If The Celtics Starting Five Is…

[Ed Monix]

Boston Celtics


PG Smart

SG Brown

SF Tatum

PF Williams

C  Williams III


—————————

…How confident are you in the Celtics long term title hopes?

This off-season may cement the Celtics starting five for years to come. With Grant Williams coming into restricted free agency & Jaylen Brown staking a claim for All-NBA selection, we could have all five guys signed to long term deals soon.

Given Horford’s advanced age, Grant might userp Horford’s starting role quicker than you think.

[Ed Monix]

I would like to note that I am rooting for this starting lineup to win a title, obviously as a Celtics fan, but also, the fact that all five would be homegrown Ainge guys.

How far back would you have to go to find a championship winning team, where all five starters were drafted by that franchise?

[slamtheking]

Boston Celtics


PG Smart

SG Brown

SF Tatum

PF Williams

C  Williams III


—————————

…How confident are you in the Celtics long term title hopes?

This off-season may cement the Celtics starting five for years to come. With Grant Williams coming into restricted free agency & Jaylen Brown staking a claim for All-NBA selection, we could have all five guys signed to long term deals soon.

Given Horford’s advanced age, Grant might userp Horford’s starting role quicker than you think.

Personally, I'd like to find a bigger PF than Grant and a better-shooting PG than Smart but that lineup should do well in the league depending on the bench.   I don't think it's a contender though based on the 2 players I'd replace - moreso Grant than Marcus

[Roy H.]

I don't think Grant is good enough to be a starting PF, let alone as the starting PF on a title team.  He's too small and isn't consistent enough offensively, and doesn't add additional value like Horford does (excellent passing, very good to elite defense).

[Ed Monix]

Personally, I'd like to find a bigger PF than Grant and a better-shooting PG than Smart but that lineup should do well in the league depending on the bench.   I don't think it's a contender though based on the 2 players I'd replace - moreso Grant than Marcus

IMO, Grant Williams size isn’t that much of an issue because of the Celtics reliance on defensive switching.

Grant’s measurements are very comparable to Draymond Green, and like Green, Grant’s (near) 6’10 wingspan makes up for any height deficiencies.

[Roy H.]

How far back would you have to go to find a championship winning team, where all five starters were drafted by that franchise?

I'm going to guess it was a Celtics team in the 1960s.

EDIT:  Interesting link here:  https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/c1n6qh/oc_historical_percentage_of_homegrown_players_on/

[Ed Monix]

How far back would you have to go to find a championship winning team, where all five starters were drafted by that franchise?

I'm going to guess it was a Celtics team in the 1960s.

Yeah, I’d imagine you’re correct.

Hypothetically, the 2013-14 Sam Antonio Spurs should be in this category, but because they played Manu Ginobili as a 6th man, they missed out.

Parker
Green
Leonard
Duncan
Splitter

Ginobili

[Vermont Green]

I don't think Grant is good enough to be a starting PF, let alone as the starting PF on a title team.  He's too small and isn't consistent enough offensively, and doesn't add additional value like Horford does (excellent passing, very good to elite defense).

I agree with this.  Smart, Brown, and Tatum as the guards/wings is more than enough talent for a title team.  That group is rock solid.  But Grant and RWIII is not enough fire power at the big positions.  RWIII is fine, if healthy/durable but he needs a real PF to play alongside of him.  Grant is best suited as a bench big.  Can hit the 3, plays intelligently, doesn't do things to hurt you, but he is undersized and average at best in terms of overall athleticism.

I know that Green and others have been successful PFs at similar size but Grant just doesn't have the overall athleticism to make up for his lack of size.  Grant is still improving though.  He is probably near his ceiling but there is still a little bit there at a minimum and maybe more than a little bit.  Horford on the other hand is declining already.  He is still more than serviceable but we need a real, full-sized PF to replace him if we want to continue to contend for titles.

[slamtheking]

Personally, I'd like to find a bigger PF than Grant and a better-shooting PG than Smart but that lineup should do well in the league depending on the bench.   I don't think it's a contender though based on the 2 players I'd replace - moreso Grant than Marcus

IMO, Grant Williams size isn’t that much of an issue because of the Celtics reliance on defensive switching.

Grant’s measurements are very comparable to Draymond Green, and like Green, Grant’s (near) 6’10 wingspan makes up for any height deficiencies.

it's an issue because it impedes his ability to rebound in traffic, finish around the basket in traffic and contest shots when he's guarding PFs and Cs of typical height.  he's got the strength to keep those players from backing him down or plowing over him but most PF/Cs can shoot over him. 

he's a nice player to have on the bench but to contend, the team needs someone bigger at PF.

[Roy H.]

Personally, I'd like to find a bigger PF than Grant and a better-shooting PG than Smart but that lineup should do well in the league depending on the bench.   I don't think it's a contender though based on the 2 players I'd replace - moreso Grant than Marcus

IMO, Grant Williams size isn’t that much of an issue because of the Celtics reliance on defensive switching.

Grant’s measurements are very comparable to Draymond Green, and like Green, Grant’s (near) 6’10 wingspan makes up for any height deficiencies.

There are some key differences between Grant and Dray, though.  Green is a much, much better passer, a better defender, and a better rebounder.  Grant brings better shooting and scoring than Green -- particularly last year's version -- but I don't think that that closes the gap.

[Kernewek]

Personally, I'd like to find a bigger PF than Grant and a better-shooting PG than Smart but that lineup should do well in the league depending on the bench.   I don't think it's a contender though based on the 2 players I'd replace - moreso Grant than Marcus

IMO, Grant Williams size isn’t that much of an issue because of the Celtics reliance on defensive switching.

Grant’s measurements are very comparable to Draymond Green, and like Green, Grant’s (near) 6’10 wingspan makes up for any height deficiencies.

There are some key differences between Grant and Dray, though.  Green is a much, much better passer, a better defender, and a better rebounder.  Grant brings better shooting and scoring than Green -- particularly last year's version -- but I don't think that that closes the gap.

100%. 

My guess is that ignoring the very real ways in which Green is and has been a much better basketball player is probably a bad idea.

[td450]

I don't think Grant is good enough to be a starting PF, let alone as the starting PF on a title team.  He's too small and isn't consistent enough offensively, and doesn't add additional value like Horford does (excellent passing, very good to elite defense).

Go through the list of champs over the years. It is often true that one starter was a role player in the same general class as Grant. The great Laker teams started AC Green or Rambis. The Bulls started Luc Longley, Brad Wennington or Will Perdue. San Antonio started Bruce Bowen.

Its a reasonable strategy.

[Roy H.]

I don't think Grant is good enough to be a starting PF, let alone as the starting PF on a title team.  He's too small and isn't consistent enough offensively, and doesn't add additional value like Horford does (excellent passing, very good to elite defense).

Go through the list of champs over the years. It is often true that one starter was a role player in the same general class as Grant. The great Laker teams started AC Green or Rambis. The Bulls started Luc Longley, Brad Wennington or Will Perdue. San Antonio started Bruce Bowen.

Its a reasonable strategy.

I don't think it's reasonable when the rest of the starters are Timelord, Smart, Brown and Tatum.  Grant is just too limited at everything other than shooting.  Best case scenario, the team succeeds despite Grant's below-average contributions.  If the Celtics can upgrade the position going forward, they should.

[Moranis]

I don't think Grant is good enough to be a starting PF, let alone as the starting PF on a title team.  He's too small and isn't consistent enough offensively, and doesn't add additional value like Horford does (excellent passing, very good to elite defense).

Go through the list of champs over the years. It is often true that one starter was a role player in the same general class as Grant. The great Laker teams started AC Green or Rambis. The Bulls started Luc Longley, Brad Wennington or Will Perdue. San Antonio started Bruce Bowen.

Its a reasonable strategy.

I don't think it's reasonable when the rest of the starters are Timelord, Smart, Brown and Tatum.  Grant is just too limited at everything other than shooting.  Best case scenario, the team succeeds despite Grant's below-average contributions.  If the Celtics can upgrade the position going forward, they should.

Yeah, almost all championship teams have a special room type player on their roster and many have 2.  Those teams can get by with a lesser starter.  The handful or so teams in league history that have won a title without a then current top 5 player on their roster don't tend to have a role player type starter

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I'm still waiting for the Cs to bring back Pierce, KG, Allen, Perk, and Rondo, since that starting five never lost a playoff series.