Facing the Facts (NBA Lottery)

[pp34isthe1]

I have been all for retooling the Celtics to avoid being a borderline playoff team that is not in contention. Retooling with what is currently available (2012 free agency) is very unlikely.

Many on the blog will agree to win a Championship a team needs:

1. A top 7 player
2: A top 25 player that complements that player
3. Another top 30 player who understands their role as 3rd option and can step up when needed.

This precedent is not availble for the Celtics, nor will it be availble next year through free agency or trading for that matter.

Eric Gordon/ Josh Smith/ Deron Williams/ OJ Mayo/ Jeff Green will not bring a Banner to Boston. Odds are that no top 20 player let alone a top 7 player are walking through that door. (Rick is that you?)


So where the Celtics go?

The 2012 NBA Draft.

The 2012 draft is absolutely loaded and as many analyst say, one of a kind. Odds are that a draft like this wont be around for another 5-10 years. (See 1984, 1987, 1996, 2003 draft classes)

I personally liked the idea of trading rondo for the Nets 2012 and Blazers 2012 pick that was presented by a Blazers fan.

4 first rounders (2 lottery), 2 second round picks in this draft class. Who would pass that up?

No one likes their team to lose but in the NBA you have to lose to eventually win. (well unless your lucky)

I would much rather see this team lose, acquire young talent, and develop players, rather than get bounced in the 1st or second round for the next 5-6 years.

I know it sounds as if I am a spoiled fan but winning championships is the tradition in Boston. Or as Shaq would say, "We want more". (see end of video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xoMuUOx35I&feature=related

But this is just one fans prespective. Maybe Danny has a master plan, he did bring the Celtics #17. Maybe he can team Rondo with Josh Smith, free up cap space and sign DH12. Maybe there is a way this team can be contenders in 2-3 years.

OR maybe just maybe, we are in for a rebuild for the rest of the decade.

[lightspeed5]

danny has a plan. he has the cap space he coveted for years. he has doc signed up for 5 years. and he has 2 first rounders to play with. I think everything will make sense when the time comes.

[ManUp]

I don't think Doc would've resigned for a 5 years if he didn't think Danny had a plan. Unfortunately, I think that plan was CP3 and Dwight Howard. I think Danny planned to trade Rondo, Green, and picks for Cp3, then lure Dwight to Boston to play with Cp3. I think that we're in for a bit of a tough stretch for the next few years, but the cap flexibility is something Danny will use to his full advantage. I can't say that we'll win a championship in the next 10 years, but I'm fairly confident Danny will have us back in contention within that time frame.

[EDWARDO]

Mostly agree with the above. (How did we get three posts in a row from non-Lunatics, by the way?)

There is a top 10 player we can get.

His name is Carmelo. Just be ready to hear his name a lot if NYK flop. Just saying....

[Smutzy#9]

the only time i want Melo in TD Garden is when he is coming here on a road trip for a thrashing.

[chambers]

I personally liked the idea of trading rondo for the Nets 2012 and Blazers 2012 pick that was presented by a Blazers fan.

4 first rounders (2 lottery), 2 second round picks in this draft class. Who would pass that up?



I know it sounds as if I am a spoiled fan but winning championships is the tradition in Boston. Or as Shaq would say, "We want more". (see end of video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xoMuUOx35I&feature=related

But this is just one fans prespective. Maybe Danny has a master plan, he did bring the Celtics #17. Maybe he can team Rondo with Josh Smith, free up cap space and sign DH12. Maybe there is a way this team can be contenders in 2-3 years.

OR maybe just maybe, we are in for a rebuild for the rest of the decade.

Can you present this idea?
Can't see how we get two lottery picks for Rondo. What else is thrown in?

This is exactly right though.
We need to re-tool through the draft once Howard falls through.
I want to get our hands on the Charlotte lottery pick that the Bulls acquired.
My idea was re-signing Ray and KG, then moving all three of them to Chicago for Boozer, Hamilton +their Charlotte pick and their own first round pick.
Would make Bulls Champs and we get a great pick in 2 years time.

[jdz101]

There is a top 10 player we can get.

His name is Carmelo. Just be ready to hear his name a lot if NYK flop. Just saying....

1. Lebron James
2. Dwight Howard
3. Dwayne Wade
4. Kevin Durant
5. Dirk Nowitzki
6. Chris Paul
7. Derrick Rose
8. Deron Williams
9. Kevin Love
10. Kobe Bryant


Sorry dude but you couldnt pay those ten guys to take a dump on melo.

[EDWARDO]

Point taken so will amend to "potential top five player and #1 scorer on a championship team".

I know people are down on him, but in the right situation he could be great. I think he's more likely to be the best player on a title team then Love or Deron. Love those guys, but not #1 scorer type guys.

Have said it before, he's where Pierce was after the Wotld Championships in Indy. Viewed as a me-first gunner on a bad team.

[guava_wrench]

There is a top 10 player we can get.

His name is Carmelo. Just be ready to hear his name a lot if NYK flop. Just saying....

1. Lebron James
2. Dwight Howard
3. Dwayne Wade
4. Kevin Durant
5. Dirk Nowitzki
6. Chris Paul
7. Derrick Rose
8. Deron Williams
9. Kevin Love
10. Kobe Bryant


Sorry dude but you couldnt pay those ten guys to take a dump on melo.

Melo is top 10 in hype.

[LooseCannon]

Have said it before, he's where Pierce was after the Wotld Championships in Indy. Viewed as a me-first gunner on a bad team.

Sell me on the idea that Carmelo could function as a point forward and you might have a case.

[EDWARDO]

How many guys would you rather throw the ball to in a 85-85 Game 7 with 5 minutes left? Maybe Kobe. Maybe Dirk. Maybe Wade? Think he's one of the best in that spot. Needs to get his head right, but there are not many guys with his skill set.

[LooseCannon]

I fall into the camp of believing that volume scoring and notions of clutch are over-rated.

Can Carmelo Anthony get his 3P% closer to 40%?  Can he prove himself to be as good of a defender as Paul Pierce?  That's part of what he would have to do to impress me.

[EDWARDO]

Like Pierce, it's not a matter of being a volume scorer. It's the ability to score many different ways out of half court sets against the best D you can throw at him. Not many guys like that.