Jeff Green to Start Next Year?

[snowball]

If Danny is only talking about some of
the games in the regular season, then I guess
if it would benefit Paul to come off the bench
I will be ok with it, because the regular season
really is nothing more than a nuisance.

[kozlodoev]

Pierce...  if we're to have any success, he's got to be out there a lot.  We're not winning with Pierce playing 25 minutes a night, he's too critical on both ends of the floor.

We're also not winning with Pierce playing more than 30 minutes a night, so you can't have it all. Life is tough.

[TheRev72]

I think Pierce coming off the bench his last few years would only add to his legacy.

He'd be remembered as a lifelong Celtic who was here through the tough times, came back from a stabbing, was part of the greatest 4th quarter playoff comeback in NBA history, is on the all-time Celtic scoring list, brought another banner (and hopefully more?), and moved into a 6th man role ala Hondo and McHale late in his career.

And seriously, a rested Pierce against the other team's bench players? That would help the bench immensely. And there's no reason he couldn't still play starters minutes if he came in around the 8 or 9 minute mark of the first and third quarters and finished out the halves.

(While I'm not entirely sold on this idea, I think I'm talking myself into it...)

[the_Bird]

Pierce...  if we're to have any success, he's got to be out there a lot.  We're not winning with Pierce playing 25 minutes a night, he's too critical on both ends of the floor.

We're also not winning with Pierce playing more than 30 minutes a night, so you can't have it all. Life is tough.

I'm not in agreement with that.  Pierce was still going strong after playing almost 35 minutes/game and only missing two games.  Had the highest field goal percentage of his career last year - doesn't seem like someone with tired legs.  

Can that continue indefinitely?  Of course not, but I see no reason to be cutting Pierce's minutes dramatically next season.

[Bankshot]

If Ginobili could come off the bench in his prime, Pierce can do it towards the tail end of his career. The idea is to keep Pierce as the closer by giving him fresher legs at the end of games. Pierce can also shoot all he wants when he comes in with the 2nd team.

Doc would never ask Pierce to do it.  For all of his flaws (real or perceived), Doc's players love him because he respects them and he's loyal to them.  He's not going to the captain and asking him to be the 6th man.

Could Jeff Green start, though?  Sure - if they trade Ray Allen

Besides, I come back to all of the players - like Jeff Green - we have seen struggle when they have to adjust to coming off the bench.  Why do we assume that Pierce would be able to make this transition seamlessly?  

How do you know that?  When Pierce signed his new contract, he talked about eventually coming off the bench.  I'm not saying I want that, just saying that Pierce mentioned it himself.

[drza44]

I like the idea of Pierce in the Hondo/Ginobili 6th man role. I've actually been in favor of it since '08, given a solid enough SF to start in his place (Posey then, Green now). It just makes too much sense.

1) It is difficult for all of Pierce, KG and Allen to get off offensively at the same time. And of the 3, Pierce is the one whose production relies the least on Rondo and who makes the most sense as the engine of the second unit.

2) The defining difference between the Celtics and Heat this year was that the Heat are younger. No other way to put it. They could turn it up, then keep it there for 48 minutes with LeBron and/or Wade going all out all game. The Celtics could match that for awhile, but the give-back when a LeBron or Wade-led second unit faced our unit without either KG or Paul on the floor was too large AND by the end the Celtics were just exhausted. Pierce coming in fresh for the second unit and then finishing the game relieves those issues.

3) You have to maximize your resources. And coming off the bench doesn't suit Green's strengths. He's not a create-your-own-shot scorer, he's not an instant-offense shooter, and he's not an energy guy. What he is is a 6-9 athlete that has a decent set-shot, is a decent passer, is good at running the floor, and has the tools to be a solid role-player team-defender. In short, he actually fits in perfect in a glue-guy role next to Rondo, Allen and KG. This lets Rondo be even more of the floor general to start the game, with natural 2-man game partners at the other 3 starting scoring options.

Honestly, this idea makes too much sense to me. I don't know that it'll happen because of Pierce's identity as the captain and longest tenured Celtic, but strategically I think it's the way to go. And if there's any franchise in which a 6th man is honored and known as the weapon it could be, it's the Celtics.

[kozlodoev]

Pierce...  if we're to have any success, he's got to be out there a lot.  We're not winning with Pierce playing 25 minutes a night, he's too critical on both ends of the floor.

We're also not winning with Pierce playing more than 30 minutes a night, so you can't have it all. Life is tough.

I'm not in agreement with that.  Pierce was still going strong after playing almost 35 minutes/game and only missing two games.  Had the highest field goal percentage of his career last year - doesn't seem like someone with tired legs.  

Can that continue indefinitely?  Of course not, but I see no reason to be cutting Pierce's minutes dramatically next season.

He was going alright. I wouldn't say he was going strong. He played a lot of minutes in the regular seasons, and he had nothing left for the end of games in the playoffs.

[Anomandaris]

good idea. He's young & the only guy on the roster that can run the break with Rondo. Pierce can still finish games but Green will benefit playing with Rondo more then PP.

[mustang]

Whether he starts or comes off the bench, Green needs to be playing with Rondo as often as possible - or the Celtics need to sign an Aaron Brooks type backup PG.  Let the athletes be athletes, if he's a Celtic going forward his strengths need to be utilized.  Rivers is always urging Rondo to push the ball more anyway, and Green sprinting down the court after missed shots dragging the rest of the team with him should help.  I'm sure Doc agrees with Phil Jackson and pretty much every other successful coach who acknowledge that you won't win a championship these days if 90-95 percent of your points come from called plays in half court sets - this team is going to get embarrassed, Spurs style, if they structure a roster built for regular season success where 3 or 4 guys (the lovable, crafty old vets they may be) are walking up the court pretty much every single time, always.  

And Allen should be out there too - one thing Ray Allen will always do well is run (around screens, up the court, etc) - a unit with him, Rondo, and Green could do some real damage, whether as a group of starters or as a mixed starters/bench second unit.  By now, he should be ready for the trailing three point threat, early 90s Paxson era of his career.

If you're gonna get a guy like Green so he can sprint hard to the corner and wait until the rest of the team ambles over the half court line 5-6 seconds later, just do a sign and trade and get somebody who'll better fill that role.  It's a waste of everybody's time to chain another gazelle (Free Rondo!) to an offense tailored to old, crafty skill players with egos as big as their hearts and unathletic screen setters of various ages.

[mostofusrsad]

butterfingers-green...is a subpar forward at this point...maybe he will improve or maybe he will be slighly better than Devean George...I don't see him being an important cog on the team...coming off the bench and providing energy is a reasonable role for him.

[JSD]

Hmm... I believe it was game 1 of the last series, Pierce went out with an injury allowing Green to play with the starting five. During that time I thought he played his best basketball as a Celtic.

Green was a starter on a playoff team before and seems to do better when he's not the main option. So maybe this isn't such a bad idea?

[OsirusCeltics]

He's gonna be a really good player if you give him the right minutes

Danny please...please don't trade Jeff!!! (Not sarcasm)

[footey]

maybe ainge is trying to convince Green he will get starter's minutes next season in an effort to re-sign him this off season. Dude is a FA, albeit restricted.

[Roy H.]

Green was a starter on a playoff team before and seems to do better when he's not the main option. So maybe this isn't such a bad idea?

Green was the exact same player starting for OKC as he was coming off Boston's bench:

Year	'09 - '10	'11 OKC	'11 Boston
Pts/36	14.7	14.8	14.9
Rebs/36	5.8	5.3	5.1
Asst/36	1.6	1.8	1.1
Steals/36	1.2	0.8	0.8
Blocks/36	0.9	0.5	0.9
FG%	45.3%	43.7%	48.5%
3PT%	33.3%	30.4%	29.6%

Maybe he just "is who he is"?  His stats have plateaued / regressed since his second year in the league.  I just don't see any reason to project major improvement.

[Eja117]

Very interesting thoughts from Danny Ainge (on WEEI yesterday)shown in this article:http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2011/05/weei_ainge_refl.html

In it, he talks about the Perk trade, how he doesn't think the big three can necessarily carry a team on their own anymore, and he also throws out the possibility of Jeff Green starting next year and Paul coming off the bench:

On the starting lineup changing:
"Maybe there’s a change of roles. Maybe Paul comes off the bench, cuts down on his minutes. Maybe we find a way to get Jeff more minutes. His role will expand if he’s back here next year. There’s no question about that ... "

That that is an interesting idea....start Green, get him some confidence and playing time, then let Paul close. It could work if Green stays and Paul is willing.

I was going to say "This is a joke right".  Now seeing it came out of Danny's mouth.....I want to cry. I really really want to cry, but I'm too embarrassed.