The more I watch and rewatch Celtics games, it's becoming more and more apparent to me that the players who will make an impact on this team 2-3 years from now when the Celtics hit their prime are Brown, Tatum, Pritchard, and Time Lord. The point I cannot emphasize enough is that that group won't hit its collective prime for another 2-3 years. So how do we get that group ready? Reps. Lots of reps. Reps in the regular season. And Reps deep into the playoffs.
That is a bit of a catch-22 for sure. Brad clearly doesn't feel that that best way to win on a night in and night-out basis is by playing those guys (TL and PP specifically). But I think it's time to throw them into the fire for 28-36 minutes a night, including crunch time. And I think we also need to make moves that will help that group have deeper playoff runs now. So the question becomes: How do you build around those four guys while maximizing their playoff reps now in preparation to try and hand banners in the middle and second half of this decade?
First things first, with those four on the floor what do you really need? In my opinion Timelord is an above average passer, while PP, JT, and JB are roughly average facilitators. That's my way of stating what we already know: we need a shot creator!
Second, I think our team in general, regardless of who is on the court, is at its best when Tatum is playing the 4, not the 3. To that end I think we should be looking for wings and guards, not bigs to add to TL and Theis (who I'm hopeful we can resign to something like a 4-year, $32m deal this summer).
Third, While PP can play off ball (and does it really well) as a 2-guard, we really can't be pairing him with a smaller guard. So to that end, I think we need a larger guard to play with him while JB plays the 3, or alternatively a wing who can slide JB over to the 2.
So what does that mean for our current trade targets?
First and foremost, we DON'T need a center. Not unless that center's name is Miles Turner and we are ready to move off of TL completely, which I'm not. So for me, hard pass on Vucevic.
Second, we don't need another player cut from the same cloth as Tatum and Brown - outstanding overall players with adequate but limited playmaking ability. So I'm out on Aaron Gordon, Jerami Grant (as a primary target. I would still LOVE him on this team), Fourniere, and Terrance Ross. To that end, I'm also out on Bradley Beal. It just wouldn't work. That aren't enough shots or facilitators to drive a Brown/Beal/Tatum team because that big three doesn't have the passer that the nets or LBJ big-threes have had. So I'm out on those guys. Hard pass on whatever Godfather Offer would be required to get Beal.
So what does that leave us with? We could definitely use a wing like Harrison Barnes. But beyond that I think we need a PG like Goran Dragic. Lonzo Ball would be perfect. Someone like Ricky Rubio could work. Jrue Holiday would have been great. Ditto for Conley. In NBA2k I would love SGA or De'Aron Fox or Ja. But I really think that is the type of player we need. Good defender and passer who can penetrate and create at the guard spot.
Now could any of those players be had? I don't know. If Danny could push his chips to the middle of the table for Lonzo I think he should do it. Aside from him I don't know what is available. But I do know that he is the type of player we need.
Topic: JT, JB, TL, and PP is our core. How to focus on them this year and beyond (Read 4379 times)