The Future

[Ohio Celtics Fan]

So, while I was watching today's blowout of the 76ers I couldn't help to notice that not only are we stacked this year but we already have such a strong core for the future

Rondo - PG I can't say enough about this guy.
Hudson - has the potential to be a good SG even though he's a tad undersized, if not a great back up point guard
House - PG/SG I'm assuming we'll have him for a while
SG/SF - We've still got Giddens and Walker, I realize we didn't pick up the option on Giddens and Walker is hurt but I still believe these guys have some untapped potential. If not it's nothing a trade or good draft pick couldn't fix.
Williams - PF I really think he's going to finally fill he's high draft potential here. We're already seeing it now in these first few games.
Perk - Easily one of the most underrated big men in the league. He's not going to astound you offensively but he doesn't disappoint on defense. And he can drop a few points when necessary.

As far as the bench goes, we'll probably have to develop that again. Though I'm sure Pierce, Garnett, and Allen will be around for a while, contracts not forbidding. So as they age I'm sure they'd still be great options coming off the bench for some pop. Maybe wishful thinking but who knows?

Just some food for thought.   

[Ohio Celtics Fan]

I even forgot to mention big baby in there. Point proven I suppose.

[Bahku]

I even forgot to mention big baby in there. Point proven I suppose.

Daniels? (Good post - TP)

[PosImpos]

We have a lot of younger guys who I could see blossoming into really solid bench players (Hudson, Walker, Williams, Davis).  However, our team will be in trouble if we have to look to them as future starters.  Who knows if we'll be able to hold onto Williams if he has a really good year.  Same goes for Marquis, and Davis in the coming years.

[Atzar]

We have a lot of younger guys who I could see blossoming into really solid bench players (Hudson, Walker, Williams, Davis).  However, our team will be in trouble if we have to look to them as future starters.  Who knows if we'll be able to hold onto Williams if he has a really good year.  Same goes for Marquis, and Davis in the coming years.

I kind of agree with this.  Out of our 'projects', Davis and Walker are the only ones that I can really see starting for a team in the future.  Even then, I don't expect either of them to develop into the big-time threat that we'd need to successfully remain relevant on a championship level. 

Rondo is IMO the only player on our team who will be a star three years from now.  Perk will be a very good defensive center, but I don't think he'll ever develop enough offense to be an All-Star - he wasn't really even supposed to get to the level he's at now.  I don't think Davis will ever be more than a fringe-starter, and Walker is a complete wild card at this point in his career.  Hudson, as much as I like him, won't be more than a bench player.

[guava_wrench]

So, while I was watching today's blowout of the 76ers I couldn't help to notice that not only are we stacked this year but we already have such a strong core for the future

Rondo - PG I can't say enough about this guy.
Hudson - has the potential to be a good SG even though he's a tad undersized, if not a great back up point guard
House - PG/SG I'm assuming we'll have him for a while
SG/SF - We've still got Giddens and Walker, I realize we didn't pick up the option on Giddens and Walker is hurt but I still believe these guys have some untapped potential. If not it's nothing a trade or good draft pick couldn't fix.
Williams - PF I really think he's going to finally fill he's high draft potential here. We're already seeing it now in these first few games.
Perk - Easily one of the most underrated big men in the league. He's not going to astound you offensively but he doesn't disappoint on defense. And he can drop a few points when necessary.

As far as the bench goes, we'll probably have to develop that again. Though I'm sure Pierce, Garnett, and Allen will be around for a while, contracts not forbidding. So as they age I'm sure they'd still be great options coming off the bench for some pop. Maybe wishful thinking but who knows?

Just some food for thought.   

I think it would be more accurate to say that Hudson looks like a legit NBA journeyman. This is a compliment, since it was unknown whether he would be NBA quality (which Giddens isn't and Walker has yet to show he can be, though he is still young).

Could you imagine what a waste Perk would be on a team that didn't play good team defense? With Rondo and Perk, we will clearly remain a defense first team. We would desperately need a scoring wing.

House is not young, but he does love Boston. I could see him signing for another year if we want him. I don't see him outlasting Pierce or KG.

[ben]

look at our roster from  3 years ago.  2006

Pierce
Jefferson
Szczerbiak
West
Gomes
Tony Allen
Green
Rondo
Allan Ray
Telfair
Pinkney
Perkins
Powe
Scalabrine
Ratliff
Olowokandi


out of 16 players on the 2006 squad, only Pierce, Rondo, Perkins and Scalabrine remain.

So in 2012...   I will guess that we keep... 

Pierce, Allen, KG, Sheed, Rondo, Perkins, Hudson, and Walker.  Daniels if we can afford him.

[PosImpos]

look at our roster from  3 years ago.  2006

Pierce
Jefferson
Szczerbiak
West
Gomes
Tony Allen
Green
Rondo
Allan Ray
Telfair
Pinkney
Perkins
Powe
Scalabrine
Ratliff
Olowokandi


out of 16 players on the 2006 squad, only Pierce, Rondo, Perkins and Scalabrine remain.

So in 2012...   I will guess that we keep... 

Pierce, Allen, KG, Sheed, Rondo, Perkins, Hudson, and Walker.  Daniels if we can afford him.

There's just no way of knowing.  Besides Rondo, Paul, and KG, I wouldn't assume that any of the players currently on the team will still be with the team in 2012 or 2013.

I expect once our veterans really start declining and our championship window has pretty much closed, Ainge will start exploring some trade options to get this team on the track towards competing again.  He doesn't strike me as the type that will be content to allow us to languor in semi-playoff contention for a while, or let us bomb a season or two just to get lottery talent.  As such, I wouldn't be surprised if this team looks very, very different in a few years.

[Roy Hobbs]

Honestly, I only think we've got two building blocks set:  Rondo and Perk.  That's an okay foundation, but there are probably over a dozen teams in the league that have more young talent.  I don't think the role players will ever amount to being much more than role players.

The key to the Celtics maintaining respectability after the big three leave will be in maintaining roster flexibility and avoiding bad contracts, so that the team can add a star free agent (here's looking at you, Durant.)  Barring that, I think the rebuilding years could be ugly.

[JSD]

From what I've seen from Sheldon so far, he could be a starting PF in this league. It's still early, but if this is what Sheldon is when he has solid players around him I'm optimistic about his future and adding him to the same list as Rondo and Perk.

[Bankshot]

From what I've seen from Sheldon so far, he could be a starting PF in this league. It's still early, but if this is what Sheldon is when he has solid players around him I'm optimistic about his future and adding him to the same list as Rondo and Perk.

Disagree.  I like Shelden a lot, but what you've seen is him playing well in mostly garbage time.  I wouldn't trust him starting or playing important minutes just yet.  Especially not with those stone hands.

[JSD]

From what I've seen from Sheldon so far, he could be a starting PF in this league. It's still early, but if this is what Sheldon is when he has solid players around him I'm optimistic about his future and adding him to the same list as Rondo and Perk.

Disagree.  I like Shelden a lot, but what you've seen is him playing well in mostly garbage time.  I wouldn't trust him starting or playing important minutes just yet.  Especially not with those stone hands.

 

[Roy Hobbs]

From what I've seen from Sheldon so far, he could be a starting PF in this league. It's still early, but if this is what Sheldon is when he has solid players around him I'm optimistic about his future and adding him to the same list as Rondo and Perk.

I don't think so.  Keep in mind that most of his production is coming against other teams' benches.  Also, his past play has, I think, shown that he's not a guy who can be relied upon to be a good starter. 

I do think, though, that he's been excellent off the bench.  He was never a lottery talent to begin with, but he's solid as a fourth big man.

[moiso]

Depending on Ainge's moves, yes it could get very ugly.  I agree that Rondo and Perk are our only young building blocks.  Nice players, but every lottery team has better young pieces than the C's.

[Evantime34]

Honestly, I only think we've got two building blocks set:  Rondo and Perk.  That's an okay foundation, but there are probably over a dozen teams in the league that have more young talent.  I don't think the role players will ever amount to being much more than role players.

The key to the Celtics maintaining respectability after the big three leave will be in maintaining roster flexibility and avoiding bad contracts, so that the team can add a star free agent (here's looking at you, Durant.)  Barring that, I think the rebuilding years could be ugly.

I think by the time the Big 3 are gone Big Baby will be a fringe all star. I might get killed for this because not many people are high on BBD on this board but I think it will happen.

Also the passing of Rondo in a few years will turn some very pedestrian players into players that can score 10+ a game.