Future of the Franchise?

[tonyto3690]

Ainge has made it clear he doesn't want to end up as a mediocre team that makes the playoffs with no realistic hope of winning a championship.

Josh Smith of Atlanta has made it clear he is jealous of the Celtics culture and would love to play in Boston.


Smith has one year left on his contract and is looking at a max contract deal from a bad team, and probably about 15 mill per from Boston.  The Celtics only worth while assets are guys that we need to build around - Bradley and Rondo.  Smith is a dynamic rebounder who can play the 3 or the 4 and plays great defense and is incredibly athletic.  His knock has always been his maturity and his tendency to chuck jumpers instead of getting the dunks he could get on near every possession.  This post season he carried the Hawks, and showed great improvement from his performance and maturity of years past.  He played like a vet.

Smith fits exactly the bill we are looking for - Athletic big man who can run with Rondo in transition, rebound, hit the open jumper, and play great defense.  


Plan to get him:  
Trade is a very unlikely path.   I think the best way to get him, and the Celtics best hopes for short and longterm success is to simply resign Ray/KG to one year deals, fill the roster with 1 year deal role players and take another run at it before switching to the Small 3 in Rondo/Bradley/Smith.

Next years roster:
Rondo / Dooling
Bradley / Ray / Moore
Pierce / Pietrus
Wilcox / Green / JJJ
KG / Stiemsma

This is of course contingent on a lot of things going right.  Dooling loves it here and will take the vet min I suspect.  Pietrus could potentially be gone, but his shooting this season has left me suspecting he will have very few suiters.  Wilcox and Green are big question marks and likely won't be a Celtic next season, but if we can get them on one year "prove it and earn a contract" deals, that would of course be ideal.

When this team has a healthy KG and Rondo, it can make a serious run (as evidenced by this season).  Unlikely to win a championship, but there is a realistic chance.

The year after:
Rondo / PG
Bradley / Moore
Pierce / SF
Smith / JJJ
KG / C

Rondo/Bradley/Pierce are already locked in for that season and that would give us about 25 million in cap space to work with I believe.  Sign Smith at 15 per, sign KG at 6 per, use the remaining 4 million and MLE to fill out the front court with a backup C and swingman behind Pierce, and fill in the rest with playoff savvy vets.

That's a championship calibre team.

[manl_lui]

I love Josh Smith but his salary will end up killing us in the long run. I rather attempt to trade for him than signing him as a FA cuz we'll be overpaying him.

[Moranis]

I believe that the Hawks might be open to a trade that looked something like this

Smith, Williams

for

Bass (3 yrs, 18 million), Green (1 yr, 7 million), Johnson, Stiemer, and then any 2 draft picks (or if this year the players selected since the trade would have to occur after the draft)

[tonyto3690]

I love Josh Smith but his salary will end up killing us in the long run. I rather attempt to trade for him than signing him as a FA cuz we'll be overpaying him.

You're going to have to pay him eventually.  Trading for a one year rental is bad business.

I believe that the Hawks might be open to a trade that looked something like this

Smith, Williams

for

Bass (3 yrs, 18 million), Green (1 yr, 7 million), Johnson, Stiemer, and then any 2 draft picks (or if this year the players selected since the trade would have to occur after the draft)

So is this assuming we also resign KG and Allen?   That would leave us with a roster looking like...

Rondo /  Dooling / Moore
Bradley / Ray / Moore
Pierce / Marquis
Smith / MLE or vet min
KG / MLE or vet min

That leaves us very thin in the front court.  Our top 6 looks great, but it takes one injury to KG or Smith and we'd be done.


I think our best chance rides in trying to have a Spurs season- go 10 deep and play KG only 25-28 MPG until we have one last glorious ride into the sunset.. (or he comes back the next year).  I think we can resign Green and Wilcoxfor one year deal with a "earn it" contract.  Bass probably leaves for a starting gig and money elsewhere.

Rondo / Dooling / Moore
Bradley / Ray / Moore
Pierce / Green
Wilcox / JJJ / Vet
KG / Stiemsma / Hollins

Certainly not the most explosive group, but that's a hard working group that can play great defense, and has versatility to go small and run in transition with Wilcox/Green

[Celtics4ever]

Don't forget we should get a decent rook or two this year.

[greg683x]

after all the stupid decisions/shots I watched Smith take in the first round, I really want nothing to do with him.

He's a nice player, but I dont think hes a winner at all

[Jason6]

support

[tonyto3690]

after all the stupid decisions/shots I watched Smith take in the first round, I really want nothing to do with him.

He's a nice player, but I dont think hes a winner at all

Really? He had maybe 2 bad shots a game at most.  That is arguably a little more than Rondo averages.  He was dominant in that series and single handedly carried a completely worthless supporting cast against us.

He is a dominant defensive player, dominant rebounder, and has the athleticism and range to hit open shots from Rondo or throw down a dunk in transition in Rondo.  He is the closet thing to a perfect complimentary piece with Rondo we can hope for beyond drafting a Kevin Garnett or Ray Allen in the next 3 years.

He also would fit very well with Kevin and this offense as a whole.  Like I said, very good defensive player, can switch into the 3 or 4 and even guard the 5.  He gives us that rebounding bigman that we desperately need, and he can hold down the defense when KG is on the bench.  And I'm beating a dead horse, but he is a knock down shooter when left open, and Rondo is a million times better than Hinrich/Teague at setting teammates up.

Most of all, Josh Smith WANTS to be a Celtic.  I saw an interview with him after their season ended against us and he was practically begging Ainge to sign him.

[Onslaught]

I wouldn't want to pay him what he'll want. Let him pass.

[Smokeeye123]

Rondo needs a fastbreak buddy, and we are going to need a new KG in 2 years...Any other ideas then?

[wdleehi]

I want to see how this playoffs effects how other players feel about playing with Rondo.  Save cap space and see if offensive players want to get those easy baskets.


Smith is overpayed.  I would be fine if he was payed less and the offensive stars were in place.

[LooseCannon]

Josh Smith wants to be a Celtic so he can take the jump shots that Garnett currently takes.

[Quetzalcoatl]

I wouldn't want to pay him what he'll want. Let him pass.

He's making $12 million, while Ray makes $10 and Bass makes $4.  If we replaced them with Smith, we would have a line up like:

Rondo
Bradley
Pierce
Smith
KG

Bench:
Green
Pietrus
Steamer
Dooling
Wilcox

I mean, that's pretty good.  We need another big man, but that's a better team than we are know assuming Pierce and KG don't deteriorate too much.  Our defense would be off the charts

[rondohondo]

date=1339199354]
Josh Smith wants to be a Celtic so he can take the jump shots that Garnett currently takes.
[/quote]1 problem, j smove is a horrible shooter, would rather have illyasova for half the salary

[esel1000]

I think in a year or so this teams gonna revolve around Rondo, Bradley, Green, and Josh Smith with other pieces that I have no way of guessing at the moment