Is Bob Ryan Right?

[wdleehi]

There is a difference.  There is a point where the Celtics have created flexibility in the roster to go multiple ways.


They could try and sign a FA.  They could sign and trade Ray or KG.  They could blow it up with a trade of Rondo.  


2012 is the flash point for this team.  


The worst thing that can be done is to try and retool around this team in a way that kills that flexibility.


Unless of course it bring to the Celtics it's next star.  (And I mean a real star, not the glorified good player)

[Roy H.]

I think about Miami's recent drafts. 

Two fairly recent seasons they had a top-5 pick.

One time they walked away with Dwyane Wade, the other time they walked away with Michael Beasley.

Lose 55 games to take THAT chance?

Micheal Beasley could hit the game winner at Staples Center against the Lakers in Game 82 to put Minnesota (KG as player-coach   ) in the playoffs as an 8 seed over the Fakers next season for all you know. The point is that there is a lot of young talent coming into the league so we are seeing the league change as the class of 2007 takes full effect.

It is entirely possible that we trade out the core next year and get back Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, a bunch of draft picks and keep Paul Pierce, Jeff Green, Delonte West, and Nenad Krstic, make the 8 seed and give My Hammy a 7 game treatment in round one next year.

If we have Howard, CP3, and Pierce, I'm hoping for better than the 8 seed.

[wahz]

Didn't read the article, but the there is a dig difference than favorites to win the title and mediocre. The C's will be a good team next year, regardless if they make any big moves.

The Hornets, Clippers, and Sixers are mediocre. The Spurs, Lakers, and Magic aren't.

Its not a long article. Basically he predicts we will slowly slide away as we did in the early 90's, with flashes of brilliance along the way, and become decreasingly competitive and Danny will keep the gang together for at least one more year.

Pretty tough to disagree with.

[celty86]

Bob doesn't mention that Danny will have cap space after next year and could possibly recruit a couple of top tier talents to play with Rondo. Maybe Bob doesn't think anyone would want to come to Boston?

[wahz]

I just got to thinking though, and Id just totally missed the obvious issue. Ryan talks about how we couldn't retool on the fly in the late 80's and early 90's and we just slipped into mediocrity and we are going to repeat the past. Well, we HAD drafted Bias and then later on had Reggie Lewis coming up. We had decent pieces attaching to the big three additionally in Shaw, Dee Brown, Fox and Kevin Gamble. So pretend we added a healthy Bias, Lewis, Gamble, Shaw, Fox and Brown, over about 4-5 years starting at the end of the last title, which is exactly what would have happened if not for horrible tragedies. You needed only to add two big guys and you had a full build out on the fly with almost no dip. Red or Gavitt didn't blow it that bad, he,they had horrible luck. Danny isn't doing as well unless Green and Bradley become solid FAST.

[Moranis]

By this logic, though, 25 or 26 teams per season should just tank for the lottery. 

That isn't true, using Ryan's logic there are only two teams that fit into the category he is talking about - the Celtics and the Spurs.  The Lakers are arguable (though I believe they are much closer to a title team then either Boston or San Antonio).  The Mavericks will be there in a season or two if they don't make moves to get younger. 

[the_Bird]

I just got to thinking though, and Id just totally missed the obvious issue. Ryan talks about how we couldn't retool on the fly in the late 80's and early 90's and we just slipped into mediocrity and we are going to repeat the past. Well, we HAD drafted Bias and then later on had Reggie Lewis coming up. We had decent pieces attaching to the big three additionally in Shaw, Dee Brown, Fox and Kevin Gamble. So pretend we added a healthy Bias, Lewis, Gamble, Shaw, Fox and Brown, over about 4-5 years starting at the end of the last title, which is exactly what would have happened if not for horrible tragedies. You needed only to add two big guys and you had a full build out on the fly with almost no dip. Red or Gavitt didn't blow it that bad, he,they had horrible luck. Danny isn't doing as well unless Green and Bradley become solid FAST.

That's a real good point re: Bias and Reggie Lewis.  

I'm convinced that Danny viewed the Perk/Green trade as being "Auerbachian" - that the team would still have enough big men where we could win the title this year, AND we'd be set up well for the next era.  Just didn't work because Shaq wasn't able to come back and Green just isn't as good as he thought.