Retooling ... not rebuilding will be the narrative. We're talking about Wyc and his partners, not Paul Gaston. It's hard to imagine a precipitous fall based on the competitive nature of ownership, GM , and head coach. Doc didn't sign on to coach a flock of baby geese, and in order to be profitable the organization must keep pace with the Sox, Pats and Bruins.
It's hard to make the case for scoring a bona fide go to guy in the draft like a Blake Griffin. I remember it didn't take long to rebiuld after Russell, but they had Hondo in his prime and White/Cowens developed faster than the rookies in the modern era. No it will be done via trades and free agency. What's important are the incoming free agents. We don't want another Wicks/Rowe era or relive the nightmares of the 90's. Danny is smart and bold enough not to make the same mistakes ML and later Pitino made.
Here's the thing though, after next year the Celtics will have Rondo, Pierce, Bradley, this year's first round pick and whoever they decide to sign to multi year contracts this year on the books. That's going to be a minimum of $30 million on the books and maybe more. The new CBA could severely restrict their ability to sign big time free agents, though my guess is probably not right away as whatever changes probably will be installed over a period of time.
But 2 of the 3 big time difference making free agents are PGs(which they already have) and the other is Dwight Howard. If they don't land Howard, retooling will be near impossible. Why?
Because there really aren't any other difference making players that will be looking to be moved other than Andrew Bynum, possibly and I don't see the Lakers trading Bynum to the Celtics. Most of the other top players in the league are happy and signed and/or still on their rookie contracts: Wade, LeBron, Kobe, Melo, Amare, Rose, Bosh, Durant, Westbrook, Aldridge, Dirk, Randolph, Joe Johnson, etc. The best I could see the C's doing is surrounding Pierce and Rondo with mid level talent and becoming a low seed medicore team for a long long time.
If they don't land Howard or Bynum as a big man to pair with Rondo or land Paul or Williams and trade Rondo for someone like Granger or Pau Gasol or or someone in that caliber of player, tear it all down, get horrible for a number of year and get high draft picks and start all over again and hope in 5-7 years the talent will blossom ala OKC or it can be traded for vets ala the summer of 2007.
Okay you make some outstanding points, and we both know there is no replacing KG, and it's not everyday you come across franchise talent in the vernacular of Kobe, LBJ or Durant either. But it does make sense to go after players who perhaps can evolve into the class of a Bosh, Aldridge, Westbrook or Joe Johnson.
There are some names out there like Josh Smith, and perhaps Oden to bring into the fold right now. Even J.R. Smith, with some discipline and mind tweaking, can be the offense force Joe Johnson or Westbrook have become. I know it's a reach at this juncture, but could a healthy Oden be considered as valuable as Bymun who has had a injury plagued career of his own? Can Josh Smith mature into a Bosh or Aldridge? I say yes to all the above.
Hence, if they can manage to grab two of out of three it's a pretty nice nucleus with RR, Pierce and perhaps Green. Also considering your point that RR's contract does have great trade value. So he could be moved next year for a player of Granger's elk, and perhaps a rotation guy to boot.
I'm not sure Wade's body can take the pounding it takes, and so far Lebron has performed more like Chamberlain in the playoffs than Jordan. Sooner or later players we're not talking about will fill the vacuum of Kobe, Dirk, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. Everything changes.
So there are ways not to hit rick bottom, but you can't have another Reggie Lewis or Len Bias moment ... god forbid.
The key is you don't extend incoming contracts (MLE withstanding) beyond next year. For instance ... it's quite plausible Daniels and D. West could resign for the vet minimum and Green extended to a only one year qualifier or a two year contract that can be moved or optioned in the second year. Even if you add Smith or Oden the cap roughly stands at $42-$45m with perhaps one or two cap holds. Will it be enough space to go after Howard? No, but then you can't have it both ways. If the plan is to contend next season you do as much as you can to bring quality talent that will improve this team's deficiencies. If it's man over board then perhaps you consider moving RR or Pierce because the FA exceptions are going to be used and will count in 2012-13.
Topic: anyone else not worried about the rebuilding phase? (Read 9465 times)