Had we won game 7, what would be our current roster?

[Drucci]

The loss in the Finals last year still hurts and I want to be clear that this is not a "how awesome it would have been to win the title in 2010!" thread but a thread in the "what if..." spirit.

The scenario is the following : imagine we won game 7 and Perkins still got hurt in game 6. Do you think it would have changed Danny's strategy this summer? Or the free agents of our team, and other free agents whom interest in the Celtics might have climbed or declined if we had won?

For example, does Ray still get back if he had won a 2nd title or would he have been curious to try the Miami experiment for less money but more years? Do Nate and Marquis come back? Maybe some guys decide to retire on this high note? Do Shaq and Jermaine still want to come here? Etc, etc.

Of course it's all speculation but I thought this would be an interesting topic to discuss and debate.

[Redz]

Probably no Shaq or JO...

[Roy H.]

I'm going to say that we'd have our same roster.  I think Danny learned his lesson in the summer of '08, when he didn't do everything he could to maximize our title chances.  I don't think he would have let that happen again.

Assuming that Rasheed would still retire, that would have left us with Semih Erden as our only healthy center.  I still think Danny would have tried to sign the best available center -- J.O. -- and then, if Shaq was available, I think they would have signed him, too.

The only question I have is whether Shaq would have signed here.  If he and Kobe had the same number of rings (4), would he have been as motivated to overtake him as he is now to catch back up with him?  I say yes, but it's an open issue.

[Redz]

I'm going to say that we'd have our same roster.  I think Danny learned his lesson in the summer of '08, when he didn't do everything he could to maximize our title chances.  I don't think he would have let that happen again.

Assuming that Rasheed would still retire, that would have left us with Semih Erden as our only healthy center.  I still think Danny would have tried to sign the best available center -- J.O. -- and then, if Shaq was available, I think they would have signed him, too.

The only question I have is whether Shaq would have signed here.  If he and Kobe had the same number of rings (4), would he have been as motivated to overtake him as he is now to catch back up with him?  I say yes, but it's an open issue.

What about Delonte vs  TA?

[Who]

No difference.

With Perk out injured, adding a big man with the MLE still would have been a priority. Outside of Mike Miller, who likely would still have gone to Miami (Boston winning the title doesn't change that or change LeBron/Bosh going there), there wasn't many attractive alternatives on the perimeter anyway.

Losing in the Finals wouldn't have changed LA's opinion of adding Shaq to the mix so that still wouldn't have happened ... so Shaq would be just as available as he was.

I don't think Ray Allen would have had any increased desire to leave if Boston won the title. I think he'd want to stay and defend what he'd worked so hard for over the last three years here in Boston.

[bdm860]

I always wonder these kind of things too.  Even though everybody wants to play for a championship team, and players chase rings, I feel like in general players want to feel like they helped put a team over the top as opposed to joining a team that already won.

Like in 2007, we were able to add Posey, House, Cassell, and PJ Brown because we were on the verge of a championship.
But in 2008 we didn't add any significant free agents and a major reason I believe is because we just won.
Now in 2009, we added a very sought after free agent in Sheed, because again we were on the verge of a championship.
And again in 2010 we added Jermaine and Shaq, because again we appear to be on the verge of a championship.

If we win in 2009 we don't add Sheed.
If we win in 2010 we don't add Jermaine or Shaq.

If the Lakers won their 4th straight championship in 2003, they don't sign Payton and Malone in the off season.

Personally, the only significant free agent I can think of in recent memory to join a team that just won a championship is Ron Artest, and we all know Ron Ron is in his own world and doesn't follow normal player etiquette.  Has there been any significant free agents besides Artest who joined a championship team? (Actually I guess Antonio McDyess did this in '05 joining the Pistons too).

[Roy H.]

I'm going to say that we'd have our same roster.  I think Danny learned his lesson in the summer of '08, when he didn't do everything he could to maximize our title chances.  I don't think he would have let that happen again.

Assuming that Rasheed would still retire, that would have left us with Semih Erden as our only healthy center.  I still think Danny would have tried to sign the best available center -- J.O. -- and then, if Shaq was available, I think they would have signed him, too.

The only question I have is whether Shaq would have signed here.  If he and Kobe had the same number of rings (4), would he have been as motivated to overtake him as he is now to catch back up with him?  I say yes, but it's an open issue.

What about Delonte vs  TA?

I think we'd have the same result there.  I think Danny still would have given TA the same offer, and I think TA still would have left for "a bigger role"  in Memphis.  With that hole on the roster, I still see us signing Delonte and Wafer.

The only thing that I could see changing is that Ronnie Brewer may have taken our offer, rather than signing in Chicago.  Brewer said the two offers were very similar, and that it was a close call for him.  Having a chance to be on the defending champion might have swayed him.

I think Brewer made his decision before we signed Wafer.  If that's the case, I could have seen us ending up with Brewer and Delonte.

[Eat Your Greenys]

if we would have won Game 7, I don't think Shaq ends up here

all of those quotes by Kobe after the victory fueled Shaq to sign here in my opinion

[GranTur]

The only question would be Shaq.

I believe Shaq would still show up though. Whether we win game 7 or not, Boston was Shaq's most fitting chance to win another championship.

[guava_wrench]

With the Perk injury, we would still have to look for a legit vet center to replace Perk and possibly still one to replace Sheed.

[GranTur]

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