What have we really done this offseason?

[moiso]

We are about the same.  Rondo and Nate should improve.  Bradley hopefully neutralizes the TA loss.  The big 3 will continue to slowly decline.  And as bad as Sheed was during the regular season, I would much prefer going into the playoffs with him, rather than no-show ONeal.

[Rondo2287]

What have we done?

Resigned Ray
Resigned Paul
Resigned Nate
Resigned Quis
Signed Oneal

The fact of the matter is that several of the best players on the market were our players.  Add in the fact that we didnt have much to work with i think this offseason could be going alot worse than it is right now. 

Going into this offseason we had only 2 starters for next season.  Rondo and KG.  Ray, Pierce, and Perk were not sure things to start next season and perk still wont. 

So the way i see it this offseason we signed a starting SG, SF, and C.  Not many teams have done more than that.

[nickagneta]

Being someone who has in past off seasons been highly critical of the job Danny Ainge has done, let me say I think the job he has done this off season has been brilliant.

He's resigned Pierce and Allen to significantly team friendly deals. To have the two of them at $25 million a year or so where last year they cost the team over $37 million is a tremendous financial boon to this franchise. Allen was willing to take a two year deal and Pierce a four year deal with a mutual option on the 4th year. Given both players may not see a payout on the second year of either contract, also needs to be taken into consideration.

For the MLE he signed a 31 year old former 20/10 guy at center in Jermaine O'Neal. Again an extremely team friendly two year deal. While Jermaine's game has been on a constant downswing from it's Indiana heyday, he still, as a fifth offensive option on this team, will give this team exactly what it needs inside, length, rebounding and defense. For the price and contract length, it was a bargain given what others are getting.

He brought back Daniels and Robinson, once again at short length contracts that are at market value or below for what they provide. In doing so Ainge has brought back to play next year, from a team that was one good fourth quarter performance from being a world champion, the following players:

Pierce
Garnett
Ray Allen
Rondo
Perkins
Davis
Robinson
Daniels

He then went out and had a great draft. I've seen Bradley play and the kid will be a starter in this league for many years. He was top rated player coming out of high school by ESPNU. The other two players rated top in their class by ESPNU were Kevin Love and Brandon Jennings. They know what they are doing and Ainge got a steal at #19. I think he will surprise a lot of people this year. Harangody is Ryan Gomes. A great college basketball player with an extremely high BBIQ who has physical limitations. He will also surprise and be a good end of the bench player this year.

Ainge also has Rasheed Wallace's retiring contract as an asset to trade. He need not be in a huge hurry to use it either as the closer the season gets and into the season the more valuable it will become. Just my opinion here, but I think he turns it into someone significant for this team's bench.

Overall, Danny has brought the band back to play another year. He's replaced Tom Thibodeau with another workaholic defense oriented coach in Larry Frank, he's maintained future cap flexibility while lowering current luxury tax ramifications, had a great draft and still has tremendous assets to trade for bench upgrades while being able to sign some players with the vet minimum. The off season is not over and yet, I think Ainge has had a brilliant off season thus far.

[the_Bird]

Great post, Nick.

Week or so ago, I wrote up a list of all the things I had wanted Danny to accomplish this summer.  So far, the only thing that *didn't* happen is re-signing TA.  Still waiting, I think we need two more players; a veteran wing (Stack or Rasual Butler) and another legit 5 (looks like it may have to be Kwame).

Otherwise, everything else has been spot-on.  If we can make a trade with 'Sheed's contract for an impact player, great - but quite frankly, at this point I'd be stoked just to get Nooch with it once he can be re-traded.

[Roy Hobbs]

Being someone who has in past off seasons been highly critical of the job Danny Ainge has done, let me say I think the job he has done this off season has been brilliant.

He's resigned Pierce and Allen to significantly team friendly deals. To have the two of them at $25 million a year or so where last year they cost the team over $37 million is a tremendous financial boon to this franchise. Allen was willing to take a two year deal and Pierce a four year deal with a mutual option on the 4th year. Given both players may not see a payout on the second year of either contract, also needs to be taken into consideration.

For the MLE he signed a 31 year old former 20/10 guy at center in Jermaine O'Neal. Again an extremely team friendly two year deal. While Jermaine's game has been on a constant downswing from it's Indiana heyday, he still, as a fifth offensive option on this team, will give this team exactly what it needs inside, length, rebounding and defense. For the price and contract length, it was a bargain given what others are getting.

He brought back Daniels and Robinson, once again at short length contracts that are at market value or below for what they provide. In doing so Ainge has brought back to play next year, from a team that was one good fourth quarter performance from being a world champion, the following players:

Pierce
Garnett
Ray Allen
Rondo
Perkins
Davis
Robinson
Daniels

He then went out and had a great draft. I've seen Bradley play and the kid will be a starter in this league for many years. He was top rated player coming out of high school by ESPNU. The other two players rated top in their class by ESPNU were Kevin Love and Brandon Jennings. They know what they are doing and Ainge got a steal at #19. I think he will surprise a lot of people this year. Harangody is Ryan Gomes. A great college basketball player with an extremely high BBIQ who has physical limitations. He will also surprise and be a good end of the bench player this year.

Ainge also has Rasheed Wallace's retiring contract as an asset to trade. He need not be in a huge hurry to use it either as the closer the season gets and into the season the more valuable it will become. Just my opinion here, but I think he turns it into someone significant for this team's bench.

Overall, Danny has brought the band back to play another year. He's replaced Tom Thibodeau with another workaholic defense oriented coach in Larry Frank, he's maintained future cap flexibility while lowering current luxury tax ramifications, had a great draft and still has tremendous assets to trade for bench upgrades while being able to sign some players with the vet minimum. The off season is not over and yet, I think Ainge has had a brilliant off season thus far.

I mostly agree with the above.  I do think there are two separate questions being answered in this thread. 

The first question is, "Did Danny do a good job this off-season?"  I think that question almost invariably has to be "yes", unless you're one of the folks who would have rather cut ties and began rebuilding this off-season.  Danny has limited resources to work with, and based upon those resources, he's done about as much as good be asked (outside of potentially resigning Tony, and we don't know the full story with that.)

The second question is, "Did the Celtics improve this off-season?"  On that one, I think it's harder to definitively answer yes.  We may have marginally improved, or we may have marginally declined.  If there's any disappointment this off-season, it's because of this, even though Danny didn't have a ton of options here.

Basically, it's a disappointment that the window is closing, and there's little the team can do to hold that off.  Hopefully, we can do something with Sheed's contract, and the concern will become moot.  For now, though, I understand why some of the optimism for the coming season has been muted more than you would expect for a team coming off of a Finals run.

[moiso]

Great posts Nick and Roy.  You guys summed it up.  I love Nick's enthusiasm- my take on the offseason actually improved after reading the post. 
I also think the second part of Roy's post puts it in perspective.  Even if everything Ainge did is perfect- we are still about just as good as we were last year.

[nickagneta]

I think if Perkins was 100% healthy to start the season, the optimism for what has been achieved this off season would be much higher. Much of the lack of optimism has to be that Perkins could be a complete no show for next year and hence, what Danny has done has not gotten is just due because he also has to find a replacement for Perkins and Rasheed instead of just Rasheed.

But what I think Roy says is true. There really are two ways of looking at things. Personally, given what he had to work with and what we have now, Ainge has done a superb job this off season. Are the Celtics a better team than when the season ended? I don't know, could be, maybe, maybe not. But it's close. But I do know that if you were expecting another playoff run next year, it could have been a ton worse.

To this point I think the Celtics have done as well as they could have done given the circumstances but the off season isn't over and I will withhold final overall judgment until Rasheed's contract is traded and we see who we go to war with come February of next year.

[moiso]

I think if Perkins was 100% healthy to start the season, the optimism for what has been achieved this off season would be much higher. Much of the lack of optimism has to be that Perkins could be a complete no show for next year and hence, what Danny has done has not gotten is just due because he also has to find a replacement for Perkins and Rasheed instead of just Rasheed.

But what I think Roy says is true. There really are two ways of looking at things. Personally, given what he had to work with and what we have now, Ainge has done a superb job this off season. Are the Celtics a better team than when the season ended? I don't know, could be, maybe, maybe not. But it's close. But I do know that if you were expecting another playoff run next year, it could have been a ton worse.

To this point I think the Celtics have done as well as they could have done given the circumstances but the off season isn't over and I will withhold final overall judgment until Rasheed's contract is traded and we see who we go to war with come February of next year.

Another huge wild card other than health is Bradley.  If he is good enough this year to take on a major role, that would be a huge benefit, not only for the youth and energy aspect, but maybe Ray can finally have his minutes reduced to a suitable level for someone his age.

[thirstyboots18]

Nick & Roy, I agree, but hopefully this year is a little different in that the rookies get a little playtime  I like our draft picks and think their possible contribution is underrated. Harangody reminds me of another small forward with questionable athletecism... that one went #6 in the draft. Understanding that Perk won't be back until the second half of the season, we are in good position to make a splash in the playoffs. 

Has there been any word on Shaq's decision...what team is he leaning to?  Atlanta was the favorite the last I heard...I would still like to see him in Green....especially against the Lakers, if the season comes down to that.

[kozlodoev]

The Lakers have. One of their weak points was their bench and they have definitely fixed that.

Replacing Jordan Farmar, Josh Powell and DJ Mbenga with Steve Blake, Matt Barnes and the calcified remains of Theo Ratliff looks like a lateral move to me, if anything.

[wdleehi]

I think if Perkins was 100% healthy to start the season, the optimism for what has been achieved this off season would be much higher. Much of the lack of optimism has to be that Perkins could be a complete no show for next year and hence, what Danny has done has not gotten is just due because he also has to find a replacement for Perkins and Rasheed instead of just Rasheed.

But what I think Roy says is true. There really are two ways of looking at things. Personally, given what he had to work with and what we have now, Ainge has done a superb job this off season. Are the Celtics a better team than when the season ended? I don't know, could be, maybe, maybe not. But it's close. But I do know that if you were expecting another playoff run next year, it could have been a ton worse.

To this point I think the Celtics have done as well as they could have done given the circumstances but the off season isn't over and I will withhold final overall judgment until Rasheed's contract is traded and we see who we go to war with come February of next year.

If Perk was healthy, the MLE might have been used differently as well.  




Ainge has done what he has needed to do with resources and holes in front of him.

[thirstyboots18]

That was a timely answer to my question, and it was the right answer:  Shaq is interested in playing for the Celtics. 

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Well, we lost our starting center, lost our best defender, lost a good bench guy/rebounder...and replaced them with nothing.....JO may be okay, but he hasn't proved he is as good as either perk or sheed....and our drafting was what......nothing....two guys that prob wouldn't have even gotten picked at all?   Not one 7 footer..is that the combined thoughts of doc and danny....guard mentality to not draft any big men.......why would we need rebounders and height..it isn't like we lost to a team because of lack of height and rebounding..is it.....it's not like we lost in the FINALS because of a lack of extra big men or rebounders that we might have ever played...heyyyy, we had guards...so lets get more short guards....lets lower the rim....6'8" is all we need..lets have bbd lead the league is having his shot blocked...and so then get another 6'8" guy also.  And our #1 drafted guy....well...he needs surgery...is that a problem...?

   So we didn't do our homework.....what is research worth anyway....we paid our scouts well, so they were hanging around drinking beer..we still love them...! Hey we kept the softest guy from last year, who consistently did nothing... Danials, a little political spin, we'll shine him up..."it wasn't his fault, he was a tentative player, he didn't find his spot, he was just about to turn his life around....." glad we kept him instead of TA..who needs a tough guy defender..who the other team would NEVER whack..what do we need a tough guy for..why 15 years ago, we would have clotheslined artest, so there..!

   Now sign scal...we can find good in him if we lie to ourselves again....a nice guy he is....theatrical, entertaining.....so what if he doesn't want to be a real player..maybe we can sign mayor menino too, scal and menino, get in there and confuse them, will ya.....!

[thirstyboots18]

Where were you when the scouting team needed you?

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Where were you when the scouting team needed you?

Playing hoop...real time....not on my computer..what about you ...hero..?