With regards to Pierce coming off the bench, I think how nit's perceived depends on how you look at that role, how you look at the team concept and what one's estimation / evaluation of Jeff Green's potential is.
1. Role of the 6th man -
* I think it would be an honor for Pierce to become our 6th man at this point in his career - and it has nothing to do with Pierce's current lack of ability - to the contrary.
* We'd be asking Pierce to maximize his still enormous talents to stabilize our second unit - something that has been a very, very weak part of our team the last 2-3 seasons.
Have you ore have you not been watching the Celtics over the last three years? Doc rarely puts five second teamers out there unless his team is up big time. What he does is leave one starter out there with four second teamers and that is his second team. Guess who has been, for the most part, the player anchoring that second team over the years?
Either Pierce or Allen. Pierce is already anchoring the second team without having to come off the bench or reduce the efficacy of the starting five. The reason for the weak bench has not been because Pierce doesn't play with the bench, its been because the bench has been made up of poor quality players or players who don't play because they have been injured.
2. The concept of team -
* If I'm Pierce and was presented with it I'd ask Doc one question, "do you 100% honestly feel that me being our 6th man and stabilizing our second unit is going to increase our chances of winning a second ring, a second title before KG & Ray retire? If Doc's answer is yes, I ask where he needs me to sign up. End of discussion.
* We haven't one a title in three seasons - could it hurt to try something different?
I'm pretty sure Doc and Pierce understand the concept of team and probably understand what is in the best interest of the Boston Celtics more than all of us combined. And because they do, Doc would NEVER ask Pierce to go to the bench. It would completely ruin the hierarchy that Doc has spent building in the locker room for the past 5 years. Like it or not, one really stupid move on a coach's part in ruining the chemistry in his locker room can unravel a team faster than bringing in bad players.
So could it hurt to try something different? YES ABSOLUTELY IT COULD. They have a winning formula. Injuries have mucked it up.
3. My own Estimation/Evaluation of Jeff Green -
* He didn't play that well last year but I doubt he could have come into a more difficult transitional situation than he did.
* Give a full year with Doc, whenever training camp starts and with our team, whenever - hopefully - the season starts.
* He's not a superstar but I can see him easily averaging 15-18 a night with 5-7 boards and improving defense.
* Green's speed up and down the court should also open Ray up a lot on the wings.
* Get Green and Rondo working more and more together because within a another 2-3 years that's what we're looking at as Pierce fades.
We need to start taking more and more of a load off the KG, Ray and Pierce if we want to extend their still very productive careers.
Let's get on with it. They still run the show when it matters most, but let's have the young legs carry more and more weight, especially during the season. The whole "team" will become stronger as a result.
Rondo and Jeff Green should do well on the break together, get us a lot of easy baskets as well.
Again with the running game and young legs...oy vey. Take a look at the champions over the last decade. Older teams. Older legs. Very little or no running games. Great half court offense with great defense.
Jeff Green is probably not worth the near $6 million a year qualifying offer he will have never mind a long term contract that could put into jeopardy the ability to land a quality big man like Dwight Howard. He's an okay, mid level player that will put up okay numbers on fairly mediocre to poor teams. He isn't worth the money or worth the time to invest in as a cornerstone for the future.
Look at Chris Bosh. Way better stats than Green. Way better player. He couldn't be the cornerstone of a franchise to win anything in Toronto. He goes to Miami and he's an afterthought of a 3rd option player.
And, again, Green isn't anywhere near the play Bosh is. He is not someone to build the future around. He is not a difference maker, but he sure will want to be paid like one.
I would offer him the deal we offered Glen Davis over the last few years take it or leave it. 2-3 years at $3 million a year. That's what he is worth. Why, because on this team, he's a bench player and that's what they make.
