Celtics Off-Season News

[Goldstar88]

Stevens was asked about conversations with players rumored to be in trade discussions, such as Malcolm Brogdon this summer or Jaylen Brown last summer in a potential deal for Kevin Durant. “They’re hard, but you just have real conversations,” Stevens said. “Some stuff has been talked about with the Brogdon stuff, you just have conversations about it. You understand why a person would feel angry about that. But at the same time, that’s why you have those conversations. You work together. – via Boston Globe


Stevens also touched on the status of Williams, who is healthy and enters a pivotal season. “He’s not an old guy, but he’s not a rookie anymore,” Stevens said. “He’s six years in now and this is the time where guys make leaps and make jumps. He showed his defensive versatility a couple of years ago. His offensive threat at the rim and his rebounding is as good as it gets, and the keys for him are to be available as much as possible and to be able play as long as spurts as possible. – via Boston Globe


Stevens revealed the Celtics were interested in bringing back Blake Griffin for a second year, but the former All-Star is considering retirement. – via Boston Globe

[Roy H.]

Adam Himmelsbach @AdamHimmelsbach
yesterday
Jrue Holiday is not scheduled to be part of Celtics media day interviews on Monday. A press conference is being set up for later in the week.

[Roy H.]

Keith Smith: The Boston Celtics signed center Kylor Kelley to an Exhibit 10 contract, a league source told @spotrac . – via Twitter KeithSmithNBA

[Phantom255x]

You know, when I think back to last season, particularly the 2nd half + playoffs. Smart dropped off defensively and it was noticeable. G-Will was kinda frustrating, a few good games here or there, but mostly bad and a lot of hesitation with his shot. Brogdon and Timelord, great when healthy, but unfortunately were never really 100% especially playoffs. Others like Muscala and Gallinari didn't play due to injuries or coaching decisions.

Looking at what's happened, it seems CBS saw all this as well and decided change was needed, which is why he was fine letting go of a lot of these guys. And they got back Porzingis + Holiday, drafted Walsh who seems promising off the bench, and might be fine with a slightly increased role for PP.

Now that said, I still think if Brogdon was traded in the Porzingis deal instead of Smart, we keep Smart and Timelord probably and don't trade for Jrue Holiday. I think a good question to wonder is, if that initial Porzingis deal didn't get blown up due to Brogdon's health, do the C's still trade Smart and/or Timelord away, and if so, for Holiday or someone else? Or do they keep them.

[Vermont Green]

So another roster reset:

1.   Tatum
2.   Brown
3.   Holiday
4.   Porzingis
5.   White 
6.   Horford

7.   Brissett
8.   Pritchard
9.   Hauser
10.  Mykhailiuk
11.  Kornet

12.  Walsh
13.  Banton

two-way:  Davison, Scrubb, Queta
Camp:  Stevens, Wenyen Gabriel (?), Kylor Kelley (?),

Another way to look at the likely roster (my preferred bigger unit):

Holiday         Pritchard        Banton
Brown           White            Mykhailiuk
Tatum           Hauser           Walsh
Porzingis       Brissett         
Horford         Kornet       

Or what is perhaps more likely, a smaller unit version:

Holiday          Pritchard        Banton
White            Mykhailiuk     
Brown           Hauser           Walsh
Tatum           Brissett         
Porzingis       Horford           Kornet

[Phantom255x]

So another roster reset:

1.   Tatum
2.   Brown
3.   Holiday
4.   Porzingis
5.   White 
6.   Horford

7.   Brissett
8.   Pritchard
9.   Hauser
10.  Mykhailiuk
11.  Kornet

12.  Walsh
13.  Banton

two-way:  Davison, Scrubb, Queta
Camp:  Stevens, Wenyen Gabriel (?), Kylor Kelley (?),

Another way to look at the likely roster (my preferred bigger unit):

Holiday         Pritchard        Banton
Brown           White            Mykhailiuk
Tatum           Hauser           Walsh
Porzingis       Brissett         
Horford         Kornet       

Or what is perhaps more likely, a smaller unit version:

Holiday          Pritchard        Banton
White            Mykhailiuk     
Brown           Hauser           Walsh
Tatum           Brissett         
Porzingis       Horford           Kornet

Kornet simply CAN NOT be our 3rd big. Need to hope Gabriel impresses in camp, or add another one somehow before the season. There are options

[Silas]

I'm trying not to overthink the moves.  Essentially, the Cs traded Smart and Grant for Porzingis and Brogdon and Rob for Jrue.  With all that has been beaten to death about the pros and cons of these moves, I am excited about this year's Celtics and can't wait for the season to start.  Brad, get us another PF/C for insurance.

[Vermont Green]

You know, when I think back to last season, particularly the 2nd half + playoffs. Smart dropped off defensively and it was noticeable. G-Will was kinda frustrating, a few good games here or there, but mostly bad and a lot of hesitation with his shot. Brogdon and Timelord, great when healthy, but unfortunately were never really 100% especially playoffs. Others like Muscala and Gallinari didn't play due to injuries or coaching decisions.

Looking at what's happened, it seems CBS saw all this as well and decided change was needed, which is why he was fine letting go of a lot of these guys. And they got back Porzingis + Holiday, drafted Walsh who seems promising off the bench, and might be fine with a slightly increased role for PP.

Now that said, I still think if Brogdon was traded in the Porzingis deal instead of Smart, we keep Smart and Timelord probably and don't trade for Jrue Holiday. I think a good question to wonder is, if that initial Porzingis deal didn't get blown up due to Brogdon's health, do the C's still trade Smart and/or Timelord away, and if so, for Holiday or someone else? Or do they keep them.

That is a fair question to speculate about.  Roy posted in another thread, a statement from Brad Stevens that he has wanted Jrue Holiday for several seasons, even when he was a coach.  Based on that, I say he probably does still trade for Holiday.  I like the team as it stands.  Jrue Holiday makes us better.  Porzingis makes us better.  The assets needed to get Holiday (primarily Rob Williams), along with other losses (Gallinari, Grant, Muscala) creates a weakness in another area though, a fixable weakness, but still a weakness.

[PAOBoston]

So another roster reset:

1.   Tatum
2.   Brown
3.   Holiday
4.   Porzingis
5.   White 
6.   Horford

7.   Brissett
8.   Pritchard
9.   Hauser
10.  Mykhailiuk
11.  Kornet

12.  Walsh
13.  Banton

two-way:  Davison, Scrubb, Queta
Camp:  Stevens, Wenyen Gabriel (?), Kylor Kelley (?),

Another way to look at the likely roster (my preferred bigger unit):

Holiday         Pritchard        Banton
Brown           White            Mykhailiuk
Tatum           Hauser           Walsh
Porzingis       Brissett         
Horford         Kornet       

Or what is perhaps more likely, a smaller unit version:

Holiday          Pritchard        Banton
White            Mykhailiuk     
Brown           Hauser           Walsh
Tatum           Brissett         
Porzingis       Horford           Kornet

Kornet simply CAN NOT be our 3rd big. Need to hope Gabriel impresses in camp, or add another one somehow before the season. There are options

Why do people hate Kornet so much? Is it because he is a goofy looking 7’2” white guy? I don’t get it. He’s not a great offensive player but he’s pretty solid defender. I don’t remember him being a huge negative when he was getting minutes last Nov/Dec when Williams was out and the team came out like gangbusters to start the season. I think he’s adequate enough for bench depth.

[Roy H.]

So another roster reset:

1.   Tatum
2.   Brown
3.   Holiday
4.   Porzingis
5.   White 
6.   Horford

7.   Brissett
8.   Pritchard
9.   Hauser
10.  Mykhailiuk
11.  Kornet

12.  Walsh
13.  Banton

two-way:  Davison, Scrubb, Queta
Camp:  Stevens, Wenyen Gabriel (?), Kylor Kelley (?),

Another way to look at the likely roster (my preferred bigger unit):

Holiday         Pritchard        Banton
Brown           White            Mykhailiuk
Tatum           Hauser           Walsh
Porzingis       Brissett         
Horford         Kornet       

Or what is perhaps more likely, a smaller unit version:

Holiday          Pritchard        Banton
White            Mykhailiuk     
Brown           Hauser           Walsh
Tatum           Brissett         
Porzingis       Horford           Kornet

Kornet simply CAN NOT be our 3rd big. Need to hope Gabriel impresses in camp, or add another one somehow before the season. There are options

Why do people hate Kornet so much? Is it because he is a goofy looking 7’2” white guy? I don’t get it. He’s not a great offensive player but he’s pretty solid defender. I don’t remember him being a huge negative when he was getting minutes last Nov/Dec when Williams was out and the team came out like gangbusters to start the season. I think he’s adequate enough for bench depth.

In terms of this post, I don't think it's "hate".  Kornet isn't good enough to be a third big.  That puts him squarely in the rotation, and that's not an ideal role for Kornet. 

I see him like you do:  "adequate for bench depth".  But, that bench depth is ideally more like the 5th or 6th big on the team, not the #3 guy.

[Roy H.]

Both JT and JB said that they'd like to play in the Paris Olympics.

[keevsnick]

So another roster reset:

1.   Tatum
2.   Brown
3.   Holiday
4.   Porzingis
5.   White 
6.   Horford

7.   Brissett
8.   Pritchard
9.   Hauser
10.  Mykhailiuk
11.  Kornet

12.  Walsh
13.  Banton

two-way:  Davison, Scrubb, Queta
Camp:  Stevens, Wenyen Gabriel (?), Kylor Kelley (?),

Another way to look at the likely roster (my preferred bigger unit):

Holiday         Pritchard        Banton
Brown           White            Mykhailiuk
Tatum           Hauser           Walsh
Porzingis       Brissett         
Horford         Kornet       

Or what is perhaps more likely, a smaller unit version:

Holiday          Pritchard        Banton
White            Mykhailiuk     
Brown           Hauser           Walsh
Tatum           Brissett         
Porzingis       Horford           Kornet

Kornet simply CAN NOT be our 3rd big. Need to hope Gabriel impresses in camp, or add another one somehow before the season. There are options

Why do people hate Kornet so much? Is it because he is a goofy looking 7’2” white guy? I don’t get it. He’s not a great offensive player but he’s pretty solid defender. I don’t remember him being a huge negative when he was getting minutes last Nov/Dec when Williams was out and the team came out like gangbusters to start the season. I think he’s adequate enough for bench depth.

In terms of this post, I don't think it's "hate".  Kornet isn't good enough to be a third big.  That puts him squarely in the rotation, and that's not an ideal role for Kornet. 

I see him like you do:  "adequate for bench depth".  But, that bench depth is ideally more like the 5th or 6th big on the team, not the #3 guy.

The thing is there's really not much you can do in terms of big depth right now. Kornet was a 60ish games played 12 min/game player last year. The guy they just signed, Gabriel, was a 60ish games played 15 min/game player last year. That's the sort of guy that's left on the market right now. Realistically those two guys probably compete for third big and you see how the season starts, maybe mid year there's a trade but they don't have a lot of lower end salaries to work with.

[celticinorlando]

Gabriel and Stevens take the last 2 spots.

Would love to see Kornet let go because he just isn't good enough to be a rotation player.

[PAOBoston]

So another roster reset:

1.   Tatum
2.   Brown
3.   Holiday
4.   Porzingis
5.   White 
6.   Horford

7.   Brissett
8.   Pritchard
9.   Hauser
10.  Mykhailiuk
11.  Kornet

12.  Walsh
13.  Banton

two-way:  Davison, Scrubb, Queta
Camp:  Stevens, Wenyen Gabriel (?), Kylor Kelley (?),

Another way to look at the likely roster (my preferred bigger unit):

Holiday         Pritchard        Banton
Brown           White            Mykhailiuk
Tatum           Hauser           Walsh
Porzingis       Brissett         
Horford         Kornet       

Or what is perhaps more likely, a smaller unit version:

Holiday          Pritchard        Banton
White            Mykhailiuk     
Brown           Hauser           Walsh
Tatum           Brissett         
Porzingis       Horford           Kornet

Kornet simply CAN NOT be our 3rd big. Need to hope Gabriel impresses in camp, or add another one somehow before the season. There are options

Why do people hate Kornet so much? Is it because he is a goofy looking 7’2” white guy? I don’t get it. He’s not a great offensive player but he’s pretty solid defender. I don’t remember him being a huge negative when he was getting minutes last Nov/Dec when Williams was out and the team came out like gangbusters to start the season. I think he’s adequate enough for bench depth.

In terms of this post, I don't think it's "hate".  Kornet isn't good enough to be a third big.  That puts him squarely in the rotation, and that's not an ideal role for Kornet. 

I see him like you do:  "adequate for bench depth".  But, that bench depth is ideally more like the 5th or 6th big on the team, not the #3 guy.

The thing is there's really not much you can do in terms of big depth right now. Kornet was a 60ish games played 12 min/game player last year. The guy they just signed, Gabriel, was a 60ish games played 15 min/game player last year. That's the sort of guy that's left on the market right now. Realistically those two guys probably compete for third big and you see how the season starts, maybe mid year there's a trade but they don't have a lot of lower end salaries to work with.

I’m not saying it’s perfect but I also don’t think it is such a detriment to start off the season with him and see what he and Brisette etc show. I would also say there could be other guys getting cut at end of training camp as well. My issue was more that people think he isn’t an NBA player and I don’t quite agree with that. I also don’t really know what people are looking for in terms of a third big considering the salaries on the roster atm.

[Surferdad]

So another roster reset:

1.   Tatum
2.   Brown
3.   Holiday
4.   Porzingis
5.   White 
6.   Horford

7.   Brissett
8.   Pritchard
9.   Hauser
10.  Mykhailiuk
11.  Kornet

12.  Walsh
13.  Banton

two-way:  Davison, Scrubb, Queta
Camp:  Stevens, Wenyen Gabriel (?), Kylor Kelley (?),

Another way to look at the likely roster (my preferred bigger unit):

Holiday         Pritchard        Banton
Brown           White            Mykhailiuk
Tatum           Hauser           Walsh
Porzingis       Brissett         
Horford         Kornet       

Or what is perhaps more likely, a smaller unit version:

Holiday          Pritchard        Banton
White            Mykhailiuk     
Brown           Hauser           Walsh
Tatum           Brissett         
Porzingis       Horford           Kornet

Kornet simply CAN NOT be our 3rd big. Need to hope Gabriel impresses in camp, or add another one somehow before the season. There are options

Why do people hate Kornet so much? Is it because he is a goofy looking 7’2” white guy? I don’t get it. He’s not a great offensive player but he’s pretty solid defender. I don’t remember him being a huge negative when he was getting minutes last Nov/Dec when Williams was out and the team came out like gangbusters to start the season. I think he’s adequate enough for bench depth.

I agree with Roy, it's not hate, it's just that Luke Kornet is simply not good enough. He is NOT a good defender in my eyes, not agile enough to stay in front of his man and very poor to recover to the weak side. His jumping in the paint to stop a 3-pointer is laughable. On offense, he has stone hands (turnover machine) and no shot at all. He can dunk; whoop-dee-do.