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

[CFAN38]

I have felt that bringing back the Big 3 was going to be the plan all along.

Plan A was get dwight Howard to pair with RR + PP

Plan B bring everyone back for the length of Paul's contract.


Going with plan B will keep the Cs at least in playoff contention for the next 2 years while we cultivate young talent.

If things go according to plan 2014 the Cs will have a ton of cap room Rondo and Jeff Green will still in there prime. AB, Sully, JJJ, and Melo should all be established (either good or bad) and we will have two subsequent drafts to add more talent.

[Evantime34]

I haven't read all the previous posts in this thread but I wanted to respond to the OP. I think we are in the midst of a revival of Celtics greatness.

Players openly talk about the situation here and how they want to come back. Older players are mentoring the younger players. Younger players are developing the right way being taught by veterans and playing only when they are ready. We are on the short list of most of the good veteran free agents.

 Paul, Ray and Kg will decline in the last years of their contracts, however there are factors that will offset this decline. Rondo has shown an improvement in his jump shot, I expect this to continue and him to cement himself as the second best pg in the league. If we resign Green Ray and bring in Terry we will have the deepest bench the Celtics have had in a while. We're going to have youth at every position, learning and ready to pick up the slack when the older guys don't have it on a given night.

[mctyson]

I have felt that bringing back the Big 3 was going to be the plan all along.

Plan A was get dwight Howard to pair with RR + PP

Plan B bring everyone back for the length of Paul's contract.


Going with plan B will keep the Cs at least in playoff contention for the next 2 years while we cultivate young talent.

If things go according to plan 2014 the Cs will have a ton of cap room Rondo and Jeff Green will still in there prime. AB, Sully, JJJ, and Melo should all be established (either good or bad) and we will have two subsequent drafts to add more talent.

Think you have this a little mixed up.  The window revolves around Rondo, not Pierce.  We have Rondo locked up for 3 more years.  Basically a 2-year Rondo-centered nucleus now with KG and Pierce (possibly Ray and MLE-guy) as the vets, Bradley, Green, Sullinger, JJJ, Melo, Moore as the youth.

[Moranis]

well lost Ray brought back Green and Bass on relatively big and relatively long contracts.  Not sure that really improves the situation at all.  In fact that increases my anxiety over this team. 

[Neurotic Guy]

well lost Ray brought back Green and Bass on relatively big and relatively long contracts.  Not sure that really improves the situation at all.  In fact that increases my anxiety over this team. 

The contracts are a necessity for the team to maximize its options post-KG/PP.  These are 2 very tradeable contracts (especially in a couple of years) with 2 likely good and relatively young players.  You need contracts with some money in order to get great players via trade.  I think it's likely that DA prefers good trading chips to cap space.   

[Who]

well lost Ray brought back Green and Bass on relatively big and relatively long contracts.  Not sure that really improves the situation at all.  In fact that increases my anxiety over this team. 

The contracts are a necessity for the team to maximize its options post-KG/PP.  These are 2 very tradeable contracts (especially in a couple of years) with 2 likely good and relatively young players.  You need contracts with some money in order to get great players via trade.  I think it's likely that DA prefers good trading chips to cap space.   

I think both contracts (Bass + Green) have limited trade value. I wouldn't get too excited about the trade possibilities.

[Rondo2287]

well lost Ray brought back Green and Bass on relatively big and relatively long contracts.  Not sure that really improves the situation at all.  In fact that increases my anxiety over this team. 

The contracts are a necessity for the team to maximize its options post-KG/PP.  These are 2 very tradeable contracts (especially in a couple of years) with 2 likely good and relatively young players.  You need contracts with some money in order to get great players via trade.  I think it's likely that DA prefers good trading chips to cap space.   

I think both contracts (Bass + Green) have limited trade value. I wouldn't get too excited about the trade possibilities.

I agree about the limited trade value, though I think having these caliber of players are very important for this season and next.  Green and Bass are both Servicable NBA starters.  If we can find a starting Caliber Center somewhere, Bass and Green will allow us to significantly cut KG and Pierce's minutes so they will hopefully be fresh/healthy for the playoffs. 

If it works out like this I don't think we are looking at mediocrity.  I think we are looking at 2nd to 3rd round playoff runs the next two years.

[Moranis]

well lost Ray brought back Green and Bass on relatively big and relatively long contracts.  Not sure that really improves the situation at all.  In fact that increases my anxiety over this team. 

The contracts are a necessity for the team to maximize its options post-KG/PP.  These are 2 very tradeable contracts (especially in a couple of years) with 2 likely good and relatively young players.  You need contracts with some money in order to get great players via trade.  I think it's likely that DA prefers good trading chips to cap space.   

I think both contracts (Bass + Green) have limited trade value. I wouldn't get too excited about the trade possibilities.

I agree about the limited trade value, though I think having these caliber of players are very important for this season and next.  Green and Bass are both Servicable NBA starters.  If we can find a starting Caliber Center somewhere, Bass and Green will allow us to significantly cut KG and Pierce's minutes so they will hopefully be fresh/healthy for the playoffs. 

If it works out like this I don't think we are looking at mediocrity.  I think we are looking at 2nd to 3rd round playoff runs the next two years.

What is the point in that?

[kg is king]

well lost Ray brought back Green and Bass on relatively big and relatively long contracts.  Not sure that really improves the situation at all.  In fact that increases my anxiety over this team. 

The contracts are a necessity for the team to maximize its options post-KG/PP.  These are 2 very tradeable contracts (especially in a couple of years) with 2 likely good and relatively young players.  You need contracts with some money in order to get great players via trade.  I think it's likely that DA prefers good trading chips to cap space.   

I think both contracts (Bass + Green) have limited trade value. I wouldn't get too excited about the trade possibilities.

I agree about the limited trade value, though I think having these caliber of players are very important for this season and next.  Green and Bass are both Servicable NBA starters.  If we can find a starting Caliber Center somewhere, Bass and Green will allow us to significantly cut KG and Pierce's minutes so they will hopefully be fresh/healthy for the playoffs. 

If it works out like this I don't think we are looking at mediocrity.  I think we are looking at 2nd to 3rd round playoff runs the next two years.

What is the point in that?

The point is to give us opportunities to make a run. We can't expect to be favorites every single season. In fact, Miami will be for the next few years. I know this is Boston and all that, but given the reality of the situation, I like our situation. It's just unrealistic to think we can win the title year in and year out.

[Moranis]

well lost Ray brought back Green and Bass on relatively big and relatively long contracts.  Not sure that really improves the situation at all.  In fact that increases my anxiety over this team. 

The contracts are a necessity for the team to maximize its options post-KG/PP.  These are 2 very tradeable contracts (especially in a couple of years) with 2 likely good and relatively young players.  You need contracts with some money in order to get great players via trade.  I think it's likely that DA prefers good trading chips to cap space.   

I think both contracts (Bass + Green) have limited trade value. I wouldn't get too excited about the trade possibilities.

I agree about the limited trade value, though I think having these caliber of players are very important for this season and next.  Green and Bass are both Servicable NBA starters.  If we can find a starting Caliber Center somewhere, Bass and Green will allow us to significantly cut KG and Pierce's minutes so they will hopefully be fresh/healthy for the playoffs. 

If it works out like this I don't think we are looking at mediocrity.  I think we are looking at 2nd to 3rd round playoff runs the next two years.

What is the point in that?

The point is to give us opportunities to make a run. We can't expect to be favorites every single season. In fact, Miami will be for the next few years. I know this is Boston and all that, but given the reality of the situation, I like our situation. It's just unrealistic to think we can win the title year in and year out.

Sure it is unrealistic to think you can win year in and year out, but it isn't unrealistic to want to believe that your team could win at some point.  This Boston team, I just don't see as being a title contender without major roster overhaul, and the team is now in no position to achieve that major roster overhaul since it destroyed its cap space on role players and older stars.  I can't see Boston winning a title for at least 6 years, and that isn't the place I ever want to be in as a sports fan. 

[Yoki_IsTheName]

All I can say is, say KG and Pierce calls it a career and ROndo gets resigned. We'll have

Cap room.

Rondo
Bradley
Green
Sully and Melo (if they pan out which I think they will)

and cap room.

I woulnd't call that a championship team. But with the right moves it could be. That's a very solid core.

BTW:

I like the "player to be named later" tag. I LOL'd. Can we just replace it with Kenny Anderson maybe?

[soap07]

People on this board are using the common refrain that we pushed the champs to 7 games.


We pushed the champs to 7 games in large part because the Heat were missing one of their best players - Chris Bosh. Avery Bradley's role on the C's was in no way, shape or form close to the role Bosh played on the Heat. Bosh is a 7 time All Star averaging a career 20/9. Avery Bradley had one good half of a season - and even then, it was as a role player.

Similarly, we were pushed to 7 games by an 8th seed in which our third best player was better than their best player. What does that tell you?

Additionally, people are forgetting that a big reason that we faced the 76ers in the second round is because of the Rose injury. If Rose doesn't come down badly on that knee, I think the playoffs would have been a lot different.

Yes, we're deeper next year with Green and Terry added, and with a healthy Bradley coming back. But it doesn't change the fact that we are a second tier contender at the best - more in line with the Flip Saunders era Pistons than with the Miami/LA/OKCs of the world.

[Moranis]

All I can say is, say KG and Pierce calls it a career and ROndo gets resigned. We'll have

Cap room.

Rondo
Bradley
Green
Sully and Melo (if they pan out which I think they will)

and cap room.

I woulnd't call that a championship team. But with the right moves it could be. That's a very solid core.

BTW:

I like the "player to be named later" tag. I LOL'd. Can we just replace it with Kenny Anderson maybe?

Yeah, but that lineup doesn't go into effect for three or four years, when it could be the team next summer.  That is the problem with all these moves, it just delays the possibility of real contending.

I would have offered KG a 1 year, up to 15 million dollar contract, if he retired so be it, if not great.  I wouldn't have given Bass anywhere near the dollars or years.  If he left, so be it.  Green I would have given 1 year, 9/10 million to see if he was healthy and still the player he was before the heart condition.  I wouldn't have given any other player (unless small dollars) more than 1 year.  I would have then taken stock next summer and saw where the team was.  If it made sense to re-sign KG, Green, etc., it could have happened then, and it wouldn't have destroyed Boston's shot at signing guys like Josh Smith, Al Jefferson, etc. next summer during free agency.

[BballTim]

People on this board are using the common refrain that we pushed the champs to 7 games.

We pushed the champs to 7 games in large part because the Heat were missing one of their best players - Chris Bosh. Avery Bradley's role on the C's was in no way, shape or form close to the role Bosh played on the Heat. Bosh is a 7 time All Star averaging a career 20/9. Avery Bradley had one good half of a season - and even then, it was as a role player.

  The team was playing much better with Bradley in the lineup than Ray, both in the regular season and in the playoffs. That's what's important in comparing what difference they would make to the performance of the *team*. Comparing Bradley's and Bosh's individual roles, stats or career accomplishments  to determine how they'd affect the series is being unable to see the forest for the trees.

[pearljammer10]

People on this board are using the common refrain that we pushed the champs to 7 games.

We pushed the champs to 7 games in large part because the Heat were missing one of their best players - Chris Bosh. Avery Bradley's role on the C's was in no way, shape or form close to the role Bosh played on the Heat. Bosh is a 7 time All Star averaging a career 20/9. Avery Bradley had one good half of a season - and even then, it was as a role player.

  The team was playing much better with Bradley in the lineup than Ray, both in the regular season and in the playoffs. That's what's important in comparing what difference they would make to the performance of the *team*. Comparing Bradley's and Bosh's individual roles, stats or career accomplishments  to determine how they'd affect the series is being unable to see the forest for the trees.

Yes they were missing bosh which is a huge part of their team, and apparently greatly underated and underappreciated by the media. However we had injuries to Bradley, Green, and Wilcox. I believe in team play. And if we could have thrown Green on James for  a while and Green and Wilcox on Bosh it could have been a different series with a more favorable outcome for us. Then again maybe not. Regardless, having a full healthy squad and adding Terry will still make us very competetive and a chance at contention.