KG and Ray Back Next Year..

[Pucaccia]

KG and Ray will be back next year.  Maybe they are not what they once were but they are still really good. They are not ready to retire and do not want to play for anyone else but Doc.  They will both take a big cut in pay, laying the ground work to bring in some younger talent. Maybe enough to tempt Dwight Howard. Let's say they trade Rondo for Deron Williams, then Pierce for young talent. With Williams, KG, Allen, and young talent(Jeff Green too), Howard will consider. Let the comments rip!

[Roy H.]

I think KG and Ray would be a lot less likely to stay if we traded Pierce.

[hpantazo]

I think if we trade Rondo, all of the big three will stay. I have a feeling they are not too happy with his attitude.

[PosImpos]

The only reason it would make sense to bring back Ray and KG is if either a major trade goes down to make the Celtics relevant again as a competitive team in the present (e.g. Rondo for Gasol) or the team somehow pulls off a miracle and gets Howard or D-Will in free agency. 

Otherwise, the Celtics will be in rebuilding, and it will make the most sense to let Ray and KG chase rings elsewhere (or retire) and trade Pierce to a contender in the off-season for some kind of compensation.

[wiley]

that would be great.....but it will take smarts by Doc to yank them when needed...

Doc would have to do a good job of not just automatically keeping Ray and Paul in the game if they're being outperformed by someone younger.....
To some extent true with KG but KG is more of a case of clear cut minute management.
Ray and Paul are going to start having bad stretches where they hurt the team.
Doc will have to learn to bench them in those cases...until they get their
legs back under them and the senior moments recede back to wherst they came from...

[Inside-Out]

Doc should simply realize that playing Ray and Paul on the wing together means at least one of them gets worn out on the defensive end.  Oh, and we end up being a half-step behind at both of those spots due to advancing years, and the aging vets tend to pick their spots, so we don't have 48 minutes of pressure on both sides of the ball.

KG looks like he has a 2-3 good defensive role playing years left in him if he chooses to travel that route.  Having a top-shelf big next to him would help (welcome to Boston, Dwight!).

I'd only take Ray back as a short money specialist off the bench, though.  It's pretty much what he is now.

[xmuscularghandix]

No thank you. Maybe one, no way both. I'd be for KG at SHORT money.

[Lucky17]

I think KG and Ray would be a lot less likely to stay if we traded Pierce.

I agree.

I think those comments Ainge made earlier about players attracting free agents applies here too. They've been referred to as the "Big Three" for several years now. With two of them facing free agency, and the third the only real amnesty candidate on the Celtics' roster, their futures remain intertwined.

I think all three return next season.

[pearljammer10]

I think KG and Ray would be a lot less likely to stay if we traded Pierce.

if Pierce goes, theres no way that Allen and KG stick around.

[manl_lui]

I sure hope so, if they can come back for like vet min, that would be awesome

[Geo123]

I sure hope so, if they can come back for like vet min, that would be awesome

For the vet minimum??? Come on now....

[CFAN38]

I think they both stay for next year as long as the following happens.

1. Pierce is still here

2a. D Howard signs with the Cs

2b. Rondo is traded for a starting caliber C and PG (nash and Gortat, D Harris and Big Al, Felton and Camby)

If option 2b happens we resign everyone (KG,Ray,Pietrus,Bass, and J Green) and have an old but very deep team to make one last final push with. We would also have a young bench group of Avery, JJJ, two 2012 1st (hopefully Austin Rivers), maybe steimsma, maybe moore, and possibly a 2012 2nd round pick.

I really like the Big Al and Harris option, if danny can pull of a draft day miricle and get us a starter caliber rookie sg then we are a good looking team. As the season progresses Ray would ideally go to the bench with the rookie taking his starting spot.

D Harris, Avery
Ray,Pietrus, (River,D Lamb, B Beal)
Pierce, J Green
KG, Bass, JJJ
Big Al, FA (wilcox?)Steimsma

 

[Inside-Out]

I think they both stay for next year as long as the following happens.

1. Pierce is still here

2a. D Howard signs with the Cs

2b. Rondo is traded for a starting caliber C and PG (nash and Gortat, Felton and Camby)

If option 2b happens we resign everyone (KG,Ray,Pietrus,Bass, and J Green) and have an old but very deep team to make one last final push with. We would also have a young bench group of Avery, JJJ, two 2012 1st, maybe steimsma, maybe moore, and possibly a 2012 2nd round pick.

 

I don't think it needs to be DH to keep the band together, but agree with the idea that the crew sticks together if they have a shot.

Rondo/Bradley
Pierce/Ray
JGreen/Beasley 
KG/JJJ
DHoward/Steimsma

[CFAN38]

Rondo/Bradley
Pierce/Ray
JGreen/Beasley  Grin
KG/JJJ
DHoward/Steimsma

not sure if we would have the $$ to resign KG, ray, j green and beasly

[Marcus13]

Ray should be brought back but KG is going to retire; no doubt in my mind