Boston, FA destination & Danny Ainge

[Chris]

personally, i think we're going to watch this current team get old and witness the next slow death of the Boston Celtics...

I think I'd prefer that, followed by a complete rebuild, rather than sustained mediocrity that comes by signing / trading for good but not great players.

I agree with this.  I have no interest in watching a mediocre team continue to stumble to a first round exit every year.  I am not ready for a complete blowup just yet, but I definitely prefer a complete blowup and being terrible for a couple years before rebuilding completely, than just hanging in the middle for years.

[ScoobyDoo]

No worries Vinnie, and I did see where you said you thought 2-3 years down and you're optimistic which is why I didn't understand you stating your comment on that.

And yeah we are pretty much in synch then as you say. If we just can make a few of the right moves as KG and Pierce wind down, there is no need for us to be "seriously down" for more than two to three years. I don't see any reason for a five to six year+ nightmare.

With Rondo and Perk, you add in a couple of the right lottery picks, a couple good vet signings and you will start rising agian quickly to be comtetitive.

I agree that it is next to impossible to sign any big name this season. I don't dispute that. But I think that any good GM, and I consider Ainge a good one, will be "trying" and I'd just prefer to keep "an anything is possible" mind frame at all times than a "not possible" mind frame at all times. "Not possible" mind frame automatically starts limiting the "impossible" from happening.

But the larger point wa that even if we miss this free agant class, Ainge can focus on:

1. Putting himself in position for the Durant Free agant class

2. Meanhwile, if we are in fact in decline the next two seasons until KG comes off...Ainge can focus his mid to early first round picks on role player pieces that will compliment  Rondo, Perk and whatever upcoming major free agent he has his eye on. Mine would be Durant obviously. But there will be others besides Durant. You game plan now.

3. Even in this scenario, wihtou out landing Wade or LeBron this year, I still see a 2-3 year down time if we paly our cards right.

4. I will take #17 for that and look forward to the next longer run.

I do think Bill Walker is a nice young building block, as a 3rd string bench guy or "possibly" second team guy if he grows. He is not a core building block at this point.

PS: Thanks Fred Roberts, agreed.

Also agree Perk is slow and doesn't amtch up ideally with alot of the more mobile centers.

But..come playoff time when it really gets physical in a half court game and under the rim...I like Perk in the middle of my defense throwing blows.

he's not ideal but he's not bad. I'll keep him and put my high flying talent in the PF, SF and Off guard slots.

Also, could we target a young back up center for Perk who is a contradictory compliment. Mobile defender with good foot speed? Doesn't have to be a superstar, just a decent defender with a bit better foot speed than  Perk.      

[PosImpos]

None of the young players actually remember when Boston was a basketball dynasty.  We're at a point where new players coming into the league were born after the last Celtics championship (before '08).  So history really doesn't mean much.  I don't think Kevin Durant cares that much about being associated with Larry Bird.

These days the "storied" franchises are the Bulls, Lakers, and Spurs.  Those are the teams that have dominated in the last 20 years (and it's really just the Bulls and Lakers that have much prestige with free agents).

As others noted, places like Miami are attractive not just because of the nice weather, but because of the club scene and the lower taxes.

Boston has nothing going for it except for an involved fan base (which isn't even that great since basketball is the #3 sport here) and a bunch of championships they won 30 years ago.

[ScoobyDoo]

Maybe PosImpos, though KG, Ray and others who have played here say it's hard to understand until you actually put the uniform on and get here. We have alot of salesmen via ex Baball players.

I think the true upcoming Icons of the game, of which I think Durant is one, will give that consideration.

But I do get your point, it's valid and true in many repsects.

Again, it only takes one young stud to come here and start winning again to change that...

I remain optimistic. 

[ManUp]

None of the young players actually remember when Boston was a basketball dynasty.  We're at a point where new players coming into the league were born after the last Celtics championship (before '08).  So history really doesn't mean much.  I don't think Kevin Durant cares that much about being associated with Larry Bird.

These days the "storied" franchises are the Bulls, Lakers, and Spurs.  Those are the teams that have dominated in the last 20 years (and it's really just the Bulls and Lakers that have much prestige with free agents).

As others noted, places like Miami are attractive not just because of the nice weather, but because of the club scene and the lower taxes.

Boston has nothing going for it except for an involved fan base (which isn't even that great since basketball is the #3 sport here) and a bunch of championships they won 30 years ago.

Pretty much, History didn't bring anyone here in the years before the big 3.

[Who]

I think Boston is a secondary FA destination but so is most of the league.

As such, Boston will have to tempt free agents with the promise of success on the court + enjoying their basketball. Along with equal or superior financial incentives.

Are Rondo + Perkins a good enough core to tempt an elite free agent to join them? At present, no, I don't think they are.

If Rondo improves? Maybe, if he becomes an All-NBA player I think that changes things and gives Boston a good chance of getting top free agents to join.

[ScoobyDoo]

Management, not "History", "didn't" bring any players here in the years prior to the big three. Enter Ainge and you take a moribound franchise of twenty years to the championship inside five years.

Had "management", for example, held onto Joe Johnson and traded Antonie's fat behind for a good, young solid defensive power forward, which was the obvious play, who knows who might have wanted to sign here with those three young rising stars? Ane we might be looking at a very different first ten years of Pierc'es career. And had that brought more recetn success, we'd be more relevant.

So I do think the players understand the history of LA, Boston and NY but ultimately it's managemet's job to create enough talent through good player personel choices to entice them. And for twenty years we didn't. Now Ainge is.

If Ainge can get one more guy either out of this year's free agent class or the one with Durant ( and it doens't have to be Wade, Lebron or Durant ), just another very good young piece along with Rondo, we will be on our way again.   

[slamtheking]

the consecutive expiring deals mean nothing if Danny doesn't move them each year to stock up young developing talent and/or draft picks OR continue to let the contracts expire to have a bare minimum of players once KG and Sheed come off the books leaving basically Rondo and Perk as the only players under contract so that there's enough cap room to sign 2 really big name players or 1 superstar and several lesser-but-good players.