Who, you seem to favor making next year (or this?) Pierce's last (depending on how things go)...but, like most, you assume he'll get another few years with the Celtics and retire here......my question to Who and everyone else is: Aside from evaluating Pierce on his own (in other words regardless of your opinion of Pierce's game and predicted game over the next couple of years), do you think going forward with both Rondo and Pierce on the same team is a mistake....via clash of playing styles.....Or, if Pierce stays will his influence fade, possibly coming off the bench, such that Rondo's playing style and general control of the team will be absolute....
I proposed this "rebuilding trade", trading my favorite Celtics, with this issue in mind....If Pierce is going to be here until he retires, are we wasting Rondo's talent/mojo for the remainder of Pierce's time....or can they continue to co-exist as they do now.....(I personally already see an issue in terms of the team's personality...a bit too divided for my liking at this point...I'd give it all to Rondo if I could). On the other hand they aren't cooked yet this year and there's always going to be some friction on a team, so I don't want to overstate the perceived issue....bottom line: if Pierce is here til the end shouldn't we use his remaining time with the Celtics as re-building years (Rubio and Evan Turner in the trade I proposed).
Actually, my prediction is that if the Celtics do lose in this year's playoffs it's going to be by just a hair, after pushing another team to the edge....I don't think they'll go down with a whimper like in so many games this season...the playoffs are going to be more intense and the urgency is going to go way up not just because it's the playoffs but because the big 3 will get that feeling of "is this it for us together?"
If we win it all I would still be tempted to do a re-building trade rather than try to repeat, which is difficult enough for players in their prime, let alone older players. However, I think you've got to let them try as a reward for winning it all.....Interesting question though, if we win it all our vets' value will be much higher than it is today March 18th. Do you try for an unlikely repeat or trade off the glowing big 3 for a quicker re-build....You can't deny that sending them out of town after a championship, second in three years, would definitely cement the glory (going out on top, etc..)
Minny would probably want a first rounder from us the following year, or a couple of second rounders, as well as what's proposed above.....which should include a good to decent pick since we'd be re-building...and to trade Flynn for a middle first round draft pick this year...and to sign Ray Allen to go all veteran and really start winning...Besides our pick they'll have a Bobcats pick just outside the lottery, and their own pick in the 20's via some other team.....
Rondo, Ray Allen, James Anderson (via trade of Flynn), Kevin Garnett, Perkins
Kevin Love (monster minutes), Larry Sanders (via Charlotte pick), Varnado (via Celt's pick), Avery Bradley/Kalin Lucas/Paul George with their final first rounder.....and Wayne Ellington rounding out the bench
That Minny team, under the leadership of 4 ex-Celtics, could start winning, but even more importantly, the vets would teach the young TWolves how to play and win....Right now Minny's in position for the second pick in the draft....So for all their talent, they keep sucking year after year after year.....time to win over their in Minny...
Ex-TWolve Garnett would fill the seats in Minny, even if he's not at big minutes, they'll watch him teach KLove and the rest how to play.....Rondo will also fill the seats.....
