Goran Dragic Availability

[CBS_Take a Report]

He of course has had health issues the last 3 seasons and is 34 years old, but he could be a taller point guard option who can also shoot.

Miami is rumored to be considering offering him a 1 year deal at his current rate which would rule him out. $19m

But this could be posturing by Riley to dissuade MLE offers from other teams.

[Rikibellevie]

He of course has had health issues the last 3 seasons and is 34 years old, but he could be a taller point guard option who can also shoot.

Miami is rumored to be considering offering him a 1 year deal at his current rate which would rule him out. $19m

But this could be posturing by Riley to dissuade MLE offers from other teams.

I would be happy to have a 6th men like him (so we would have to keep Smart), but don't see how we make the room to sign him.

[Moranis]

I don't see the point.  He isn't going to bump Boston up a tier this year and won't be around long enough to make a difference.  The money and roster spot is better used elsewhere.

[CBS_Take a Report]

I don't see the point.  He isn't going to bump Boston up a tier this year and won't be around long enough to make a difference.  The money and roster spot is better used elsewhere.

What other roster needs do you see besides ball handler point guard? PF, I guess? Isn’t this spot filled with small ball options of Tatum/Grant Williams and Horford swinging between C/PF?

[Moranis]

I don't see the point.  He isn't going to bump Boston up a tier this year and won't be around long enough to make a difference.  The money and roster spot is better used elsewhere.

What other roster needs do you see besides ball handler point guard? PF, I guess? Isn’t this spot filled with small ball options of Tatum/Grant Williams and Horford swinging between C/PF?

Boston needs a PG, but Dragic makes no sense.  Boston would still be a mid-tier playoff team and not a real contender with him, but now have used a bunch of money and a roster spot up to not get more than nominally better this year and not increase the title chances down the line at all and may in fact hurt them, by not taking a flyer somewhere else and potentially paying the tax.

Dragic is the kind of player that at this time could put a contender over the top or a very near contender into contending status.  Like he would make perfect sense for the Clippers, Mavericks, Suns, etc. teams like that.  He doesn't make sense for the Celtics who still are a couple of seasons away from the J's reaching their apex. 

[Who]

G: Pritchard, Dragic
G: Smart
F: Jaylen, Fournier
F: Tatum

Or

G: Smart, Dragic
G: Fournier
F: Jaylen, Nesmith
F: Tatum

Yeah, the 2nd one is probably better. Hate to see Pritchard bounced from regular minutes but Dragic is good enough to warrant it.

That perimeter grouping plus Horford & Rob Williams could be good enough to put Boston in the mix as a darkhorse contender type of team. Not a favourite but dangerous.

[Who]

I don't see the point.  He isn't going to bump Boston up a tier this year and won't be around long enough to make a difference.  The money and roster spot is better used elsewhere.

What other roster needs do you see besides ball handler point guard? PF, I guess? Isn’t this spot filled with small ball options of Tatum/Grant Williams and Horford swinging between C/PF?

Boston needs a PG, but Dragic makes no sense.  Boston would still be a mid-tier playoff team and not a real contender with him, but now have used a bunch of money and a roster spot up to not get more than nominally better this year and not increase the title chances down the line at all and may in fact hurt them, by not taking a flyer somewhere else and potentially paying the tax.

Dragic is the kind of player that at this time could put a contender over the top or a very near contender into contending status.  Like he would make perfect sense for the Clippers, Mavericks, Suns, etc. teams like that.  He doesn't make sense for the Celtics who still are a couple of seasons away from the J's reaching their apex.

It would be cool to see Dragic on the Mavs next to Doncic. Those two played well together for their National Team.

Give Dallas that 2nd ball-handler. Brunson as backup. Dragic could be good for Porzingis too. Help get him more involved. Less Doncic focus (a little less). More team focus.

Someone has got to get Porzingis to develop his passing. He is such a scoring threat up top. Develop his passing to even an average level and he could make such a difference as a high post facilitator. It would open up his scoring and steady his offensive consistency too. So easy to develop basic passing skills. I hate the number of coaches in the league who do not develop their big men's passing skills -- too many gawd [dang] PG coaches who do not how to coach bigs!!!

[CBS_Take a Report]

I don't see the point.  He isn't going to bump Boston up a tier this year and won't be around long enough to make a difference.  The money and roster spot is better used elsewhere.

What other roster needs do you see besides ball handler point guard? PF, I guess? Isn’t this spot filled with small ball options of Tatum/Grant Williams and Horford swinging between C/PF?

Boston needs a PG, but Dragic makes no sense.  Boston would still be a mid-tier playoff team and not a real contender with him, but now have used a bunch of money and a roster spot up to not get more than nominally better this year and not increase the title chances down the line at all and may in fact hurt them, by not taking a flyer somewhere else and potentially paying the tax.

Dragic is the kind of player that at this time could put a contender over the top or a very near contender into contending status.  Like he would make perfect sense for the Clippers, Mavericks, Suns, etc. teams like that.  He doesn't make sense for the Celtics who still are a couple of seasons away from the J's reaching their apex.

Your reply is very telling about your view of our chances to contend. I tend to disagree and think we are closer than many believe.

[footey]

Why sign Goran?  We can just draft this kid at 45 (per ESPN):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF1AdSY8Xk4

[Who]

Why sign Goran?  We can just draft this kid at 45 (per ESPN):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF1AdSY8Xk4

This reminds me of when Steve Kerr was the GM of the Suns and he drafted Dragic around this range. He also took R.Lopez as a mid first rounder. And then depended on these two kids to come in and contribute from Day One.

It wrecked their bench and derailed their season. It was a veteran team with Nash and Shaq. The whole season was a mess because Kerr underestimated the readiness of these young guys to step in and contribute.

It is very rare for a defensive orientated center (at least back then) especially one taken outside the top 5 to be a plus player from Day One. It is very rare for a foreign PG to come into the NBA adapt to both the country & athleticism of the league and provide quality from Day One.

Kerr put his team down two key rotation pieces in the team - sabotaging his own team in the process.


My point = draft the guy you like but draft him for his long term role on the team. Not an immediate role. Get someone else for the immediate future so you do not harm your own team.

[Moranis]

I don't see the point.  He isn't going to bump Boston up a tier this year and won't be around long enough to make a difference.  The money and roster spot is better used elsewhere.

What other roster needs do you see besides ball handler point guard? PF, I guess? Isn’t this spot filled with small ball options of Tatum/Grant Williams and Horford swinging between C/PF?

Boston needs a PG, but Dragic makes no sense.  Boston would still be a mid-tier playoff team and not a real contender with him, but now have used a bunch of money and a roster spot up to not get more than nominally better this year and not increase the title chances down the line at all and may in fact hurt them, by not taking a flyer somewhere else and potentially paying the tax.

Dragic is the kind of player that at this time could put a contender over the top or a very near contender into contending status.  Like he would make perfect sense for the Clippers, Mavericks, Suns, etc. teams like that.  He doesn't make sense for the Celtics who still are a couple of seasons away from the J's reaching their apex.

Your reply is very telling about your view of our chances to contend. I tend to disagree and think we are closer than many believe.

There is no reason to be telling, I've pretty consistently said I don't think Boston is a contender because Tatum and Brown aren't yet good enough.  I do believe they could be, but they are still a couple of seasons away from their prime.  Now maybe Tatum takes a massive leap and instead of being in the 15-20 range, gets up into the discussion as a top 5 player.  If he does that, then sure Boston can contend as early as next season, I just think he is going to fall more in line with how players have historically developed, since thus far he has pretty much done that.  He should have one more decent bump, which I'm hopeful gets him in the 10 range and then he should just slowly inch up after that.  Brown probably doesn't have any more leaps in him, but also should still get better.  I think he could be in the 20 range next year.  But a top 10ish player and a top 20ish player generally isn't going to be a contender when the next best player is the 40's at best (which is the absolute best case for Smart or Horford). 

I think Stevens recognizes this as well as he has finally said and is doing what the Celtics should have been doing for years i.e. building the team to get the most out of Tatum and Brown.  That has been Ainge's biggest failure since he basically drafted Tatum and saw what he could be almost immediately.  Boston should have been doing everything in its power to set Tatum up to succeed because Boston goes as Tatum goes and has since his 1st game as a rookie.  Tatum is the one player that has driven Boston's success (or lack there of).  Boston needs Tatum and it is about time the management of the team actually realizes that, understands it, and takes actual measures to unlock Tatum's full potential.

[tstorey_97]

I think they might keep Smart. I also think the right deal ships him out.

Anyway, don't they need a "good veteran PG" now? Don't need a volume shooter do we?

PG (spend Fournier money here)
Brown
Tatum
Horford
Robert

Smart
Thompson
Parker
Veteran MLE
The young guys

That team is a 3rd seed looking to steal the 2nd seed.

[wdleehi]

I don't want to see the Celtics get a backup only can play PG that needs minutes. 

Either a clear starter that moves Smart to SG or a backup that can step in and play if Smart or Prichard can't.   

Or a larger PG that can play and defend SGs.   

[ETNCeltics]

I don't think there will be any big, long-term shaping moves. One year deals and bargains. IMO, everything is being set up to have max room a year from now. Hard to envision a scenario where we're real contenders in 21-22. With Tatum, we can beat anybody on any given night, but he's not yet at the Durant/Freak/Kawhi level to carry a team deep in the playoffs.

[tonydelk]

I don't see the point.  He isn't going to bump Boston up a tier this year and won't be around long enough to make a difference.  The money and roster spot is better used elsewhere.

What other roster needs do you see besides ball handler point guard? PF, I guess? Isn’t this spot filled with small ball options of Tatum/Grant Williams and Horford swinging between C/PF?

Boston needs a PG, but Dragic makes no sense.  Boston would still be a mid-tier playoff team and not a real contender with him, but now have used a bunch of money and a roster spot up to not get more than nominally better this year and not increase the title chances down the line at all and may in fact hurt them, by not taking a flyer somewhere else and potentially paying the tax.

Dragic is the kind of player that at this time could put a contender over the top or a very near contender into contending status.  Like he would make perfect sense for the Clippers, Mavericks, Suns, etc. teams like that.  He doesn't make sense for the Celtics who still are a couple of seasons away from the J's reaching their apex.

Your reply is very telling about your view of our chances to contend. I tend to disagree and think we are closer than many believe.

There is no reason to be telling, I've pretty consistently said I don't think Boston is a contender because Tatum and Brown aren't yet good enough.  I do believe they could be, but they are still a couple of seasons away from their prime.  Now maybe Tatum takes a massive leap and instead of being in the 15-20 range, gets up into the discussion as a top 5 player.  If he does that, then sure Boston can contend as early as next season, I just think he is going to fall more in line with how players have historically developed, since thus far he has pretty much done that.  He should have one more decent bump, which I'm hopeful gets him in the 10 range and then he should just slowly inch up after that.  Brown probably doesn't have any more leaps in him, but also should still get better.  I think he could be in the 20 range next year.  But a top 10ish player and a top 20ish player generally isn't going to be a contender when the next best player is the 40's at best (which is the absolute best case for Smart or Horford). 

I think Stevens recognizes this as well as he has finally said and is doing what the Celtics should have been doing for years i.e. building the team to get the most out of Tatum and Brown.  That has been Ainge's biggest failure since he basically drafted Tatum and saw what he could be almost immediately.  Boston should have been doing everything in its power to set Tatum up to succeed because Boston goes as Tatum goes and has since his 1st game as a rookie.  Tatum is the one player that has driven Boston's success (or lack there of).  Boston needs Tatum and it is about time the management of the team actually realizes that, understands it, and takes actual measures to unlock Tatum's full potential.

TP Moranis.  Great post.  This is absolutely Ainge's biggest failure.  He did not draft or find players that really fit around the J's prior to drafting PP and Nesmith and adding Fournier this year.  Unfortunately Covid and injuries destroyed this teams potential.  Coaching was also an issue. 

I think the team is a lot better then this year showed.  I think the J's will take another step forward.  I'm not sure about Marcus.  His shooting is what really hurts this team.  He takes bad shots and shoots at the wrong time like he is a focal point of the offense and that will never change.  If they resign Fournier, Romeo, PP and Nesmith getting a full offseason to train will make the team better.  Timelord and Al and Brown are a great C rotation.  I think this team needs a floor spacing, rim protecting PF.  Someone who has the skills of a Collins.  They also need a PG that has the skills similar to Brogdon.  Smart is close but his shooting woes will not allow him to reach that level.  The offense will be better because Jaylen and Tatum will handle the offensive workload and shoot 25 times again.  What needs to be better is the Defense.  No more taking advantage of our small guards, bench scoring and rebounding.