What player puts the Cs over the top

[droopdog7]

Another wing; either one that can really really shoot with okay defense or one that can shoot okay with good defense.  Who that is I couldn’t tell you, but it would be great if nesmith could do it.  Have little faith in that though.

[nickagneta]

James Posey

touche.  TP for the exact type of player we could use.

Yeah, I remember when we signed Posey, and my reaction was exactly that:  “this is the guy who will put us over the top”.

Yup.  Him & Eddie.

It was like "[dang], this team is stacked and gonna win a championship"

I remember even after those guys signing, the Bob Ryan article saying the C's still had no bench or PG. Then just a couple months later Ryan looked like the buffoon he was in his later reporting years and time on ESPN. Too bad to because for SOOOOOO many years he was such a great reporter.

[letsgoblue86]

We need pure 3 and D off the bench. An absolute knock down 3 point threat. Not sure who fits that bill in the current landscape.

PJ Tucker comes to mind. Prime JJ reddick would have put this team over the top but he ain’t around.

[gouki88]

Glenn Robinson, Darius Miller and James Ennis are all guys I'd look at.

EDIT: oops, confused this for the open roster spot thread.

The player that puts this team over the top would be someone to long-term replace Horford and a Danny Green type 3&D bench piece (Nesmith??). The long-term replacement for Horford is tricky.

[smokeablount]

I have no idea who can replace Horford that would be a realistic target. His skill set is rare and it’s expensive. My first thought is Orlando of all places if they only want to roll with one of Isaac and Wendell Carter moving forward.

I think getting a young wing with 3+D potential would be more attainable. I’m not sure who that would be but it may be a more obscure name since the cost is low. Nesmith could become that guy but it’d be nice to have insurance. Otto Porter who many of you have mentioned is a mainstream vet version of this type of player.

[Goldstar88]

I have no idea who can replace Horford that would be a realistic target. His skill set is rare and it’s expensive. My first thought is Orlando of all places if they only want to roll with one of Isaac and Wendell Carter moving forward.

I think getting a young wing with 3+D potential would be more attainable. I’m not sure who that would be but it may be a more obscure name since the cost is low. Nesmith could become that guy but it’d be nice to have insurance. Otto Porter who many of you have mentioned is a mainstream vet version of this type of player.

Couldn’t agree more, TP. Al does so much and probably receives the least amount of credit for the teams success. He just does whatever the C’a need from him and is still really solid defensively at 35. Hopefully Horford ages like CP3 and can play well into his late 30’s

[RJD1974]

I have no idea who can replace Horford that would be a realistic target. His skill set is rare and it’s expensive. My first thought is Orlando of all places if they only want to roll with one of Isaac and Wendell Carter moving forward.

I think getting a young wing with 3+D potential would be more attainable. I’m not sure who that would be but it may be a more obscure name since the cost is low. Nesmith could become that guy but it’d be nice to have insurance. Otto Porter who many of you have mentioned is a mainstream vet version of this type of player.

Couldn’t agree more, TP. He does so much for the team and probably receives  the least amount of credit for the teams success. He just does whatever the C’a need from him and is still really solid defensively at 35. Hopefully he ages like CP3 and can play well into his late 30’s

Well, Paul is only 11 months older than Al, so I think they're aging pretty similarly.

Honestly, you're not gonna replace him as a perfect 1:1. Other than Collins, I guess someone like Jerami Grant would be preferable. But how're you going to get either of them? How're you gonna get the money? Who're you gonna have to lose?

[yelkao]

JJJ would be great on this team. Another legit starting big who can guard, switch and stretch the floor. Pipe dream…

[Goldstar88]

I have no idea who can replace Horford that would be a realistic target. His skill set is rare and it’s expensive. My first thought is Orlando of all places if they only want to roll with one of Isaac and Wendell Carter moving forward.

I think getting a young wing with 3+D potential would be more attainable. I’m not sure who that would be but it may be a more obscure name since the cost is low. Nesmith could become that guy but it’d be nice to have insurance. Otto Porter who many of you have mentioned is a mainstream vet version of this type of player.

Couldn’t agree more, TP. He does so much for the team and probably receives  the least amount of credit for the teams success. He just does whatever the C’a need from him and is still really solid defensively at 35. Hopefully he ages like CP3 and can play well into his late 30’s

Well, Paul is only 11 months older than Al, so I think they're aging pretty similarly.

Honestly, you're not gonna replace him as a perfect 1:1. Other than Collins, I guess someone like Jerami Grant would be preferable. But how're you going to get either of them? How're you gonna get the money? Who're you gonna have to lose?

He’s just over a year older than Al. Also, I think Collins is one of the more overrated players in the NBA. Al might not be quite as good of a shooter, specifically from 3pt, but he’s better at everything else.

[RJD1974]

I have no idea who can replace Horford that would be a realistic target. His skill set is rare and it’s expensive. My first thought is Orlando of all places if they only want to roll with one of Isaac and Wendell Carter moving forward.

I think getting a young wing with 3+D potential would be more attainable. I’m not sure who that would be but it may be a more obscure name since the cost is low. Nesmith could become that guy but it’d be nice to have insurance. Otto Porter who many of you have mentioned is a mainstream vet version of this type of player.

Couldn’t agree more, TP. He does so much for the team and probably receives  the least amount of credit for the teams success. He just does whatever the C’a need from him and is still really solid defensively at 35. Hopefully he ages like CP3 and can play well into his late 30’s

Well, Paul is only 11 months older than Al, so I think they're aging pretty similarly.

Honestly, you're not gonna replace him as a perfect 1:1. Other than Collins, I guess someone like Jerami Grant would be preferable. But how're you going to get either of them? How're you gonna get the money? Who're you gonna have to lose?

He’s just over a year older than Al. Also, I think Collins is one of the more overrated players in the NBA. Al might not be quite as good of a shooter, specifically from 3pt, but he’s better at everything else.

Ah, I flipped the birthdays. 13 months, not 11.

I agree on Collins. Was thinking of players that approximate what he can do. The problem with any of these guys is that they're going to expect to be focal points offensively, whereas Al is more than willing to be the hub and take whatever opens up for him. Who knows - maybe Grant keeps improving and takes over the spot in 2/3 years. Anything's possible.

[ScoobyDoo]

I agree with “footey” that we need a young PF who can play Al’s role - very tough to find indeed.

A player I would probably take a flyer on is Jalen Smith. Athletic 6’10” big who plays with a lot of energy, is long around the rim and fits the timeline with TimeLord, Tatum, Brown, Smart,etc. He can shoot a little from outside, hustles up and down the court and is long around the rim. Unrestricted this summer - I’d try to get him with part of my mid-level.

I’d live someone like Bogdon Bogdonivic or Harrison Barnes with the Fournier trade exception. Or just some other mid 20’s young vet who could consistently score 15-18 a game while not killing us on the defensive end.

I had high hopes for Nesmith and haven’t given up but next year could be a make or break year for him.

We need one more fairly consistent scorer/shooter.

[GreenlyGreeny]

We are already good enough to win it all, but would like to see us turn picks, Nesmith, Pritchard and a decent player acquired via TPE/pick(s) into Luguentz Dort, and extend him on a decent four-year contract ($20-25 million/year starting with 2023-2024, so he would essentially take over the cap amount we’re probably going to pay Al in 2022-2023). OKC may go for it considering Dort is probably heading for UFA greener pastures a year from now (he was, unbelievably, undrafted in 2019). Dort brings that perimeter defense we adore in Smart/White coupled with much better shooting. He would give us the flexibility to move JB to the 3, Tatum at the 4, White as 6MOTY backing up Smart and Dort at the 1/2 and Grant backing up both JT/JB; of course, Timelord starts at the 5 with Horford and Theis backing him up. That’s the championship team moving forward. Put a lot of time/energy into our remaining draft picks to try to hit on yet another player, even though I see all of these guys being high-performing Celtics the next 6-7 years with the exception of Al.

Whatever we do, we need to pay Al to keep him here the rest of his career. He does all the little things that help us win. All we do is win and make deep runs with Al on our team. He deserves to retire as a Celtic.

Basically hope for something like this come Fall 2023, presuming we deal all of the 2022/2023 2nds to consolidate those picks/Nesmith/Pritchard/2024 1st into Dort:

Smart/White
Dort/White
Brown/G. Williams
Tatum/G. Williams
Timelord/Horford

Bench: Theis, 2022 MLE 1/2, 2023 MLE 3/4, 2023 1st Rounder, Begarin, 14th man prospect (Madar?)

[LilRip]

Gordon Hayward and Isaiah Thomas bring the band back together again!

[Surferdad]

We are already good enough to win it all, but would like to see us turn picks, Nesmith, Pritchard and a decent player acquired via TPE/pick(s) into Luguentz Dort, and extend him on a decent four-year contract ($20-25 million/year starting with 2023-2024, so he would essentially take over the cap amount we’re probably going to pay Al in 2022-2023). OKC may go for it considering Dort is probably heading for UFA greener pastures a year from now (he was, unbelievably, undrafted in 2019). Dort brings that perimeter defense we adore in Smart/White coupled with much better shooting. He would give us the flexibility to move JB to the 3, Tatum at the 4, White as 6MOTY backing up Smart and Dort at the 1/2 and Grant backing up both JT/JB; of course, Timelord starts at the 5 with Horford and Theis backing him up. That’s the championship team moving forward. Put a lot of time/energy into our remaining draft picks to try to hit on yet another player, even though I see all of these guys being high-performing Celtics the next 6-7 years with the exception of Al.

Whatever we do, we need to pay Al to keep him here the rest of his career. He does all the little things that help us win. All we do is win and make deep runs with Al on our team. He deserves to retire as a Celtic.

Basically hope for something like this come Fall 2023, presuming we deal all of the 2022/2023 2nds to consolidate those picks/Nesmith/Pritchard/2024 1st into Dort:

Smart/White
Dort/White
Brown/G. Williams
Tatum/G. Williams
Timelord/Horford

Bench: Theis, 2022 MLE 1/2, 2023 MLE 3/4, 2023 1st Rounder, Begarin, 14th man prospect (Madar?)

I like Dort, but giving up Pritchard now makes me pause...he's just finding his rhythm...Also, I don't think that frontcourt is championship level: Need to replace Theis with somebody more reliable and more physical. Grant is a classic tweener: A SF in a PF body.

[libermaniac]

Aaron Nesmith. When he figures things out it is going to solve a lot of problems.

IF he figures things out.