Danny Ainge - Perfect Balance

[ScottHow]

As someone else said, it's more about your core players ages than about frindge players on a team. Although I do have hope that Sullinger/Melo can contribute next year.

[LarBrd33]

1.
What a great job by Danny Ainge and the Celtics management. We are going to see some very, very good basketball over the next two years. And I think it will only be for two more years - the three Amigos will all retire at the end of Pierce's contract - that's why Danny is offering Ray two years - he probably knows KG won't play after Pierce's contract runs out.

2. WE are one of the youngest teams in the league:

Melo / Steamer
Sullinger / JJJ
Jeff Green / Kris Joseph
Bradley / Moore
Rondo

The "majority" of our team is actually quite young.

"IF" all these guys pan out like they appear they can, Ainge will be building a very nice young core of talented players & potential trade assets. I think most of them will in fact pan out to be "solid" NBA players.

3. Yes - KG, Pierce, Terry and hopefully Ray are all long in the tooth. However, as they all proved they can still play some really, really good basketball when it matters most - if when all banged up.

Expect Paul, KG, Ray and Terry to get "a lot" of back up and rest this season from our bench. If they are banged up they should be able to take nights off, no problem. If this team goes into the playoffs healthy, look out.

4. Our core vets ( Rondo, Terry, Ray, Pierce & KG are locked in for two years together ) great for continuity.

They also get to mentor our young core of guys for the next two years and show them how to be pros - those young guys will then carry that forward.

Given some half decent luck with injuries - this team could very well throw another banner up this year or next. if not we have to be considered in contention - top five teams.

When Pierce, Ray, KG and Terry come off in two years - we will have some cap space to add some major free agents to this young group, or, as mentioned before, we should have some very nice assets to trade for some key players.

Great balance of youth and veterans - and a powerhouse of a team already by just adding Terry, Green and Bradley back.

I think Ainge is not done either. It's a great time to be a Celtic fan. We're going to win now and we've got a lot of quality youth in the wings. Excellent.         

I felt like we really overachieved this year to get as far as we did.  I don't think we had any business playing in the ECF let alone pushing the champs to 7 games.  Actually, had Rose been healthy we probably wouldn't have made it out of the 2nd round.  The good news is that we should be a significantly better team this year if we can remain healthy. Jeff Green should be a big help off the bench.  Jason Terry is a good undersized scorer off the bench.  I think maybe two of the young players can contribute (probably Bradley and Sullinger) while the rest of the projects get time in the D-League/end of the bench.  As far as having a "perfect balance"...  We have a nice mix, but it's far from perfect.  We're still greatly lacking in quality size beyond KG.  I have very little expectation of our young players.  Who is playing center if not KG?  And if KG is playing center who starts if Bass flees?  Jeff Green out of position again?  It's still a significant issue.  Signing a 6'2 shooting guard can't fix that.

Overall I think we'll be improved.  I don't know if it will be "enough", but we should be improved.

[mctyson]

What a great job by Danny Ainge and the Celtics management.

I think we have one of the best executive teams (Wyc & Co.) and one of the best GMs in all of sports.  They have assembled a great core of players that not only win, but compete against the odds and are the types of athletes you want to root for.

We are going to see some very, very good basketball over the next two years. And I think it will only be for two more years - the three Amigos will all retire at the end of Pierce's contract - that's why Danny is offering Ray two years - he probably knows KG won't play after Pierce's contract runs out.

I agree on the Pierce issue, but look one year further and that is the end of Rondo's contract.  That could really be the "blow it up" year.  Or maybe we extend Rondo then because we have added enough good young players via the draft, or Danny swings another KG-like trade.

WE are one of the youngest teams in the league:

I wrote a long post on this issue a while back.  We certainly have more "young" players on our team than "old" players.  

If this team goes into the playoffs healthy, look out.

We should all expect KG, Pierce, (Ray if he comes back), and even Rondo to have their minutes ratcheted down significantly next season.  Maybe not Rondo, but if Doc is smart he'll get Rondo to sit a little more too.

It's a great time to be a Celtic fan. We're going to win now and we've got a lot of quality youth in the wings. Excellent.

You never know with Danny.  Who expected us to be in the running for David West last year?  Who expected the Perk trade?  

He is always looking for a way to make our team better.  Emphasis on the word "team" and emphasis on "better."  A lot of NBA GMs do trades and signings because they feel they have to, or they feel they have to bring in a name to get fans in the arena.  

Danny knows that in Boston it is about hanging banners in the rafters.  He knows championships are built around stars and generational talents that sacrifice for the team, and that the team is filled with players of different capabilities who accept their role and execute it for the team.  We have those types of players, specifically KG and Rondo.  

That's why Dwight Howard was never coming here.  He would never sacrifice one penny or one ounce of personal interest for his team to be successful.  We don't want or need players like that.  Same thing about Josh Smith, though I think he could be  converted.  That's why we took Jason Terry over Nick Young.

We just need to find those players, either through the draft or through trades, that will continue this legacy over the next decade.  I am glad Danny brought the team back for this reason.

[SHAQATTACK]

DAnnys job is to put a "GOOD SHOW" on the court for fans. Its entertainment.   

Some GM's thinksits all about the "PERSON" , or having a teenage dream hoopster or the LATEST and greatest talent or rather name., even if your team can't play ball, well we got a big name the kids want to see.  Just get big stars in one place ( young ones) so the kids will go crazy)  is enough for some places.

Danny seems to be REALLY about winning , 8-80 blind , or ugly ...he wants to field a team that can win.

It's nice that OKC has all, young superstars ,but thats not the norm, very rare , and eventually they will become too expensive to maintain.

Danny does's a good job getting talent to Boston,  as it doesn't seem to be city that all the superstars want to live. And with the caps , you can't offer enough money to make people forget about living in the northern climate.

Biggest thing Danny can do is keep Doc Rivers in Boston....at any cost.....Doc is becoming a coaching icon fast , so having the best coach and everything else helps bring in the players.

I'm glade Danny didn't sell off everybody for a chance at Howard. Drafting is the hard way to get back on top, just look at the Bobcats, they have had years and years of lottery picks and still suck .

Good to know the game can be still be about bastetball in Boston and not the circus that goes on in other clubs.