The Rondo-Bradley-Green-Sullinger era

[crimson_stallion]

Then again Al Jefferson would also fill that empty spot.

Yeah, plus his attrocious defense would help the opponent fill up their box scores to!

[crimson_stallion]

I love the kid but we ultimately may look to move Avery Bradley at some point. We probably need a bigger scoring threat at the 2 guard spot. Either that or we move Rondo for a scoring big like Cousins.
I'd actually like us to keep Rondo and move Bradley+Green for Cousins.

Make it the Rondo, Cousins, Sully era.
Put a nice free agent small forward and and shooting guard next to those guys.

Potential powerhouse.

So let me get this straight

You keep the guy who has a discipline problem, who lacks the offensive talent to carry a team, and whom we have already proven we can win just as well without (Rondo).

Then you move a guy who has just beat heart surgery, elevated his game to a whole other level, and proven he can carry a team offensively as a very efficient 20PPG+ scorer (as well as the occasional 30 and 40 point games to go with it) along with a guy who is statistically the best individual defender in the entire league...in return for a big man with a major attitude problem who also happens to be one of the most inefficient front-court scorers (and one of the worst front-court defenders) in the entire league.

What part of this makes sense?

Jeff Green came back from a surgery that he had last year, and look at how poorly he played when he first came back.  There was obviously a mental factor holding him back from going hard (at the risk of reinjuring himself) along with the physical limitations from being out so long, and the lack of rhythm to add to that.  Then once he started to get his wind and rhythm back he has exploded, averaging over 20 PPG on better than 50% shooting from the field and over 40% from three.  I've seen Paul Pierce defer to Green for an entire quarter because he has that much confidence in his ability to score seemingly at will...and the scariest part is that Green is doing it all while still playing very laid back.  Every night that he has scores 25 it looks like he could have scored 40 if he wanted to because he's just that efficient.  For the present we desperately need a bigtime scorer who can take pressure off Pierce, and Green is exactly that.  For the future we need a legit >20 PPG guy who can take over for Pierce as our #1 scorer, and Green has shown he has the potential to be that guy too..and if he realises that potential his contact will be the biggest steal in the league.  Not to mention the fact that he seems to consistently defend opposing star swingmen better than any other man in the NBA right now. The defense he has played on Carmello, Durant and Lebron has been out of this world.

This isn't a "Bash Rondo" post either...I love Rondo and there is nothing I'd love to see more than Rondo and Green learning to play together.  I want both of those guys here.  But the sad truth is we need Green more.  Lack of scoring is the greatest weakness we have, and in a league where the biggest scoring threats are mostly swingmen, a defensive stopper who can slow those guys is critical.  Rondo is a great passer and playmaker, without him we are still a great passing team. 

As for Bradley, look at how long it took Green to get back to form...Bradley is only 22 years old, so give him time.  He actually has a pretty nice jump shot, he just needs to find his confidence and those shots will start falling.  He still needs to get his rythm back, and once he does he'll be fine.

Cousins is not the answer.  I once thought he was, but he's not.  We really could use a talented ig, but that doesn't mean we should take the first flawed big man we can find that has talent.  Find a guy who fits the culture and the needs of the team...give it time and that guy will pop up for us.

 

[Lightskinsmurf]

I hope I never see this era.

[nickagneta]

Not an era I am looking forward to. Lots of role players does not a playoff contender make. Sort of reminds me of that era when Cowens and Hondo were on their last legs in the late 70's.

Of course, there's no Red Auerbach here and Larry Bird players can't be drafted a year ahead of time so it probably won't turn out the same.

[nickagneta]

What part of this makes sense?

The part where you keep Rondo, the much better player, and get rid of the player, Green, that is showing flashes that when he is a number one option on a bad team he can produce but when he is a role player on a contender he disappears.

Rondo is a proven playoff commodity. Green can light it up if his team stinks. I want the playoff commodity.

Honestly, they can both be traded as far as I am concerned if it brings in a singular talent that could become a superduperstar and lead the team to another title.

[BballTim]

I love the kid but we ultimately may look to move Avery Bradley at some point. We probably need a bigger scoring threat at the 2 guard spot. Either that or we move Rondo for a scoring big like Cousins.
I'd actually like us to keep Rondo and move Bradley+Green for Cousins.

Make it the Rondo, Cousins, Sully era.
Put a nice free agent small forward and and shooting guard next to those guys.

Potential powerhouse.

So let me get this straight

You keep the guy who has a discipline problem, who lacks the offensive talent to carry a team, and whom we have already proven we can win just as well without (Rondo).

   We haven't proven we can win just as well without Rondo. If we get to the conference finals and give the Heat a run for their money the people who have been making that claim will have a leg to stand on, otherwise it's all a bunch of hogwash.

[xmuscularghandix]

Then again Al Jefferson would also fill that empty spot.

Yeah, plus his attrocious defense would help the opponent fill up their box scores to!

You watch the Utah game last night?

[clover]

I just want Rondo traded before Danny has to overpay on his next contract, because I think he needs two real studs with him to win it all.

[syfy9]

Then again Al Jefferson would also fill that empty spot.

Yeah, plus his attrocious defense would help the opponent fill up their box scores to!

You watch the Utah game last night?

Al's defense is not horrible. Right now, it's at least average.

Then take account how much he helps you offensively - he's the most skilled big man in the NBA. He's a McHale lite.

[Evantime34]

To me this is a solid young core to build around but it is unrealistic to say that those four will be the only members of the core.

When KG and Pierce retire you can believe that Ainge will get something for them, whether it is dealing them to a team looking to get cap space before the papers are finalized or the cap space we will get from their contracts (if they retire I wouldn't be shocked if Jet did the same)

[StartOrien]

Sam Dalembert is a guy that could prbably be added on the cheap side of things.

[PhoSita]

What part of this makes sense?

The part where you keep Rondo, the much better player, and get rid of the player, Green, that is showing flashes that when he is a number one option on a bad team he can produce but when he is a role player on a contender he disappears.

Rondo is a proven playoff commodity. Green can light it up if his team stinks. I want the playoff commodity.

Honestly, they can both be traded as far as I am concerned if it brings in a singular talent that could become a superduperstar and lead the team to another title.

Yeah, I don't think it's really an either or thing.

Neither Rondo nor Green is a "must have" talent as far as rebuilding is concerned.  I think both are on the table as trade assets to get us to the next contending Celtics core.

I'd say players like Bradley and Sullinger have a much better chance of still being around when the next Celtics group comes together, just because they are younger and on cheaper deals, but not so good that they're likely to get us a great return in a trade anytime soon. 

I'd liken them to Tony Allen and Kendrick Perkins, who stuck around for similar reasons, while guys like Big Al, Telfair, and Delonte got traded.

[KGs Knee]

These four players better not end up as the main core of the C's "next era".  No way that is a good enough core to compete for titles, even if you added a star big man.

Green, Sully and Bradley are the chips that will hopefully land us one of the two stars we'll need to complement Rondo, if we want to be legit contenders.  The other star would hopefully be acquired via free agency.  If not, Rondo becomes a trade chip as well, and we start from scratch.

I look at it this way; if Big Al and filler was enough to land us KG, then hopefully Green, Sully and AB will be enough to land us a similar player.

[ScoobyDoo]

I love our present team - really wish we had Rondo & Sully - because with green having come on as he has, I think with Rondo & Sully, we could definitely come out of the east. I still love the team and looking forward to watching them go into Dog fight mode once again at playoff time.

For the future, as Red used to say, "we're just one or two moves away from being right there again".

With Cap from KG and Pierce retiring -

Option one:
Max level Guy / Melo / Wilcox
Sully / Bass / Shavlik
Green / Free agent
Max level Talent / Lee / Crawford
Rondo / Bradley / TWill

Option two:
Dalembert or other similar talent level / Melo / Wilcox
Max level talent / Sully / Shavlik
Green / Free agent
Max level talent / Lee Crawford
Rondo / Bradley / TWill

Either team will compete "strongly" for a title every year.

And we will see some very good basketball at the same time if KG and Pierce stick around for another year or two as well...

We are in "very" good shape as a franchise. Thanks Danny   

[ScoobyDoo]

I think  a lot of people look at our young core of Rondo, Bradley, Crawford, Lee, Green, Sully, Bass, Shav & Melo and say no way that team wins.

I look at that crop PLUS two Max level talents and think that team can "definitely" win.

Ainge is simply putting complimentary role players in place now. He knows when KG & Pierce go he is going to have to replace those two talents with two similar max level talents.

That's all.