I feel like we're quickly headed to two years of mediocrity

[tonyto3690]

If Ray resigns that means we'll have Pierce and Ray for two more years and KG for 2, possibly 3.  We can't expect any of them to do anything but get worse from here on out. 

This year we got by because of KG playing his best ball since 2007 and carrying this team with Rondo.  I really don't see KG being able to duplicate that next year, let alone 2 or 3 years down the road. 

What happened to keeping cap flexibility Ainge?  What happened to not hanging on too long?  Why he is giving Ray a two year deal and KG a 3 year deal (I thought 2 years was pushing it, let alone 3) is just mindboggling.  Pierce is overpaid and got too many years as well.  I'm not saying we need to blow it up, but we shouldn't be preparing ourselves to get stuck in no mans land as a stinker 8 seed.

[esel1000]

its not mediocrity... its changing the focus of the team and getting the best FAs available.

If anything the teams gonna be better and deeper this year. Even with the same guys its not a big 3 anymore. Rays a role player off the bench for example. But it is a deep team if DA plays his cards right.

Last years Spurs, case and point

[wdleehi]

It's this or watch Rondo and Pierce become really frustrated the next two seasons being the 7th or 8th seed. 


I will take the chance that this group can push the Heat again and maybe pull off the upset. 

[Celtics Fan]

I think Paul needs to restructure his contract especially after last years eastern conference finals. He played horrible. His ass needs to be in the gym right now. Working hard and getting back to what made him great. Getting to the free throw line.

[rondohondo]

1)There are no worthy free agents of a big contract this summer

2) We are the 2nd best team in the east even if Dwight goes to NJ their roster isn't going to be deep at all. Rose won't be back to normal for another year

3) The vets keep the winning culture to pass on to younger c's (Bradley,JJJ,Green,Sullinger,Melo). What better teachers do these guys have than future hall of fame players?

4) If these young players play up to their full potential they will become valuable trade chips. Maybe a package of Green and Sullinger (if they play well early in the season) and picks will be able to land you a guy like Josh Smith around the trade deadline....

[Roy H.]

Cap flexibility is all well and good, but you need to be able to convert that cap space into actual players.  Danny didn't see any free agents out there that would help this team as much as KG, Ray, Green, etc.

[libermaniac]

It's called rebuilding on the fly.  As far back as 2010, I was for blowing up the team at the trade deadline and starting over. I thought their run was through.  But, they've come within a few injuries of adding another title.

The C's have been able to add Avery Bradley, Jared Sullinger, JJJ and Fab Melo without missing a step.  In 2 years, they will have tons of cap space again, and perhaps 2-3 of the guys other than Rondo will develop into legit NBA players.  So, when PP, KG, and Ray (yes I said it - he will sign here) are off the books, we won't have to start from square 1.

I honestly believe that this year, Doc will start seriously pulling back the minutes of the big 3 and letting the young guys play a lot more.  We already saw that with Avery/Ray.  This is not the same mistake Red made with the previous Big 3.  When PP, KG and Ray are gone, I don't think we are going to see a long dry spell of losing seasons with this team.

[apc]

Cap flexibility is all well and good, but you need to be able to convert that cap space into actual players.  Danny didn't see any free agents out there that would help this team as much as KG, Ray, Green, etc.

Do we have any flexibility to get any FA next year,if we commit 17 mill to KG and RA?

[RJ87]

Agree with the OP.

This roster needs a shake up in the worst way. Maybe Danny has something up his sleeve that will allow us to get younger and more athletic so that we can keep up in the East (let's be real guys, outside of Miami, Atlanta and Philly gave us a run for our money and we didn't even have to deal with Chicago. The East is getting more athletic by the year. We're getting left in the dust.)

[hpantazo]

I love our strategy. We are still a top 5 team, and we managed to add a great young core of:

Rondo
Bradley
Green (probably)
Sullinger
Melo

JJJ
Moore

We can either use this group as our foundation going forward, or if they gain enough value, trade them for a proven star. We are in great shape with the vets around to teach them.

[tyrone biggums]

If Ray resigns that means we'll have Pierce and Ray for two more years and KG for 2, possibly 3.  We can't expect any of them to do anything but get worse from here on out.  

This year we got by because of KG playing his best ball since 2007 and carrying this team with Rondo.  I really don't see KG being able to duplicate that next year, let alone 2 or 3 years down the road.  

What happened to keeping cap flexibility Ainge?  What happened to not hanging on too long?  Why he is giving Ray a two year deal and KG a 3 year deal (I thought 2 years was pushing it, let alone 3) is just mindboggling.  Pierce is overpaid and got too many years as well.  I'm not saying we need to blow it up, but we shouldn't be preparing ourselves to get stuck in no mans land as a stinker 8 seed.

Well lets look at this from an unbiased point of view

1) Do you really think that the Knicks will all of a sudden figure out how to play with each other?

2) The cHeat are obviously a concern and the best team in the East, but the Celtics still pushed them to seven games without Avery Bradley (a perimeter defender who could have been on Wade or Bron) which was one of the Celtics main weaknesses in the ECF.

3) The Celtics have more youth on the bench in Sullinger, Bradley, JJJ, Moore, Green (probably coming back) and Melo. The myth about the Celtics being an old team is just that, a myth. They actually are not an old team at all they just don't have anyone starting under 30 except Rondo. Think of this as an apprentice type deal in which they're developing Sullinger to replace KG, Bradley to replace Ray, Green to replace Pierce etc...

4) How many teams in the East can you honestly say are better than Boston next year

-Miami

Maybe
-Chicago (Doesn't have Rose for the first half of the season)

-Indiana depending on what happens with Hibbert of course

-Philly has Lou Williams as a free agent who was big off the bench for them, and Spencer Hawes is probably gone, although they did draft two pretty solid players

-Knicks, read #1

-Brooklyn depends on D-Will and Dwight Howard

That's it...the Hawks are blowing it up so they aren't a big threat and I doubt any of these teams in the maybe section are as well. Chicago probably is looking at being a threat again in 2013 since Rose needs time to get his legs under him but maybe they'll surprise people

[tyrone biggums]

Agree with the OP.

This roster needs a shake up in the worst way. Maybe Danny has something up his sleeve that will allow us to get younger and more athletic so that we can keep up in the East (let's be real guys, outside of Miami, Atlanta and Philly gave us a run for our money and we didn't even have to deal with Chicago. The East is getting more athletic by the year. We're getting left in the dust.)

I get the blow it up stuff, I do...but what would you like Ainge to do? Who is out there? We could always overpay a guy like Gordon or Batum and be in Bobcat land for the next decade, which quite a few of you wouldn't mind anyways.

[Roy H.]

Cap flexibility is all well and good, but you need to be able to convert that cap space into actual players.  Danny didn't see any free agents out there that would help this team as much as KG, Ray, Green, etc.

Do we have any flexibility to get any FA next year,if we commit 17 mill to KG and RA?

If we sign KG, Ray, and Green, we won't have any cap space next year.

[Roy H.]

Maybe Danny has something up his sleeve that will allow us to get younger and more athletic so that we can keep up in the East (let's be real guys, outside of Miami, Atlanta and Philly gave us a run for our money and we didn't even have to deal with Chicago. The East is getting more athletic by the year. We're getting left in the dust.)

We were one game away from the finals, and that's without Bradley and Green, and with a hobbled Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.  Are we really that much worse than the teams we finished ahead of?

[clover]

Bradley's a starter, not a bench player.