Celtics Not Rebuilding

[GreenFaith1819]

Great News!

I like Nick's suggestion - about bringing Kevin McHale onboard here, in some capacity....

And I hope Doc comes back. I can't think of no one else I'd like to have as Coach for next season.

[Spicoli]

My happiness includes some hesitancy considering how hard it was to watch our regular season. Will we have an even more mediocre regular season next year? That would mean a lot of regular season stress.

For me it would the opposite. I would be less stressed watching them lose to NJ, NYK, Memphis, Indiana, or whoever, now that i know they are intentionally trying to prevent injury to key players.

[GreenFaith1819]

My biggest concern is the one that is not being talked about, KG.  I am not sure he can make it through a season at this point.  He hasn't made it through either of the last two.  This year they nursed him along all year and he still did not appear to be really 100% in the playoffs.

So how good are we really if KG has to coast through the reg season to have any chance of being around for the playoffs?  I am not sure what the answer is other than if you are not sure that KG will be robust next year, maybe we better blow it up.

Even with that, I don't see any trade with KG so that would really mean KG would have to retire with Sheed if we are going to do any significant rebuilding.  At this point it is hard to see that happening.

Someone with a little more knowledge on KG's surgery please correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I know the KG we saw in the Post-Season is the KG we will have for next season, right?

I believe that KG will be fine next season..he's supposedly fully recovered..it just took him all of the regular season to get healed.

[nickagneta]

My happiness includes some hesitancy considering how hard it was to watch our regular season. Will we have an even more mediocre regular season next year? That would mean a lot of regular season stress.

For me it would the opposite. I would be less stressed watching them lose to NJ, NYK, Memphis, Indiana, or whoever, now that i know they are intentionally trying to prevent injury to key players.

TP4U. I was thinking the same thing.

Now, as long as I know they have the ability to turn it on in the post season, I'm going to be a lot less stressed over early season minutes and mid season losses. What will be important if they keep this team together are that they are healthy and rested come the post season.

[Kuberski33]

I'm on board with the idea of keeping the core intact.  However, the last time this organization tried this - post Bird/McHale/Parrish - it failed miserably. I like the idea that Danny wants to try again.  Maybe with him calling the shots they can do a better job this time. 

The two things this team needs to add are a rebounder and an inside scorer.  This is of course, assuming they keep the key players from the current roster.

It's going to be a real interesting off season.

[GreenFaith1819]

I'm on board with the idea of keeping the core intact.  However, the last time this organization tried this - post Bird/McHale/Parrish - it failed miserably. I like the idea that Danny wants to try again.  Maybe with him calling the shots they can do a better job this time. 

The two things this team needs to add are a rebounder and an inside scorer.  This is of course, assuming they keep the key players from the current roster.

It's going to be a real interesting off season.

Inside Scorer and Rebounder = Shaq..especially if Sheed doesn't return and Perk isn't ready by the start of next season.

Plus, you throw in what Danny will do with this 19th pick...I think we'll be ok next season.

[Bahku]

Great News!

I like Nick's suggestion - about bringing Kevin McHale onboard here, in some capacity....

And I hope Doc comes back. I can't think of no one else I'd like to have as Coach for next season.

I love Kevin and he'd be a great addition to the management team ... I'm not sure I'd ever want him as a head coach, and I'm really hoping we don't lose Doc, but having the Big Guy's B-Ball IQ in the mix would suit me fine.

[Chris]

So they aren't going to let guys walk for nothing, and give away hall of famers for pennies on the dollar, knocking the team back into irrelevance, and forcing them to scramble to sell tickets again?  Shocking!

Really though, I think this means nothing.  It is stating the obvious that they aren't going to blow it up, simply because they are not in position to "blow it up".  That is not to say that everyone (other than maybe Rondo) is not on the block for the right price.  But given their current situation, they are much better off biding their time until a great deal presents itself, or they are able to rebuild with cap space in a couple summers.

[PosImpos]

Hope this means a Perk extension is in the works. 

I love Perk, but he's pretty much peaked at his point and he clearly has injury issues (was dealing with them throughout the second half of this season and then went down at the worst time in the playoffs).

Unless we're paying him only a few million a year, we'd probably best be served by looking into other options before re-signing Perk.

[j804]

resign ray allen. draft a wing or a big with the 19th pick. rebuild the bench and get more athletic. beat orlando again

yup and Lebron goes to New Jersey or the Knicks sending Clevelenad into rebuilding mode, beat Orlando, then get revenge on LA with a healthy refreshed Perk from missing a quarter of the season. im ready for next season anyyyyyytttttttthinnnng isss possssssssssibllleeeee

[ForexPirate]

is it true that we lose Pierce's Bird Rights if he opts out?

[Chris]

is it true that we lose Pierce's Bird Rights if he opts out?

No, that's not true.  The c's retain his bird rights unless they renounce him.  However, until they renounce him, they cannot use any cap space that may be created by his opting out

[mcshane41]

I agree, not in position to blow it up unless PP opts out and doesn't want back in AND Wallace retires.

Then MAYBE you attract a MAX guy to play with Rondo, KG & Perk.. I don't like it though. I like bring Ray back at 10-12 a year. That reduction means you can keep 2011 spending level with 2010 and still add an MLE player.

Deep draft is our best friend. An extra pick or two this month would go a long way. Danny has been good finding players in the draft (Rondo & Al Jefferson).

[ManUp]

I processed it the same way as Chris. We're not really in position to blow it up and winning keeps fans in seats. Although we might not be rebuilding the traditional sense the moves we make from now on will probably be more about getting ready for a post Garnett Celtics team.

My hope is that we pick up some high upside prospects have the big 3 show them what it takes to win(like they did BBD, Rondo, and Perk). Then by 2012 we'll have some talented players(best case scenario another all star with Rondo) to go along with money to entice a max player(or 2).

[Jon]

I think not rebuilding is the right move.  Very likely if Perk hadn't hurt his leg, the C's would be hoisting banner #18 right now.  I don't see why you blow that up, especially when your ability to actually blow it up is very much hampered right now by KG's contract.  All blowing it up now would do would put us into mediocrity immediately, with little ability to improve until KG's contract.  So why not give it one last go (or two) in the meantime? 

Also, I think there's several very strong reasons to keep this team together:

1) KG might actually be better, not worse next year.  Will he ever be the old KG again?  No, but he looked better as the season went on and will likely get more mobility back. 

2) While staying healthy all year is a long shot, thinking that we're going to successfully rebuild is an ever longer shot.  Actually rebuilding into a fairly good playoff team is a 50/50 proposition.  Rebuilding a contender is even harder.  Even if we do rebuild into a contender, we're far more likely to be Miller's Pacers, Ewing's Knicks, Webber's Kings, or Malone's Jazz than Jordan's Bulls.  So while the shots are long next year, they're far better than they are to actually rebuild a real champion. 

3) What were the real roots of our loss?  Depth.  Add one more reliable wing and a healthy Perk, we likely don't run out of steam and win game 7.  There's no reason we can't fill the backup win role with the MLE.  If Wallace comes back, we're fine at the 4/5.  If not, we can likely get a serviceable center who can play 10-15 mpg at the LLE (at this point, there's no reason BBD can't be the primary backup at the 4 and 5, logging 25+ mpg).