2013 Celtics Look Great?

[Neurotic Guy]

I want to see how these playoffs play out before getting excited about 2012-13.   C's haven't beat Atlanta, and if they do get by Atlanta, it remains to be seen whether they take care of the 'gift' they are getting in round 2.

If they get to the ECF it will be great, but if they fall to Miami as most expect, then the bottom line for 2012-13 becomes clear - the lesson is clear: the C's must be better in 2013 than they are at present.

I don't see how the additin of JG and a couple of rookies will do anything more than offset one year of aging of the Big 3.    Not sure who they could get via FA or trade who would push the C's from competitive to championshp-ready.

Not trying to be negative -- I couldn't be more excited about tonight's game.

 

[mctyson]

There are a lot of "ifs" here.

If we beat or go 7 games against Miami in the ECF...

If KG doesn't get a $15M+ offer from another team (I believe with his play this year he is worth at least that for a 1-year contract).

If KG doesn't want to retire

If KG will accept an offer from us ~$10M-$12M for 1-2 years

If Pierce doesn't want to retire

If Ray wants to come back on SHORT money and time - no more than $6M for 1 year

If Jeff Green can play at his OKC/sometimes Boston 2011 level

If Pietrus can be signed on short money ($3M???)

If Bass re-signs for $6M

If our draft picks have any NBA-ready talent

If JJJ is ready to be NBA-ready talent

If E-twaun is worth keeping around as a backup PG (I think he is)

If we pick up Perkins for $3M after he gets amnestied

If we re-sign Scalabrine

[guava_wrench]

I'd rather tank, get a high lottery pick and go into the summer of 2013 with what would hopefully be a very nice young rookie to help draw in the premium free agents.

I know you have to spend money, but I'd rather just give guys like Jeff Green, Greg Oden, etc. the "big" one year deals and hope they either hit the big time and we can bring them back the following year or they are bad improving the draft position even more.

I'd look to move Pierce to a contender for future draft picks and as everyone knows, I'd try to move Rondo for more young players with potential and/or high draft picks this summer.


Just because this summer is seemingly a lost year in free agency doesn't mean we should hamper rebuilding even further.

Perhaps we don't need to "tank". We would just need to not bring in guys with no future who would take minutes from the younger guys. Don't re-sign KG, Ray, Pietrus, Bass nor other seasoned FA vets and we could get into the lottery.

After a few months when Pierce says he doesn't want to end his career a loser, he can be moved for some more pieces, getting us even better lottery position. Moving Pierce would also signify the team truly passing to Rondo.

I suspect Rondo will enjoy being the clear alpha dog on the team. We could have our own version of the 2011-2012 Nets. If Rondo can put up great stats in that situation, that ends all arguments that he looks good because he passes to 3 HOF players who can shoot the lights out.

[Kane3387]

There are a lot of "ifs" here.

If we beat or go 7 games against Miami in the ECF...

If KG doesn't get a $15M+ offer from another team (I believe with his play this year he is worth at least that for a 1-year contract).

If KG doesn't want to retire

If KG will accept an offer from us ~$10M-$12M for 1-2 years

If Pierce doesn't want to retire

If Ray wants to come back on SHORT money and time - no more than $6M for 1 year

If Jeff Green can play at his OKC/sometimes Boston 2011 level

If Pietrus can be signed on short money ($3M???)

If Bass re-signs for $6M

If our draft picks have any NBA-ready talent

If JJJ is ready to be NBA-ready talent

If E-twaun is worth keeping around as a backup PG (I think he is)

If we pick up Perkins for $3M after he gets amnestied

If we re-sign Scalabrine

6 mill a year, in my opinion, is more then DA wants to pay for Bass. Considering how much rondo does for him I don't think he gets that. I think other GMs clearly see his dependence on Rondo. I mean the guy mostly shoots wide open jumpers, but he hits them at an incredible rate. A 2 yr. deal totaling 10 mill might be good enough to get Bas locked up. Maybe... Or maybe a deal like 4 yrs. totaling 19 mill.

[Kane3387]

I want to see how these playoffs play out before getting excited about 2012-13.   C's haven't beat Atlanta, and if they do get by Atlanta, it remains to be seen whether they take care of the 'gift' they are getting in round 2.

If they get to the ECF it will be great, but if they fall to Miami as most expect, then the bottom line for 2012-13 becomes clear - the lesson is clear: the C's must be better in 2013 than they are at present.

I don't see how the additin of JG and a couple of rookies will do anything more than offset one year of aging of the Big 3.    Not sure who they could get via FA or trade who would push the C's from competitive to championshp-ready.

Not trying to be negative -- I couldn't be more excited about tonight's game.

 

By having the type of depth we are talking about then we could have a Spurs type season. We mirror them pretty well and if it worked for them I can see it working for us. They are who I was thinking of when I wrote my original post.

Doc = Pop, Kg = Duncan, Bass = Blair, Pierce = Manu, Rondo = Parker, Green = Diaw, Stiemsma = Splitter, Ray = S Jack... You get the idea. Then you add Bradley, Pietrus, the current rookies, and the future rookies. That team could contend like SA is currently.

[BballTim]

I'd rather tank, get a high lottery pick and go into the summer of 2013 with what would hopefully be a very nice young rookie to help draw in the premium free agents.

  How many premium free agents look for teams with nice young rookies?

[CoachBo]

I can only attribute the desire to tank to a misguided desire to obsess, again, over the pieces of a record-setting bad Celtics team, given Ainge's questionable ability to consistently draft well.

This is a guy who wanted the walking cadaver Yi, or Why as he should be known.

I'll pass on a reprise of that wonderful 24-win club, thanks.

[Moranis]

I'd rather tank, get a high lottery pick and go into the summer of 2013 with what would hopefully be a very nice young rookie to help draw in the premium free agents.

  How many premium free agents look for teams with nice young rookies?

well when you have the cap room to bring in multiple players, plus pair them with a young stud, I imagine quite a few.

Say they keep Rondo but move Pierce (for no salary past 2013).  

That would put the team going into 2013 free agency as essentially this (I used nbadraft.net for the draft picks):

Rondo, Bradley, Johnson, Moore, 2012 1st (Royce White), 2012 1st (Doron Lamb), 2013 1st (say it is 6th pick - Rodney Hood), which equates to somewhere around 20 million in cap space.  Plus you would have whatever pick or young player you got for Pierce (say you get something like 29 in 2013, which is Mason Plumlee).

With just 20 million locked up the Celtics could offer full max contracts to Dwight Howard and Josh Smith (who both might want to play with Rondo and each other).

That would give Boston a starting five of Rondo, Bradley, White, Smith, and Howard with Lamb, Hood, Johnson, Plumlee, and Moore.  

I'd say that would be a team that could realistically win a title for the next five or six years, especially if any of the young guys pan out.

I just don't see the point in bringing back KG and Allen unless the Celtics are able to land a premier player this summer (through trades or whatever).  I mean if Boston could trade for Josh Smith, for example, than it makes a lot of sense to bring back KG and Allen and give it a go again, but if Boston can't land any top tier players, there is no point in bringing those guys back and just delaying rebuilding.

[CFAN38]

By having the type of depth we are talking about then we could have a Spurs type season. We mirror them pretty well and if it worked for them I can see it working for us. They are who I was thinking of when I wrote my original post.

Doc = Pop, Kg = Duncan, Bass = Blair, Pierce = Manu, Rondo = Parker, Green = Diaw, Stiemsma = Splitter, Ray = S Jack... You get the idea. Then you add Bradley, Pietrus, the current rookies, and the future rookies. That team could contend like SA is currently.

100% with this idea. Depth can really cover up the age of the big 3 in the short term. This especially works if the depth is coming from young players who are learning how to win in the NBA while developing as individual players.

[Celtics4ever]

I would not want Perk on the team because at this point it would be more about sympathy than playing ability.   Do you think he will be amnestied?

[Evantime34]

My Roster next year
1. Rondo
2. Bradley
3. Pierce
4. Bass or a rebounding big like Kaman
5. KG
6. Ray or a combo guard scorer like Jason Terry
7. Jeff Green
8. Stiemsma
9. Rookie
10. Moore
11. Rookie
12. JJJ
13-15 D-League/Vet Min guys/extensions for Pietrus, Dooling, Sasha.

I agree with everyone who says we will only go with one year deals. I also would not be shocked if instead of going after guys like Ray, Jet or Kaman we used our cap space to trade for a guy in a salary dump such as Marion.

[Moranis]

Looks like Josh Smith is speaking highly of Boston again.  Seems like Boston has a real shot at signing him after next season. 

[jdz101]

There are a lot of "ifs" here.

If we beat or go 7 games against Miami in the ECF...

If KG doesn't get a $15M+ offer from another team (I believe with his play this year he is worth at least that for a 1-year contract).

If KG doesn't want to retire

If KG will accept an offer from us ~$10M-$12M for 1-2 years

If Pierce doesn't want to retire

If Ray wants to come back on SHORT money and time - no more than $6M for 1 year

If Jeff Green can play at his OKC/sometimes Boston 2011 level

If Pietrus can be signed on short money ($3M???)

If Bass re-signs for $6M

If our draft picks have any NBA-ready talent

If JJJ is ready to be NBA-ready talent

If E-twaun is worth keeping around as a backup PG (I think he is)

If we pick up Perkins for $3M after he gets amnestied

If we re-sign Scalabrine

3 million is too much for Perkins. Give that money to a guy who actually looks like he can move.

[Fafnir]

Looks like Josh Smith is speaking highly of Boston again.  Seems like Boston has a real shot at signing him after next season. 

Rondo + Smith is a good place to start an assemble type team. The key is to have successfully put more around them.

[Moranis]

Looks like Josh Smith is speaking highly of Boston again.  Seems like Boston has a real shot at signing him after next season. 

Rondo + Smith is a good place to start an assemble type team. The key is to have successfully put more around them.

see my scenario above, where the Celtics move Pierce this summer, don't bring back KG or Allen, and only sign players to one year deals, then go hard after Smith and Dwight Howard to pair with Rondo in 2013.