Jeff Green into the Starting Lineup

[dark_lord]

Perhaps Green's best game of the year comes during a game where Pierce went nuts from 3 and put up 27 while playing good defense on Durant and making him work.

Not only is this a terrible idea, it might be as poorly timed a time to mention it as there could be.

One game doesn't effect my outlook on the season nearly as much as most everyone else on this board. 

Hence the ridiculous overreaction after one game.  One game.  People, please calm down.  Jeff's been TERRIBLE this season up until yesterday.  And all of a sudden, he should be our starter.  Let's be real here.  He hasn't shown enough.  His lack of effort on the court should be our main concern.  Like I said, he needs to be traded if we can get something better

You are totally misrepresenting my suggestion.  I was suggesting this because of how inconsistent JG is as a reserve, not because of one scoring outburst.

Since when do you get awarded a starters role from being inconsistent off the bench tho lol.

celticsblog, where waaaaay outside the box happens

[Professor of Rondology]

Since when do you get awarded a starters role from being inconsistent off the bench tho lol.

Since we invested in JG for the future and we need that investment to pay dividends.  We 100% need Green to play well.  Unfortunately, the "trade Green for JSmoove" plan isn't gonna happen.  If Jeff can't get going, we're toast.  The Celtics need to do everything they can to allow JG to thrive.  That includes taking risks, like moving Pierce to the bench.

I am aware that it will cost us games in the short term, but without Green as a significant contributor we are not even close to winning a championship, so I'll sacrifice some wins if it is what Jeff needs to consistently contribute.

[Professor of Rondology]

This is not rewarding JG for his play off the bench. 

This would be a last-ditch effort at making JG an impact player for this team.

If we get more outbursts like the OKC game than this would obviously never happen.

[Fafnir]

Since when do you get awarded a starters role from being inconsistent off the bench tho lol.

Since we invested in JG for the future and we need that investment to pay dividends.  We 100% need Green to play well.  Unfortunately, the "trade Green for JSmoove" plan isn't gonna happen.  If Jeff can't get going, we're toast.  The Celtics need to do everything they can to allow JG to thrive.  That includes taking risks, like moving Pierce to the bench.

I am aware that it will cost us games in the short term, but without Green as a significant contributor we are not even close to winning a championship, so I'll sacrifice some wins if it is what Jeff needs to consistently contribute.

You need to fix your post, I did not say what you have attributed to me in a quote box.

[Fafnir]

This is not rewarding JG for his play off the bench. 

This would be a last-ditch effort at making JG an impact player for this team.

If we get more outbursts like the OKC game than this would obviously never happen.

Maybe we should attempt to continue to work with him as a bench player then instead of making a last ditch attempt just 13 games into the season.

[dark_lord]

This is not rewarding JG for his play off the bench. 

This would be a last-ditch effort at making JG an impact player for this team.

If we get more outbursts like the OKC game than this would obviously never happen.

13 games and its a last ditch effort?!?!

the plan with green has always seemed like he would help off the bench and help bridge the gap between now and the future and hopefully be a suitable replacement for pierce.

he is not pierce's replacement now

[Galeto]

It's not a matter of Doc having balls or not in bringing Pierce off the bench, it's whether he's stupid or not. Pierce is the much better player in every category over Green.  Frankly this team isn't good enough to get by with Pierce playing only 25 minutes a game and adjusting to a role he's never had in his career.

If Green is going to start, it's going to be at the expense of Bass.  That I would like to see.

[Professor of Rondology]

Since when do you get awarded a starters role from being inconsistent off the bench tho lol.

Since we invested in JG for the future and we need that investment to pay dividends.  We 100% need Green to play well.  Unfortunately, the "trade Green for JSmoove" plan isn't gonna happen.  If Jeff can't get going, we're toast.  The Celtics need to do everything they can to allow JG to thrive.  That includes taking risks, like moving Pierce to the bench.

I am aware that it will cost us games in the short term, but without Green as a significant contributor we are not even close to winning a championship, so I'll sacrifice some wins if it is what Jeff needs to consistently contribute.

You need to fix your post, I did not say what you have attributed to me in a quote box.

Apologies. I tried to delete some of the quote to de-clutter the post, apparently I screwed something up. 

This is not rewarding JG for his play off the bench. 

This would be a last-ditch effort at making JG an impact player for this team.

If we get more outbursts like the OKC game than this would obviously never happen.

Maybe we should attempt to continue to work with him as a bench player then instead of making a last ditch attempt just 13 games into the season.

I never said that I wanted Doc to start JG next game.  I just brought up the possibility for down the road. 
You're certainly right, making such a move at this point would be ridiculous.

[indeedproceed]

since when is pierce injury prone

As he's gotten older he's gotten more injury prone.  Is that even disputable?


This just in- Hondo was a 6th man! Mchale was a 6th man! Bringing a HOFer off the bench is not unprecedented, people!

Its not unprecedented if that's where they spent most of their time, or its very early, or very late in their careers.

It is pretty unprecedented when they're the undisputed starter, better player, still in the tail end of their prime, franchise cornerstone, and team captain. That's pretty unprecedented.

Good point.  Red Auerbach might counter that unprecedented moves sometimes win championships.

He might. I doubt that he'd say putting Pierce on the bench was one of those unprecedented moves though. He'd approve of playing LeBron James at the 4, though.

[Professor of Rondology]

I still think that Pierce could thrive in a 6th man role (and I think it would extend his career several years), but I admit that the extreme negative reaction (and lack of much of any positive reaction)  to the OP has made me rethink my original idea.  I was never trying to state that this move is necessary, but before this thread I did think that there was a very slim chance of it happening this year.  Now, I am hoping that JG grows into his role as a reserve this year, so that in the future Pierce can come off the bench once PP's production begins to dip (assuming Pierce doesn't retire).

I fully realize that there is virtually no chance that Doc even considers this move this year.

Thank you to all who responded with constructive criticism and insightful analysis.  Not so much to those who added snarky comments and sarcastic digs.

Go Celtics!

[vinnie]

Strongly disagree with Green replacing Pierce in the starting lineup. Maybe Bass, although we all know that Green is also not a great choice to start at power forward. I think Doc just needs to figure out how to get Green more minutes to get a better idea as to what he might be able to offer this team.

[Professor of Rondology]

Oh, and I'm sorry if I was curt or disrespectful to any of you.  I shouldn't complain about snarky comments since I know that over the interwebz a lot of what I say could be percieved as snarky.  I was trying to respond to a million comments at once and my disorganized brain does not do well when it has to work that fast.

[nostar]

I didn't read most of this thread but here is my take.

I like Green in the starting lineup but not in place of Pierce. I think a Rondo/AB/PP/Green/KG lineup is a very quick, very lethal lineup.

People who say he can't play the 4 are wrong. He can play the 4 if he gets the right coaching. He will need to be a slashing 4 like Melo or Durant have been. We'll give up a little on the defensive end because he'll get bullied but we have a pretty great team defense and a couple of guys on the bench to shore up if things get out of hand.

Green at the 4 means that he will easily log +35 minutes per game and it means Bass's minutes will be cut back significantly. It means Green can get his rhythm every night and keep it. It means he feels like this is his team. I'm all for it.

(unless we trade for Millsap!)

[mrpoundforpound]

I say we trade PP and build for the future around Rondo and Jeff Green. Garnett is still effective on defense but Pierce has clearly lost a step or 2. with a core of rondo green and bradley with some pieces from the pierce trade and vet leadership from garnett we will be contenders very soon.

[vinnie]

I say we trade PP and build for the future around Rondo and Jeff Green. Garnett is still effective on defense but Pierce has clearly lost a step or 2. with a core of rondo green and bradley with some pieces from the pierce trade and vet leadership from garnett we will be contenders very soon.

You have got to be kidding me. Let's trade the guy who has played for this team for 15 years (I think 15) and played on some of the worst Celtics teams in history, yet continued to bust his butt. Let's trade the captain of the team who can still light it up. Let's trade a guy who has already joined the best Celtics players in hitory -- Bird, McHale, Russell, Parish and Havlicek. In other words, not a very good idea.

Just thinking about building a team around Rondo and Jeff Green  makes me woozy.