Culture of Team Needs to Change

[gpap]

Unless the Celtics surprise this year like they did last year by making the ECF, I think this year was an absolute disappointment of a season.

Sure, the magical streak the team went on after Rondo went down was inspiring, but now we are basically right back to where we were before the Rondo injury, underachieving.

I understand to some fans, they will accept the team regardless of whether they are winning or losing, playing hard or playing like they just don't give a you know what, etc.

But I think alot of the competitive fire this team had in the past has left. Granted, when your two top players are on the wrong side of 30, that's to be expected. Age and injuries catch up.

However, it's up to ownership to steer the ship in the right direction and foresee decline, injuries and old age.

Therefore, I think after this season, the Celts need to trade KG/Pierce (unless they retire) and go in a different direction. I am not suggesting tank and go for the draft in 2014. What I am suggesting is younger, hungrier players who will still be effective but will also want to win year round, not miss segmented times of the season because of ankle injuries and just flip the proverbial switch on and off whenever they wish.

Think back to the culture of the team in 2007-08 when they won 66 games and anything less would be unacceptable.

[Celtics18]

Unless the Celtics surprise this year like they did last year by making the ECF, I think this year was an absolute disappointment of a season.

Sure, the magical streak the team went on after Rondo went down was inspiring, but now we are basically right back to where we were before the Rondo injury, underachieving.

I understand to some fans, they will accept the team regardless of whether they are winning or losing, playing hard or playing like they just don't give a you know what, etc.

But I think alot of the competitive fire this team had in the past has left. Granted, when you're two top players are on the wrong side of 30, that's to be expected. Age and injuries catch up.

However, it's up to ownership to steer the ship in the right direction and foresee decline, injuries and old age.

Therefore, I think after this season, the Celts need to trade KG/Pierce (unless they retire) and go in a different direction. I am not suggesting tank and go for the draft in 2014. What I am suggesting is younger, hungrier players who will still be effective but will also want to win year round, not miss segmented times of the season because of ankle injuries, yada.

Think back to the culture of the team in 2007-08 when they won 66 games and anything less would be unacceptable.

I don't think there's anything wrong with the culture of this team.  I'd like to see Rondo and Sullinger return to full health next year.  I'd also like to see Danny continue to find ways to upgrade the young talent on the team. 

And, yes, I'd like to see them be able to maintain that winning culture that they've developed over the course of the past five years while at the same time rebuilding (or "reloading") for the future. 

[CelticG1]

I think Paul Pierce and KG are the exact cture this team needs. We may need to switch up some things or make changes but I don't think trading those two is a smart idea unless you are going after a complete different culture than what has been successful over the last 5 years.

Out of the guys we could have acquired by trading them during the year does Kris Humpgries, marshon brooks, Deandre jordan, eric bledsoe really scream culture or anythinggood to you at all for that matter?

Only remotely intriguing player is Bledsoe and eeven that interst is luke warm

Remember there needs to be another trading partner for something to happen. Unloading those 2 literally to change some type of "culture" is a little absurd imo.

Culture doesn't need to change. Its that we are not that good right now. Culture has nothing to do with it

[wdleehi]

Unless they add a hungry superstar, the drive in the regular season will stay the same. 


The Celtics leaders are guys that pace themselves through the regular season before they turn it on in the post season. 

[wdleehi]

Plus, it helps to actually having most of your talent playing.  3/5 of the should be starting Celtics lineup is out with injuries.

[clover]

Plus, it helps to actually having most of your talent playing.  3/5 of the should be starting Celtics lineup is out with injuries.

4/5ths, really, if you count Sullinger.

[wdleehi]

Plus, it helps to actually having most of your talent playing.  3/5 of the should be starting Celtics lineup is out with injuries.

4/5ths, really, if you count Sullinger.

Bradley and Pierce are playing right?

[CelticConcourse]

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Agreed.

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Regular season > Playoffs

[zimbo]

I agree with the OP. I'm tired of the pacing, age-related injuries, etc. I believe this contributes the lack-luster starts of the season, multiple-game losing streaks that has now become a recurring theme the past couple of seasons. The turning in on for the playoffs thing can only last so long. It will catch up with them sooner or later. I'd like to see a change in the team culture as well.

[connor]

I think to suggest that moving KG and PP to bring in young guys is a positive culture change is an insult to those guys.

Thats not a cultural change thats a roster overhaul. A cultural change is throughout the organization and your approach to playing the game. To suggest that KG isn't hungry is absurd! He is the most energetic hungry guy out there even at this age, and Paul Pierce is plenty hungry too. I think to suggest moving KG and PP to get a hungrier

Really what you are suggesting is that the roster get significantly younger not hungrier. Guys who aren't going to have to really worry about rest, injuries, leaving something in the tank and are instead out there working hard every day for wins and to get better. But I think part of the reason those young guys have to be out there working every day is because they aren't at the level our current roster guys are at. You will definitely have get players with potential in return, but keep in mind the quality of play overall is going to fall as well. 

I think its definitely something that needs to be considered after this season though. Even with Rondo and Sully coming back next year and some potential minor additions I'm not sure how competitive we are going to be for the championship. And if we aren't competing then, other than nostalgia/respect for our vets, why not move them for some assets (if they are willing) and see if we can build something new?

[Evantime34]

To me the culture of the team is perfect. Established veterans mentor the younger players, stressing defense first and then scoring. It is this exact style of culture that has helped the spurs to continually be good for such a long stretch of time.

[clover]

My only worry on culture is it slipping when KG--and yes, Doc, too--is no longer there.

[Q_FBE]

This turned out to be a transition year after all. Once Pierce and KG retire and move into Celtic management roles it will be up to Rondo, AB (Courtney Lee), Jeff Green, Sully (Brandon Bass), and (Fab Melo) future center to lead the team going forth. Draft picks add future depth. Cheap versatile FAs add current depth. 

[Boris Badenov]

I think to suggest that moving KG and PP to bring in young guys is a positive culture change is an insult to those guys.

Thats not a cultural change thats a roster overhaul. A cultural change is throughout the organization and your approach to playing the game. To suggest that KG isn't hungry is absurd! He is the most energetic hungry guy out there even at this age, and Paul Pierce is plenty hungry too. I think to suggest moving KG and PP to get a hungrier

Really what you are suggesting is that the roster get significantly younger not hungrier. Guys who aren't going to have to really worry about rest, injuries, leaving something in the tank and are instead out there working hard every day for wins and to get better. But I think part of the reason those young guys have to be out there working every day is because they aren't at the level our current roster guys are at. You will definitely have get players with potential in return, but keep in mind the quality of play overall is going to fall as well. 

I think its definitely something that needs to be considered after this season though. Even with Rondo and Sully coming back next year and some potential minor additions I'm not sure how competitive we are going to be for the championship. And if we aren't competing then, other than nostalgia/respect for our vets, why not move them for some assets (if they are willing) and see if we can build something new?

Agreed. I don't understand how you can equate "culture" with age and injuries. I've seen no evidence at all that a single player on this team - especially Pierce or Garnett - is giving less than 100% in terms of preparation and effort. And letting those guys go would be the surest path to destroying our culture I can think of.

We all want to get back to true contention, but just saying we need to get younger and better without offering any concrete plan for doing so doesn't add much to the discussion.

[SHAQATTACK]

Keep KG and Pierce long as they can walk. Put a crown on Greens head .

Trade Lee, Bass, Jet , and Wilcox for a DECENT center.