After such an emotional ending of a critical season, we are now left to think about how we can make a somewhat smooth transition to the post Big 3 era...
There are two options available for the Celtics decision makers right now:
Rebuilt and quickly turn into our futur and let the Big 3 go.
Readjust and bring the band back together with the addition of a few strategic weapons.
Here is what I personally think we could do for each one of these scenarios:
MY Scenario 1 : REBUILT
*Players to let go:
In this scenario I would basically let Ray and KG go (basically freeing up about 31 millions) as well as Pietrus, Quisy, Hollins (Another 5m saved)
*Trades:
Only one big trade!
Trade Paul Pierce + B Bass (Sign and trade) to ATL for Josh Smith + Marvin Williams (Amnesty?). ATL would get rid of Marvin Williams contract and let J Smith finally go like he requested and get in return an all star SF, a go-to scorer and 3 pt threat in Pierce and a good young PF who started for a contender and has excellent mid range J.
*The Draft:
This is simple: Andrew Nicholson and Jeff Taylor
*The Free Agents:
With the money saved (> 36m) Try to get :
-James Harden (franchise player money, anywhere between 15-20m per year for 4 years so OKC can't match)
-Kaman (6-9m per year for 1 or 2 years)
-Jeff Green (post surgery discount ~ 4m)
-Wilcox (Post surgery discount ~ vet min)
In this scenario we would have the following 2013 roster:
Starting 5:
Rondo + Harden + J Green + J Smith + Kaman
Bench:
Dooling + Bradley + Jeff Taylor + Nicholson + Stiemsma
Moore + Pavlovic + Marvin Williams (Amnesty?)+ Wilcox + Sean Williams
A few Comments:
You can have M Williams and Wilcox ahead of the rookies if they need time to develop...
No more Big 3 but still capable of making a lot of noise in the playoff in my opinion and be contender once the team gel!!! Future can look bright while present without Big 3 is quite good...
MY Scenario 2 : READJUST
In this scenario, we need our returning players to sacrifice MONEY for the greater good of winning a championship together!!
I know nobody thinks they will value returning for cheap instead of just cashing some more money or trying for a better chance at a ring somewhere else but I do think the Celtics mystic got into those super rich already accomplished super star players and they will come back at a discount...
*Players to let go:
Dooling, Pavlovic, Quisy, Hollins, Sean williams. (about 7m in savings)
*Returning players Discounts:
KG from 21 to 8m (Celtics discount)
Ray from 10 to 6m (Celtics discount)
J Green from 9 to 4m (Post surgery discount)
Wilcox from 3 to vet min (Post surgery discount
Every other returning players at the current deals...
*Draft
Again I want Andrew Nicholson and Jeff Taylor (if T. Ross doesn't slide to us...)
*Trades:
JJJ + 2nd Rounder for a 1st Rounder next year...
So when/if the big 3 actually retires we will have a few tools to use...)
*Free Agents:
Andre Miller (6-8m)
Kaman (or Humphries)(8-10m)
In this scenario we would have the following 2013 roster:
Starting 5:
Rondo + Bradley + Pierce + Nicholson + KG
Bench:
A. Miller + Ray Allen + J Green + Bass + Kaman
Moore + Pietrus + J Taylor + Wilcox + Stiemsma
A few Comments:
Cost:
This is basically keeping the same team with players returning at a discount and adding J Green, two Rookies and two Vets!
I think we can afford it :
J Green (4m ) + A miller (8m) + Kaman (or Humphries) (10m) for 22m in total that can be covered by savings from KG (13m), Ray (4m) and the other players gone (7m) for a total of 24m..
Wilcox vet min and JJJ 2nd year rookie deal savings could cancel each other...
Draft:
I would draft Andrew Nicholson as a PRIORITY! and will throw him in the starting 5 to accelerate his development and cover him defensively with KG on his side so he can learn D quickly!!
If we can somehow get Terrence Ross (saw couple of mock draft where he slided to the 20s), then I slide Pietrus at the 3. Otherwise I would draft Jeff Taylor's size, 3 pt shooting and defense as our back up 3 of the future.
Starters:
The starting 5 will be the same as the one during the surge in the 2nd half of the season except for Bass who will be replaced by Nicholson... Maybe give up a little more point defensively but it would give us 2 new options offensively:
1) A 3-point shooting big and
2) A Low post scoring big a la AL Jefferson.
Options:
Such a team would have PLENTY of options :
3 pt shooting: (Ray, Pierce, Moore, Pietrus, Green, Nicholson)
Defense: (Rondo, Bradley, J Taylor, Pietrus, KG, Stiemsma)
Athleticism: (Rondo, Bradley, Taylor, Green, Wilcox)
Vet Experience: (Miller, Ray, Pierce, Wilcox, Garnett, Kaman)
Youth: (Rondo, Moore, Bradley, Green, Taylor, Nicholson, Stiemsma)
Post up: (Miller, Pierce, Green, Nicholson, Kaman)
Mid range J: (Miller, Bradley, Pierce, Bass, Garnett, Kaman)
Conclusion:
This is a very realistic scenario in terms of the Draft (most mock Drafts have A Nicholson and J Taylor in the early 20s..) and somewhat realistic in terms of the free agents (J Green, A Miller and Kaman). A Miller would be the difficult one here but still doable... Rebounding would still need to be a focus but such a team could line up a lot of combinaisons/mismatches offensively! Almost everything would work!!! Rondo would have all the options he can wish for!! Whether it's running or defense, or 3pt shooting, or post up or mid range shooting, etc... We would be competitive NOW and we will be competitive in the years to come (if we manage to adequately replace The retiring big 3 with one big super star or two average big stars!).
What do you think..?? :-)
I personally like Option 2 a lot!!
Poll