Where do we go from here?

[droopdog7]

Honestly, this team could probably compete for the finals again next year. But even if they made it, I don't see them being able to beat the lakers. The only starter that we have to make a decision on is Ray. I think we just let him walk at this point. Not sure to do with the other bench guys though?

Is there any possible way to upgrade this team? We have a decent draft pick so maybe we can get lucky. Would a mid level guy be willing to come at this point? Who knows.

Or should we just blow the whole thing up? Lots of decisions to be sure.

[GrandTheftRondo]

I want Ray back. He should finish his career as a Celtic. Despite his streaky performance...his still one of the best shooters in the league and can come up big in the clutch. He hit a big three towards the end of the game but it wasn't enough.

We need length. We need rebounding. That's it.

[rjsuperfly66]

I want Ray back. He should finish his career as a Celtic. Despite his streaky performance...his still one of the best shooters in the league and can come up big in the clutch. He hit a big three towards the end of the game but it wasn't enough.

No.  Unless Ray willing to take mid-level exception, I do not want to see him in a Celtics uniform. 

The Celtics need to get younger. Not resign a 33 year old in the range of 3 years, 36 million, which he could probably make it some places.

[CoachBo]

Tough question to answer tonight.

I think it boils down to money. I'd like to have Ray back - at a price that enables us to make other changes to the bench. If he wants another two or three years at a premium, that's a decision I'm glad I don't have to make. I'm not sure I could pull the trigger on a big contract.

We definitely need length and rebounding, perhaps more than we realize if Sheed packs it in.

And youth.

It'll be a fascinating off-season, one that for me will be filled with appreciation for a great, great playoff run, one of my all-time favorites.

[GrandTheftRondo]

I want Ray back. He should finish his career as a Celtic. Despite his streaky performance...his still one of the best shooters in the league and can come up big in the clutch. He hit a big three towards the end of the game but it wasn't enough.

No.  Unless Ray willing to take mid-level exception, I do not want to see him in a Celtics uniform. 

The Celtics need to get younger. Not resign a 33 year old in the range of 3 years, 36 million, which he could probably make it some places.

Who do you have in mind for a starting shooting guard?

[KG Fan]

Honestly, this team could probably compete for the finals again next year. But even if they made it, I don't see them being able to beat the lakers. The only starter that we have to make a decision on is Ray. I think we just let him walk at this point. Not sure to do with the other bench guys though?

Is there any possible way to upgrade this team? We have a decent draft pick so maybe we can get lucky. Would a mid level guy be willing to come at this point? Who knows.

Or should we just blow the whole thing up? Lots of decisions to be sure.

Bash me if you want, but I gotta say we should blow it up.  Keep Pierce, and keep KG (unless you can unload him for some talent, but at his contract, that seems to be unrealistic).

I say don't resign Ray - buy a draft pick and give a pick an attempt to blossom with more minutes without Ray in the picture.

Resign Nate if he's willing.  He's got half of a year under his belt.  Doc was willing to experiment with he and Rondo in the game at the same time, might as well explore it with Nate defending the PG and Rondo on the SG.

BBD Perk Rondo come back.

Probably resign Scal to the vet minimum.  Let Marquis, Shelden and TA walk with Sheed retiring.

As mentioned earlier, buy a pick or two along with the two we have.  If we get four picks, then we stand at: 4 picks, BBD, Rondo, Perk, Nate, KG, Pierce, Scal.  That's 11 people.  

From there, using the MLE on a SG or SF would be ideal.  Maybe even consider packaging Perk and a pick to move up higher in the draft for some serious young talent, but that's at Ainge's discretion.  With Cousins' questionable work ethic, I'm not sure that would be a great move, but who knows what Danny decides to do?

[PosImpos]

I love Ray, but he's definitely circling the drain.  He's super, super streaky at this point in his career, and the older he gets the longer his cold streaks get and the shorter his hot streaks get.

We needed him tonight and he came up short, though his defense on Kobe was quite good for most of the game.

I think the Celtics need to start getting younger asap.  Try to stay competitive while doing everything possible to get more young pieces in place.

At this moment, the only young players with much value on the team are Rondo and Glen Davis (because of Perk's injury I doubt he has much trade value).

That's going to make it pretty difficult to do a lot in the offseason, unfortunately.

[mahonedog88]

People need to not freak out about Ray.  People have a sour taste with Ray right now because he had a terrible offensive game and pretty much stunk since his record setting game 2.

The fact is, he still is one of the best shooters in the nba, still deadly from 3, and an excellent veteran presence.  I'd love to have him back because honestly...where else are you going to able to find a starting two guard that we can afford?

If he's willing to not ask for an absurd amount of money, I say we bring him back.  Not to mention we can start bringing back the idea of having ray be our 6th man.

[GrandTheftRondo]

People need to not freak out about Ray.  People have a sour taste with Ray right now because he had a terrible offensive game and pretty much stunk since his record setting game 2.

The fact is, he still is one of the best shooters in the nba, still deadly from 3, and an excellent veteran presence.  I'd love to have him back because honestly...where else are you going to able to find a starting two guard that we can afford?

If he's willing to not ask for an absurd amount of money, I say we bring him back.  Not to mention we can start bringing back the idea of having ray be our 6th man.

Thank you! After game 2 everyone loved Ray. Now its time to get rid of him? Please. I don't see anyone talking about getting rid of KG. Or Rondo.  All of our starters had their streaky moments in this series. Which was one of our problems. We could never get 2 scorers hot at the same time.

I will take a GOOD backup SG though.

[KG Fan]

People need to not freak out about Ray.  People have a sour taste with Ray right now because he had a terrible offensive game and pretty much stunk since his record setting game 2.

The fact is, he still is one of the best shooters in the nba, still deadly from 3, and an excellent veteran presence.  I'd love to have him back because honestly...where else are you going to able to find a starting two guard that we can afford?

If he's willing to not ask for an absurd amount of money, I say we bring him back.  Not to mention we can start bringing back the idea of having ray be our 6th man.

Thank you! After game 2 everyone loved Ray. Now its time to get rid of him? Please. I don't see anyone talking about getting rid of KG. Or Rondo.  All of our starters had their streaky moments in this series. Which was one of our problems. We could never get 2 scorers hot at the same time.

I will take a GOOD backup SG though.

As I stated in my post, the reason you would not bring Ray back is because you would like to dedicate those minutes to a younger SG.  Giving that player a chance to blossom could potentially not keep our window shut for the next twenty years. They may not turn into a superstar or even become a good player, but they may become solid. 

Of course, this depends on if you want to compete or not next season with all of our players aged another year.

[rjsuperfly66]

I want Ray back. He should finish his career as a Celtic. Despite his streaky performance...his still one of the best shooters in the league and can come up big in the clutch. He hit a big three towards the end of the game but it wasn't enough.

No.  Unless Ray willing to take mid-level exception, I do not want to see him in a Celtics uniform. 

The Celtics need to get younger. Not resign a 33 year old in the range of 3 years, 36 million, which he could probably make it some places.

Who do you have in mind for a starting shooting guard?

Personally, a guy I wouldn't mind seeing is Joe Johnson, who would be roughly in the 3 year, 48 million dollar range.

Hes not Ray, but longer term I think he'd be better option than Ray.  Gets the team slightly younger.  

JJ is 29, Ray is 33/34.  We all have attachments to these guys, but you can't win a championship in two years with 3 35+ year old players.

[ibby]

I feel as though the last five games of the series may have made it possible to resign Ray.  As a lot of you have pointed out, he is streaaaaaky.  When he's on he can't miss, when he's off he can barely get the rim.  I'm okay with this, if he's willing to take a pay cut (meaning Miami doesn't offer him  exorbitant money), and he's willing to come off the bench (which I think he will be), I would love to see him resigned and go after a wing via sign-and-trade or the draft.

[GrandTheftRondo]

I just can't let Ray go. Sorry. I know, I know. But he knows he will take a pay cut. And he might be willing to come off the bench. You just don't let guys like Ray Allen go.

Joe Johnson is a good idea.

[droopdog7]

Will we have any money at all under the cap if we let Ray walk? If not, it will be difficult to improve
this team much, if at all.

[vinnie]

Ray is gone. I will miss him, but he is going to get more money somewhere else.

I do not think, in fact I am pretty sure that the Celtics will not have enough cap room to sign Joe Johnson.

Danny is going to do some really good stuff and get some exciting players in here to watch.