The win really made me excited for next season..

[mr. dee]

And the playoffs. I can already imagine the starting five next year.

PG - Rondo
SG - Bradley
SF - Pierce
PF - Green
C - Garnett

I think Jeff Green will be a huge upgrade over Bass. He is much faster and have longer shooting range.

[clover]

And the playoffs. I can already imagine the starting five next year.

PG - Rondo
SG - Bradley
SF - Pierce
PF - Green
C - Garnett

I think Jeff Green will be a huge upgrade over Bass. He is much faster and have longer shooting range.

I don't see Green at the 4 as the answer, especially with KG at the 5.  But I agree that with KG back, they could have 4 of their 5 starters already in place.  Now what they really need is a high caliber 4 or 5 to pair with KG.  Even if Bass were the best they ended up landing, they should be at least decent while bringing along Green or whomever as Pierce's replacement and whomever they land in the draft, along with GS and 3J, as potential replacement bigs.

[mr. dee]

And the playoffs. I can already imagine the starting five next year.

PG - Rondo
SG - Bradley
SF - Pierce
PF - Green
C - Garnett

I think Jeff Green will be a huge upgrade over Bass. He is much faster and have longer shooting range.

I don't see Green at the 4 as the answer, especially with KG at the 5.  But I agree that with KG back, they could have 4 of their 5 starters already in place.  Now what they really need is a high caliber 4 or 5 to pair with KG.  Even if Bass were the best they ended up landing, they should be at least decent while bringing along Green or whomever as Pierce's replacement and whomever they land in the draft, along with GS and 3J, as potential replacement bigs.

I can see your point there, but it's not like Green didn't play 4 in his career. He was playing out of position in OKC.  But he still somehow effective at that position. Green can be either 3 or 4 depending on the match ups.

[drax]

My dream scenario next season, defensive power with a young bench.

PG: Rondo
SG: Bradley
SF: Pierce
PF: KG
C: Asik

6th man: Green

Bench: Moore, young offensive combo-guard (first round draft pick???), Pietrus, JJJ, Stiemsma, veteran filler (depending on draft picks), 2012 draft picks

Green after a difficult injury season, as a starter? I don't know. But with a good rotation for young guys and a recovering Green we lay the foundation for our future.

[mr. dee]

My dream scenario next season, defensive power with a young bench.

PG: Rondo
SG: Bradley
SF: Pierce
PF: KG
C: Asik

6th man: Green

Bench: Moore, young offensive combo-guard (first round draft pick???), Pietrus, JJJ, Stiemsma, veteran filler (depending on draft picks), 2012 draft picks

Green after a difficult injury season, as a starter? I don't know. But with a good rotation for young guys and a recovering Green we lay the foundation for our future.

KG is looking very good lately at 5. I'd say let him stay on the team for a year or two. I totally forgot about his heart surgery, my bad. But maybe we can find a better starter than Bass next season. Josh Smith would be my pipe dream but that can wait till 2013 free agency.

[drax]

KG is looking very good lately at 5. I'd say let him stay on the team for a year or two. I totally forgot about his heart surgery, my bad. But maybe we can find a better starter than Bass next season. Josh Smith would be my pipe dream but that can wait till 2013 free agency.

I know KG looks really great at the five spot right now and i'd love to bring him back at the 5. But we need someone in the future as a defensive anchor for our bigs when KG leaves. This is why i would go and grab Asik at the five spot and KG at the four. KG plays his prefered position but teaches a younger player the celtics defensive system for the future.

[clover]

KG is looking very good lately at 5. I'd say let him stay on the team for a year or two. I totally forgot about his heart surgery, my bad. But maybe we can find a better starter than Bass next season. Josh Smith would be my pipe dream but that can wait till 2013 free agency.

I know KG looks really great at the five spot right now and i'd love to bring him back at the 5. But we need someone in the future as a defensive anchor for our bigs when KG leaves. This is why i would go and grab Asik at the five spot and KG at the four. KG plays his prefered position but teaches a younger player the celtics defensive system for the future.

Is Asik really so much better than Stiemer?  Do we want another center who can't hit FT's playing with Rondo?

[slamtheking]

I can see a reason to be excited for next year.  If Danny does a good job loading up the team for next year, they could really be good.   There's no real prime FA's to be had this year but I think there's some real reasons for optimism:

• KG isn't done--looks rejuvenated at Center.  I wouldn't leave him there next year but he's still got some game in him.
• Bradley seems to have made the leap to solid rotation player, if not starting SG for next year.
• Steimsma looks like he'll be a solid backup center going forward.
• Ray still has enough in the tank to come back as a shooter off the bench.  if not interested, there's still Pietrus
• Bass, Green, Pietrus, Wilcox -- if fully recovered from injuries, provide Danny with a good supply of FA's he can bring back to strengthen the bench
• JJJ and Moore have shown some flashes of talent and will hopefully be able to provide some support next year with a full training camp under their belts
• Danny has 2 1sts and at least 1 second rounder in a deep draft this year.
• Danny will hopefully manage his cap well enough this offseason to add a decent HEALTHY big man to the roster

Potential Roster:
starting: Rondo, Bradley, PP, KG, FA Center (Asik was a decent suggestion)
bench: Green, Pietrus/Ray, Bass, Wilcox, Stiemsma, JJJ, Moore, 2 1st rounders, 1 2nd Rounder.

Rondo/Bradley/Moore
Bradley/Pietrus (or Ray)/Moore
PP/Green/(maybe Pietrus)
KG/Bass/Wilcox/JJJ
Center (maybe Asik)/Wilcox/Steimsma
and the draft picks. 

That's a pretty solid line-up.  I'm sure Danny won't bring everyone back but I do see JO, Dooling, Daniels and Sasha's spots freed up.  I think the key is bringing in Green, Bass (or an equivalent) and either Pietrus or Ray.  I think Bradley and Steimsma's improvements this year give Danny flexibility in who he brings back or signs as an FA.  If JJJ is ready to take Bass' spot, great.  If Moore can take Dooling's minutes, even better.

[cman88]

Next year should be a bridge between our current big 3 and our next generation...get another year for our youth and 2 first rounders to develop next to hall of famers on how to play the right way...I want our bigs learning from KG

So we have a young core of rondo, bradley,  jjj, green, moore, 2 first round picks, steimsma, bass

If anything that's a lot of assets for danny if they play well to nab a superstar

And with ray kg pierce and pietrus tjats a pretty solid roster

[wdleehi]

Until I see Green playing on the court again and shows that he can actually fit in with this team, I can't get excited.



Throw in the fact that he is the type of player that should not be a starting PF next to KG...


This is not the type of future that gets me excited about next season.

[LooseCannon]

I know KG looks really great at the five spot right now and i'd love to bring him back at the 5. But we need someone in the future as a defensive anchor for our bigs when KG leaves. This is why i would go and grab Asik at the five spot and KG at the four. KG plays his prefered position but teaches a younger player the celtics defensive system for the future.

I have doubts about Asik ever developing into the sort of center you should want to give a four-year contract.  I also don't like a center who gets 87% of his offense at the rim as more than a backup. 

If KG can stick around for at least a couple more years, perhaps Ainge can find the sort of project big in the draft who likely won't play much as a rookie and perhaps won't get significant minutes until his third season.

[prov1ml34]

I honestly believe that chemistry is a huge part of this game. So if I were Danny I would try to keep this team as much intact as possible but improving here and there with possible free agents. If we could acquire a starting center somehow I think we could be dangerous next year as well. We have some young guys who have shown they can play. So why not keep the core intact, including bench players, give the Big 3 + Rondo their rest, maybe even bring  one or two of Ray, KG and Pierce off the bench.

This way we remain extremely flexible with our cap space moving forward. I find this team entertaining to watch as compared to the past 2 seasons (2010 and 2011).

[manl_lui]

And the playoffs. I can already imagine the starting five next year.

PG - Rondo
SG - Bradley
SF - Pierce
PF - Green
C - Garnett

I think Jeff Green will be a huge upgrade over Bass. He is much faster and have longer shooting range.

I don't see Green at the 4 as the answer, especially with KG at the 5.  But I agree that with KG back, they could have 4 of their 5 starters already in place.  Now what they really need is a high caliber 4 or 5 to pair with KG.  Even if Bass were the best they ended up landing, they should be at least decent while bringing along Green or whomever as Pierce's replacement and whomever they land in the draft, along with GS and 3J, as potential replacement bigs.

for some reason this was the exact same lineup in my 2k My player mode lol, and the Celtics did great

but yeh while that looks good on offense cuz Green is faster, on defense, Green might be eaten alive by other bigs. I mean Bradley is an amazing defensive player but as we saw yesterday, Wade can usually take care of him in the post because of height and size

[rav123]

• KG isn't done--looks rejuvenated at Center.  I wouldn't leave him there next year but he's still got some game in him.

I remember KG's rationale for not being a center was all the physicality under the rim. But there aren't very many tough, bruising centers around (like earlier in KG's career) - now he only has to defend (relative) softies like Nene, Greg Monroe etc.

[LooseCannon]

• KG isn't done--looks rejuvenated at Center.  I wouldn't leave him there next year but he's still got some game in him.

I remember KG's rationale for not being a center was all the physicality under the rim. But there aren't very many tough, bruising centers around (like earlier in KG's career) - now he only has to defend (relative) softies like Nene, Greg Monroe etc.

It's not just defense.  I wouldn't insist that KG has to increase his attempts to score inside with his move from the 4 to the 5.