Blow it up?

[angryguy77]

The Heat are only going to get better, which means without drastic moves we aren't catching them.

While I don't disagree with this, there are two issues I have with it.

#1 (and this is a big one), this is easier said than done.  If Danny does not make the right moves, he can do much more harm than good.  Patience is key.

#2 Injuries happen, and the Heat are a Dwayne Wade blown out knee away from being very beatable again next year.  As we saw with the Magic a couple years ago, if you put yourself in a position to win, you can get pretty far with some luck.  And I think this C's team is better than that Magic team a couple years ago, even without making any tweaks.  So, if they can't make a deal that makes them clearly better now, or in the future, there is nothing wrong with standing pat for another year, giving it another shot, and hoping lightning will strike, and they can steal another championship.

Of course we don't want DA to make the team worse. However, if he can make moves that will allow us the best chance to be competitive in the future. then he should do it.

Do we really want DA to not do anything but hope the other team gets injured? I'd rather gamble on a rebuild than that scenario.
Our core will be another year older, our chances of getting injuries are going to be far greater than Miami's.

[BballTim]

Why exactly does everyone think Miami isn't going to be a lot better next year?  I mean seriously they put that team together last minute off of the scrap heap.  And even if the entire team is back, a healthy Haslem, a healthy Miller, a full season of Bibby, a more improved Anthony, etc. and the Heat are better without doing anything else.  Of course, I see the Heat adding a legit center (Dalembert at the full MLE for example) and utilizing the LLE or veteran minimums on older guys, much like we did with Shaq, Murphy, etc. this year.

The Heat are only going to get better, which means without drastic moves we aren't catching them.

  I don't see them as getting much better because the changes you're talking about are to role players who generally make less of a contribution to the Heat than to any other team in the league. And if Dalembert's available for the MLE then that's a signing that could probably put the Celts right back ahead of the Heat.

[angryguy77]

Why exactly does everyone think Miami isn't going to be a lot better next year?  I mean seriously they put that team together last minute off of the scrap heap.  And even if the entire team is back, a healthy Haslem, a healthy Miller, a full season of Bibby, a more improved Anthony, etc. and the Heat are better without doing anything else.  Of course, I see the Heat adding a legit center (Dalembert at the full MLE for example) and utilizing the LLE or veteran minimums on older guys, much like we did with Shaq, Murphy, etc. this year.

The Heat are only going to get better, which means without drastic moves we aren't catching them.

  I don't see them as getting much better because the changes you're talking about are to role players who generally make less of a contribution to the Heat than to any other team in the league. And if Dalembert's available for the MLE then that's a signing that could probably put the Celts right back ahead of the Heat.

Not unless they add some size. That was their main weakness, and still is imo.

[LooseCannon]

I agree with Jsaad, we don't want to do what the Pistons did -- hold onto a team of aging vets for too long and then try to reload too quickly by using cap space on free agents as soon as it becomes available.  It may take longer, but the smarter way to rebuild is to go straight into it completely and then be smart and patient in acquiring and developing assets.

I don't want to do what the Magic did.  Anyone who proposes deals for Igoudala or Rudy Gay seems to me like an Otis Smith wannabe who wants to shift around pieces in the hope that something sticks.

In terms of being patient, one thing that I believe Danny Ainge should and will stick to is not trading first-round picks without getting a superstar or superstar potential in return.  (On draft night, when it becomes clear what talent is available at certain slots, then he can wheel and deal.)

[Chris]

The Heat are only going to get better, which means without drastic moves we aren't catching them.

While I don't disagree with this, there are two issues I have with it.

#1 (and this is a big one), this is easier said than done.  If Danny does not make the right moves, he can do much more harm than good.  Patience is key.

#2 Injuries happen, and the Heat are a Dwayne Wade blown out knee away from being very beatable again next year.  As we saw with the Magic a couple years ago, if you put yourself in a position to win, you can get pretty far with some luck.  And I think this C's team is better than that Magic team a couple years ago, even without making any tweaks.  So, if they can't make a deal that makes them clearly better now, or in the future, there is nothing wrong with standing pat for another year, giving it another shot, and hoping lightning will strike, and they can steal another championship.

Of course we don't want DA to make the team worse. However, if he can make moves that will allow us the best chance to be competitive in the future. then he should do it.

Do we really want DA to not do anything but hope the other team gets injured? I'd rather gamble on a rebuild than that scenario.
Our core will be another year older, our chances of getting injuries are going to be far greater than Miami's.

I think we're probably on a similar page here.  I just don't think it is as easy as others seem to think to successfully blow up a team, and not completely run it into the ground. 

And, given the fact that the CBA is going to be ending, and even if there is no lockout, GMs are going to be spending time this summer figuring out how to do business under the new rules, I just don't have much confidence that anyone is going to be aggressive enough this summer to really want to play ball with Danny.

I hope it happens.  I hope Danny finds a way to reload this team on the fly this summer.  However, I also don't think its a loss if he goes into the season having not yet played his hand, because I think this team could contend for a championship again next summer, and then blow things up just as effectively in 2012, depending how things play out.

[get_banners]

Well, unless we can get a really good young player(s) back, there's no reason to blow it up right now. Yes, KG and Ray have valuable contracts in that they expire. However, unless you find a team that needs that cap space and has a really good young player they're willing to trade to get it (like the Grizzlies with Gasol a few years back), we're better off keeping them and letting them both expire. Yes, this makes next year a bit frustrating in that we probably won't be a real title contender (though who knows...move Pierce to the 2, Green to the 3, and Ray to 6th man, and try to make small moves). However, it seems like that is the best short and long-term plan, because even if we try to trade our big guys, we wouldn't get back equal value (hurts in the short-term) and we wouldn't have the space from their (KG/Ray) contracts coming off in a year (long-term). So...giving this squad one more run isn't exactly replicating the first Big Three experience. We keep them, let their contracts expire, then make a run at 1-2 big time players.

[Casperian]

The sooner the better.

[Jon]

If Doc is "heavily leaning towards coming back" the Celtics clearly aren't planning on blowing up. 

Here's two reasons why:

1) Cap room in 2012 will likely be more valuable than whatever we could get from a trade. 

2) Most importantly, we didn't lose to the Heat because of age, we lost because Rondo was playing with one arm.  Add a healthy Rondo to Games 4 and 5 and we're coming back to Boston up 3-2 for Game 6. 

And I don't see Ray, Paul, and KG regressing so much in the next year that strides that Rondo and Green make couldn't make up for it. 

I think next year's a long shot, but I wouldn't count them out yet. 

[Casperian]

After game 7 last year, game 4 and 5 (including the fantastic 16-0 run to end the game) against Miami, and countless 4th quarter collapses in the last 2 years, I just don´t have any confidence in this group anymore.

They´re old. Too old.

And it´s not getting any easier next season with teams like the Heat, Bulls and maybe the Knicks.

[Jon]

After game 7 last year, game 4 and 5 (including the fantastic 16-0 run to end the game) against Miami, and countless 4th quarter collapses in the last 2 years, I just don´t have any confidence in this group anymore.

They´re old. Too old.

And it´s not getting any easier next season with teams like the Heat, Bulls and maybe the Knicks.

But was it really age, or the fact that Rondo was playing on one arm? 

Are you really going to tell me that you think we'd have lost the past two games with a healthy Rondo? 

That has nothing to do with age.  And if he was healthy and we were up 3-2, no one would be saying anything about age. 

[Marcus13]

Another factor:

You have to look at the teams and say ok, who are we REALLY better than?  Do we think we beat Chicago?  Atlanta?  Orlando?  New York after a year together?

It is entirely possible we were still the second best team in the conference this year, but the luck of the draw landed us with the best team in the second round.

Do you blow up the second best team in the conference, if you really believe that's what we are?

[slamtheking]

The window is closed, time to move on to getting the roster upgraded.  Hopefully Danny can do something to improve this team for next year but I don't think it's likely.  Their best players are too old to finish out the season through the playoffs as the key players on the team.

Heat, Bulls, Knicks will be better next year with another offseason to add supporting players to all-stars in their prime.  C's might be able to move the older players to teams looking for that last veteran piece to put them over the top but Danny needs to get good young talent and picks for the players he gives up.

As much as I'd like Chris Paul, I think giving up a Rondo to get him (and possibly Green) doesn't address the age of the core players.  Anyone watching tonight saw them falter down the stretch and Chris Paul isn't likely to be enough to get this team over the hump again.

[Chief Macho]

This is depressing. 

[bruinsandceltics]

I'm still on the blow it up train because the injury prone nature of these older players.

I just can't see rebuilding the bench completely making that much of a difference.

[ACF]