Dear Danny: All I want this week is....

[Ilikesports17]

Trade Grant Wiliams for the Ice Capades.  They would have more value.  JK

For a guy who provides elite 3 point shooting and can play fairly reliable defence you really dislike the guy. I don't think Grant is the problem. He just shouldn't be as relied upon as he is

It's not really "elite" when the only time he shoots are when he's totally left alone or in garbage time.

How do either of those things (which are neither particularly true nor relevant) change his shooting percentage?

Because an elite 3 point percentage doesn’t always mean the owner is an elite shooter

[nickagneta]

Shooting +40% at 2 a game is pretty dang good. Hitting corner threes at 53.3% is elite. Get rid of his 0-25 streak to start his career and Grant is a career 39.7% three point shooter, including playoffs.

I don't get the hate Grant gets. He is one of the strongest players in the league. He moves laterally extremely good for a guy his size. He has big hands and great hand eye coordination. His BBIQ is excellent. Passing skills are there.

So he is undersized and doesn't jump high. Sure, that limits him, but I still think he has a long career in his future in the NBA as a high level, role player. P.J. Tucker like career seems very reasonable to me. As a 10th-11th player in the rotation type guy, right now, I don't have a problem with Grant. But, you can't be elongating your rotation by having both Grant and Semi in it. Pick one. Move the other. I would keep Grant.

[Moranis]

For Ainge to finally pick a direction.  Either go all in and try to win this season, or actually build around Tatum.  Just pick a direction.

[nickagneta]

What I want from Danny is to move any player before the deadline, if that is becoming a free agent this summer and Ainge feels that player will not be brought back. So:

Daniel Theis
Jeff Teague
Semi Ojeleye
Javonte Green.

If they aren't going to be brought back, package them and picks and get someone that is an upgrade and will be around next year.

[gouki88]

Trade Grant Wiliams for the Ice Capades.  They would have more value.  JK

For a guy who provides elite 3 point shooting and can play fairly reliable defence you really dislike the guy. I don't think Grant is the problem. He just shouldn't be as relied upon as he is

It's not really "elite" when the only time he shoots are when he's totally left alone or in garbage time.

How do either of those things (which are neither particularly true nor relevant) change his shooting percentage?

Because an elite 3 point percentage doesn’t always mean the owner is an elite shooter

Which is why I didn't call him an elite shooter. Thought calling him "a guy who provides elite 3 point shooting" would imply that. But it's all a bit pedantic anyway - without his weird 0-25 start he's been a rock solid 40% shooter and an elite corner shooter.

[michigan adam]

For Ainge to finally pick a direction.  Either go all in and try to win this season, or actually build around Tatum.  Just pick a direction.

Of all of the rumors, I think I like a deal with Atlanta. Collins and bogdanovic for thompson, romeo, nesmith, and a first.  Have to be 2 deals so we could absorb collins in kanter TPE and balance salary of the rest to save the big TPE.  Kemba, bogdanovic, brown, tatum, and collins with small ball, then add smart, rw3, theis, pp in the top 9.  One roster spot open to add a SF type, but I see minutes like this

PG kemba 26 pp 15 smart 7
SG bogdanovic 28 smart 20
SF brown 31 tatum 17
PF tatum 14 collins 25 GW/SO 9
C collins 5 RW3 22 theis 21

In Playoffs GW/SO minutes go away, along with some of the PP, RW3, theis minutes in favor of the others.  all still young, so the loss of the pick and 2 young players is not detrimental long term.

[RJ87]

For Ainge to finally pick a direction.  Either go all in and try to win this season, or actually build around Tatum.  Just pick a direction.

Of all of the rumors, I think I like a deal with Atlanta. Collins and bogdanovic for thompson, romeo, nesmith, and a first.  Have to be 2 deals so we could absorb collins in kanter TPE and balance salary of the rest to save the big TPE.  Kemba, bogdanovic, brown, tatum, and collins with small ball, then add smart, rw3, theis, pp in the top 9.  One roster spot open to add a SF type, but I see minutes like this

PG kemba 26 pp 15 smart 7
SG bogdanovic 28 smart 20
SF brown 31 tatum 17
PF tatum 14 collins 25 GW/SO 9
C collins 5 RW3 22 theis 21

In Playoffs GW/SO minutes go away, along with some of the PP, RW3, theis minutes in favor of the others.  all still young, so the loss of the pick and 2 young players is not detrimental long term.

If that deal was at all realistic, it'd be done by now. Add Smart and a few more 1sts and Atlanta might be interested. Any deal bringing back Collins is likely to cost Smart and multiple picks (or a really prime 1st which we no longer have).

[michigan adam]

Rumors I hve read is a young player and 1st round pick for collins.  If it takes a second #1 pick I'd still do it.  I do not add smart for any reason.  He is nearly as untouchable as the jays in my mind due to his D, leadership, grit, and reasonable salary.  PP and RW3 are next most untouchable.  Other than those 5 I will listen.  For a beal, KAT, etc I listen to all but the jays.  It would have to be doncic of a few others to think about the jays.  Almost any trade that splits the jays is not enough to justify doing it.  Collins value is not as high as some attest as he is soon to get a huge contract that Atlanta will not get the chance to sign IMHO.  They nearly HAVE to trade him or risk getting nothing for him.

[RJ87]

Rumors I hve read is a young player and 1st round pick for collins.  If it takes a second #1 pick I'd still do it.  I do not add smart for any reason.  He is nearly as untouchable as the jays in my mind due to his D, leadership, grit, and reasonable salary.  PP and RW3 are next most untouchable. 

So... what are you offering? No one is giving us their good players for our scraps. It's just not realistic. According to reports, Atlanta countered with a deal built around Jaylen Brown when we inquired about Collins... They're not giving him away, they'd do better keeping him and matching an offer sheet (because the will having matching rights) than taking a deal built around throwaways.

[SparzWizard]

I just want something to happen and not riding with this passive roster forever.

Give up Smart if you have to. Lose those draft picks that would become the eventual Romeo Langfords, Aaron Nesmiths, James Youngs, Grant Williams, Carsen Edwards, Yabuseles, or Abdel Naders. For sure Kemba's gotta go, too.

[Celtics4ever]

Shooting +40% at 2 a game is pretty dang good. Hitting corner threes at 53.3% is elite. Get rid of his 0-25 streak to start his career and Grant is a career 39.7% three point shooter, including playoffs.

I don't get the hate Grant gets. He is one of the strongest players in the league. He moves laterally extremely good for a guy his size. He has big hands and great hand eye coordination. His BBIQ is excellent. Passing skills are there.

So he is undersized and doesn't jump high. Sure, that limits him, but I still think he has a long career in his future in the NBA as a high level, role player. P.J. Tucker like career seems very reasonable to me. As a 10th-11th player in the rotation type guy, right now, I don't have a problem with Grant. But, you can't be elongating your rotation by having both Grant and Semi in it. Pick one. Move the other. I would keep Grant.

He plays 18 minutes per game.   In that time he is giving you 5 points( despite the shooting %),  .9 Assists ( so much for the passing skills),  2 rebounds ( for a strong guy that is a weak rebound stat) and 5 personal fouls.   His production during that time is abysmal.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willigr01.html

Negative Plus Minus of  -3.5 on offense and -0.5 on defense.   402 in ORPM in the league.  435 in DRPM in the league, 482 in the league in Wins, 472 in RPM
http://www.espn.com/nba/statistics/rpm/_/page/11/sort/ORPM
http://www.espn.com/nba/statistics/rpm/_/page/11/sort/DRPM
http://www.espn.com/nba/statistics/rpm/_/page/13/sort/WINS
http://www.espn.com/nba/statistics/rpm/_/page/12

There are 489 players in the league.

Despite being strong and moving laterally he contributes almost nothing to the team other than being a good team mate.     Having guys like this on the bench is a big part of our problem as they don't produce and dig holes for our team because they don't contribute in a meaningful way. 

 It is not his fault, he seems like a good person, and a good team mate.   Semi at least is outperforming where he was picked as a second rounder. 

I think we need to cut loose guys on the bench who are non producers.   This is why we have depth problems.  This is why our bench sucks.   Ainge wanted to see what we had, we have been measured and found lacking.....

[CBS_Take a Report]

Dear Danny, hit reset. I don’t care who on this roster remains afterwards. And I mean everyone.

[Redz]

I know it's against his religion, but I'm going to go with: a drink.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I really don't think Danny's going to do anything. At least, nothing that's gonna move the needle in this lost season.

[johnnygreen]

Get rid of the nerds. It seems like the team plays a style dictated by analytics, which has taken away the players natural feel for the game. I remember a few years ago, Tatum was taking a lot of mid-range shots, and almost seemed automatic. However, analytics dictated those were bad shots, and he should instead make those 3’s instead. Well, now all he seemingly takes are 3’s, and is further away from the rim and doesn’t go to the line as nearly as much as he should. I also question if the analytics part of it, is dictating how Brad Stevens is able to coach the game. Does he really want his players to shoot so many 3’s?