.

I agree that there’s no point in tanking. However, I do think the team should:

- Rest Tatum and Brown whenever an excuse arises. Tatum has lingering covid symptoms and Brown has knee tendonitis, and I think they’re both gassed.
- Try and offload Thompson before the trade deadline and give more center minutes to the two Williamses.
- Banish Teague and play Pritchard heavy minutes.
- Continue to play Nesmith and try and work in Langford when he’s back.
- Offload Kemba as soon as you can get positive trade value. Might be this off-season, or might be never.

I don’t call that tanking. I just call it multi-year planning. If this team is destined to compete for a title this year, let them do it as a low seed in a weird covid playoffs with mostly empty gyms. If not, develop the young talent on your roster so you either know who can play what role, or you can use them as trade chips in a big off-season trade.

[Walker Wiggle]

I agree with everything ... except Kemba's contract prevents us from ever trading him for value.  We need to plan to attach a 1st round pick to get someone to take on his contract.

I agree that there’s no point in tanking. However, I do think the team should:

- Rest Tatum and Brown whenever an excuse arises. Tatum has lingering covid symptoms and Brown has knee tendonitis, and I think they’re both gassed.
- Try and offload Thompson before the trade deadline and give more center minutes to the two Williamses.
- Banish Teague and play Pritchard heavy minutes.
- Continue to play Nesmith and try and work in Langford when he’s back.
- Offload Kemba as soon as you can get positive trade value. Might be this off-season, or might be never.

I don’t call that tanking. I just call it multi-year planning. If this team is destined to compete for a title this year, let them do it as a low seed in a weird covid playoffs with mostly empty gyms. If not, develop the young talent on your roster so you either know who can play what role, or you can use them as trade chips in a big off-season trade.

At this point, yes. But the hope is that the team can rehabilitate his knee and his value such that another team looks at his last year (plus option) of his contract and decides to pull the trigger. Think, for instance, a team that whiffs in free agency and needs to save face with its fan base. A 20ppg scorer with knee problems has value to a team like that. In short, I think we’re underestimating this the same way we underestimated the free agent markets for Horford and Hayward.