The window is still open...we just need a slight adjustment

[quidinqui33]

This team proved that even injured and older, they can still play the lock down defense that has been our staple for three years now.  Rebounding was a slight issue, but we out rebounded the lakers in three games, so we are capable.

Our issue, is our offense.  Pierce is not the player he once was that can drive to the basket and draw fouls.  Ray has always been a player that needs to be set up to get good shot.  KG is not the type of post player (he may never have been) that gets fouled because he likes the turn around, and Rondo is so scared of shooting or getting to the line in the fourth that his game (and effectively the Celts game) goes into Toilet mode as Bill Simmons calls it.

This is easier said than done.  I hope ray comes back at a lower price and is willing to come off the bench, but we absolutely need a 2 guard that can handle the ball, drive to the basket, command fouls, and shoot free throws at a high percentage.

A Joe Johnson type would be great, but not sure if we can get him, but I think that is the type of player Danny needs to find in free agency or the draft.  Pierce can still be a solid 3, just not the go to guy he once was. KG a solid 4. Perk and Rondo are more than fine as long as Rondo keeps working on that jumoper. And ray would be a solid 6th man.

I think with this slight change, our window will be wide open next year.

Thoughts?

[More Banners]

This team proved that even injured and older, they can still play the lock down defense that has been our staple for three years now.  Rebounding was a slight issue, but we out rebounded the lakers in three games, so we are capable.

Our issue, is our offense.  Pierce is not the player he once was that can drive to the basket and draw fouls.  Ray has always been a player that needs to be set up to get good shot.  KG is not the type of post player (he may never have been) that gets fouled because he likes the turn around, and Rondo is so scared of shooting or getting to the line in the fourth that his game (and effectively the Celts game) goes into Toilet mode as Bill Simmons calls it.

This is easier said than done.  I hope ray comes back at a lower price and is willing to come off the bench, but we absolutely need a 2 guard that can handle the ball, drive to the basket, command fouls, and shoot free throws at a high percentage.

A Joe Johnson type would be great, but not sure if we can get him, but I think that is the type of player Danny needs to find in free agency or the draft.  Pierce can still be a solid 3, just not the go to guy he once was. KG a solid 4. Perk and Rondo are more than fine as long as Rondo keeps working on that jumoper. And ray would be a solid 6th man.

I think with this slight change, our window will be wide open next year.

Thoughts?

If JJ really wanted to be here, Atlanta does need a solid big man to guard division rival Orlando's bigs (that Howard guy).  Perhaps a Perk/Ray S&T/1st round pick for JJ could happen.  They have enough young, explosive, scoring-types at other positions that Perk and Ray would be nice pieces on that team, while we certainly do need a new #1 option.

But Ray probably doesn't want to go to Atlanta, so...unlikely.

BTW, getting a new #1 option isn't really a "slight" adjustment, it's more of a near-miracle.

[Green Hell]

I think you are HIGHLY underestimating the level of difficulty and luck involved in getting to the NBA Finals. It's nice to dream but it's impossible to see this team reaching this level again when the rest of the field is only going to be younger and hungrier than they are, especially with the East getting stronger  and the Lakers only looking to upgrade their roster as well. Slight adjustments don't win championships... champions do.

[moiso]

We need a major adjustment of roles and playing time, but maybe a slight adjustment of personel and a nice draft pick would do the trick.

[droopdog7]

This team proved that even injured and older, they can still play the lock down defense that has been our staple for three years now.  Rebounding was a slight issue, but we out rebounded the lakers in three games, so we are capable.

Our issue, is our offense.  Pierce is not the player he once was that can drive to the basket and draw fouls.  Ray has always been a player that needs to be set up to get good shot.  KG is not the type of post player (he may never have been) that gets fouled because he likes the turn around, and Rondo is so scared of shooting or getting to the line in the fourth that his game (and effectively the Celts game) goes into Toilet mode as Bill Simmons calls it.

This is easier said than done.  I hope ray comes back at a lower price and is willing to come off the bench, but we absolutely need a 2 guard that can handle the ball, drive to the basket, command fouls, and shoot free throws at a high percentage.

A Joe Johnson type would be great, but not sure if we can get him, but I think that is the type of player Danny needs to find in free agency or the draft.  Pierce can still be a solid 3, just not the go to guy he once was. KG a solid 4. Perk and Rondo are more than fine as long as Rondo keeps working on that jumoper. And ray would be a solid 6th man.

I think with this slight change, our window will be wide open next year.

Thoughts?

If JJ really wanted to be here, Atlanta does need a solid big man to guard division rival Orlando's bigs (that Howard guy).  Perhaps a Perk/Ray S&T/1st round pick for JJ could happen.  They have enough young, explosive, scoring-types at other positions that Perk and Ray would be nice pieces on that team, while we certainly do need a new #1 option.

But Ray probably doesn't want to go to Atlanta, so...unlikely.

BTW, getting a new #1 option isn't really a "slight" adjustment, it's more of a near-miracle.

Not that ATL would take that trade but we can't trade Perk because it would leave us potentially with only KG at center.  We would be worse off with that trade in the end.

[Spicoli]

The Big 3 have regressed so much offensively it's scary. Ray is even more inconsistent than our young stud point guard. Paul can no longer draw fouls, and is no longer good enough to be the number 1 option. And Kevin is just old in the knees, and can no longer elevate when he needs to. Despite all this, getting second and third shot attempts would definitely help. I think rebounding is our biggest issue without question.

[More Banners]

This team proved that even injured and older, they can still play the lock down defense that has been our staple for three years now.  Rebounding was a slight issue, but we out rebounded the lakers in three games, so we are capable.

Our issue, is our offense.  Pierce is not the player he once was that can drive to the basket and draw fouls.  Ray has always been a player that needs to be set up to get good shot.  KG is not the type of post player (he may never have been) that gets fouled because he likes the turn around, and Rondo is so scared of shooting or getting to the line in the fourth that his game (and effectively the Celts game) goes into Toilet mode as Bill Simmons calls it.

This is easier said than done.  I hope ray comes back at a lower price and is willing to come off the bench, but we absolutely need a 2 guard that can handle the ball, drive to the basket, command fouls, and shoot free throws at a high percentage.

A Joe Johnson type would be great, but not sure if we can get him, but I think that is the type of player Danny needs to find in free agency or the draft.  Pierce can still be a solid 3, just not the go to guy he once was. KG a solid 4. Perk and Rondo are more than fine as long as Rondo keeps working on that jumoper. And ray would be a solid 6th man.

I think with this slight change, our window will be wide open next year.

Thoughts?

If JJ really wanted to be here, Atlanta does need a solid big man to guard division rival Orlando's bigs (that Howard guy).  Perhaps a Perk/Ray S&T/1st round pick for JJ could happen.  They have enough young, explosive, scoring-types at other positions that Perk and Ray would be nice pieces on that team, while we certainly do need a new #1 option.

But Ray probably doesn't want to go to Atlanta, so...unlikely.

BTW, getting a new #1 option isn't really a "slight" adjustment, it's more of a near-miracle.

Not that ATL would take that trade but we can't trade Perk because it would leave us potentially with only KG at center.  We would be worse off with that trade in the end.

No way of knowing what trades are possible, but...

It ALWAYS makes a team better when it trades role players and draft picks for stars. ALWAYS.  And Perk, though I love him like my own step-cousin-in-law, is and will always be a role player, and Ray will always be a past-his-prime-star-now-very-good-role player, too.  Two role players and a draft pick for a star is a good trade for the team getting the star.  ALWAYS.

It would be better for Atlanta than losing JJ to FA, and allow Al Horford to move to his natural PF spot, where he will be a dominant scorer while Perk defends.  Perk could be their "missing piece."

Young bigs that can rebound can be found.  In-their-prime scorers are a little harder to come by...

[quidinqui33]

I think you are HIGHLY underestimating the level of difficulty and luck involved in getting to the NBA Finals. It's nice to dream but it's impossible to see this team reaching this level again when the rest of the field is only going to be younger and hungrier than they are, especially with the East getting stronger  and the Lakers only looking to upgrade their roster as well. Slight adjustments don't win championships... champions do.

Agreed, getting to the finals in extremely difficult. My point is that the window may not be as shut (or broken) as some may think.  I also don't think we necessarily need a new "Number One", as the celts are a team, we just need a ball handling 2 that has the ability to draw fouls when we get into bog down offense mode.  This used to be pierce's MO at the 3, but it just isn't anymore.  Rondo can get there at the 1, but not without that jumper.

So the "slight" adjustment is that we find a 2 that can do that better than ray can.  I love ray's three ball, absolutely love it, but I think a driving 2 with a decent jumper will server the celts better than a non-driving 2 with an amazing jumper when on.

[FallGuy]

I'm not quite mentally ready to focus on this stuff but at first blush, I'd say Danny should shoot for the moon, trying to draft, trade for or sign a guy who could star beside Rondo for the next five years.

[droopdog7]

This team proved that even injured and older, they can still play the lock down defense that has been our staple for three years now.  Rebounding was a slight issue, but we out rebounded the lakers in three games, so we are capable.

Our issue, is our offense.  Pierce is not the player he once was that can drive to the basket and draw fouls.  Ray has always been a player that needs to be set up to get good shot.  KG is not the type of post player (he may never have been) that gets fouled because he likes the turn around, and Rondo is so scared of shooting or getting to the line in the fourth that his game (and effectively the Celts game) goes into Toilet mode as Bill Simmons calls it.

This is easier said than done.  I hope ray comes back at a lower price and is willing to come off the bench, but we absolutely need a 2 guard that can handle the ball, drive to the basket, command fouls, and shoot free throws at a high percentage.

A Joe Johnson type would be great, but not sure if we can get him, but I think that is the type of player Danny needs to find in free agency or the draft.  Pierce can still be a solid 3, just not the go to guy he once was. KG a solid 4. Perk and Rondo are more than fine as long as Rondo keeps working on that jumoper. And ray would be a solid 6th man.

I think with this slight change, our window will be wide open next year.

Thoughts?

If JJ really wanted to be here, Atlanta does need a solid big man to guard division rival Orlando's bigs (that Howard guy).  Perhaps a Perk/Ray S&T/1st round pick for JJ could happen.  They have enough young, explosive, scoring-types at other positions that Perk and Ray would be nice pieces on that team, while we certainly do need a new #1 option.

But Ray probably doesn't want to go to Atlanta, so...unlikely.

BTW, getting a new #1 option isn't really a "slight" adjustment, it's more of a near-miracle.

Not that ATL would take that trade but we can't trade Perk because it would leave us potentially with only KG at center.  We would be worse off with that trade in the end.

No way of knowing what trades are possible, but...

It ALWAYS makes a team better when it trades role players and draft picks for stars. ALWAYS.  And Perk, though I love him like my own step-cousin-in-law, is and will always be a role player, and Ray will always be a past-his-prime-star-now-very-good-role player, too.  Two role players and a draft pick for a star is a good trade for the team getting the star.  ALWAYS.

It would be better for Atlanta than losing JJ to FA, and allow Al Horford to move to his natural PF spot, where he will be a dominant scorer while Perk defends.  Perk could be their "missing piece."

Young bigs that can rebound can be found.  In-their-prime scorers are a little harder to come by...

Maybe in the long run.  But if we are talking about competing next year, we need to worry about the primary competition.  And gutting our size for a SG is not going to help us compete with the lakers.  There bigs already handled our pretty well.  Recall that our size was also a primary weapon against Cle.  Trading for someone like JJ, will making us better long term would hurt our chances next year as it would leave a huge void in the middle.  No good.

[Fan from VT]

My dream: KG, PP, and Sheed all realize they just don't want the grind any more and retire, riding off into the sunset together. Money is wiped off the books immediately, and we instantly swoop into the FA sweepstakes with a roster of Rondo, #19, Lebron, Bosh, Perk, baby, and filler.

Rebuilding on the fly!

[Chris]

I think the window is about as open as it was for the Spurs the last couple of years.  The C's are going to need to get a lot of luck with health and matchups, but they are absolutely still a contender if the timing is right.

[Mr October]

I think the window is about as open as it was for the Spurs the last couple of years.  The C's are going to need to get a lot of luck with health and matchups, but they are absolutely still a contender if the timing is right.

I don't think luck will have much to do with it. When the C's get to play only every other day or more, they'll still be a major force to be reckoned with and a finals favorite.

The Spurs had clearly been passed by the Lakers as soon as Gasol entered the picture.

[JBone4eva]

whatever it is we do. I think that we need to sign Troy Murphy to take Sheeds place, less post game, equal to better 3 pt. shooting and vast rebounding improvement. anyone know his contract situation.

I'd also absolutely love if we somehow signed Thaddeus young to run alongside rondo for 6 years or so. he can play.

[bobdelt]

I agree.

Every "last play" opportunity is just horrible. I can't watch it anymore.

DA will need to work magic to get a scorer.