Trying to find purpose, resolve, and reasons to be excited about this team moving forward is difficult in the wake losses like the ones the Celtics suffered Sunday and tonight. There's not much out there on the floor to hold onto, so my way of coping is to look ahead to the future.
Here is my to-do list for the Celtics between now and the 2014 draft:
1. KG should retire. Statistically, he had yet another solid season, but the cracks are showing. The injury he's playing through this post-season is noticeably limiting him. This is a state of affairs that will only become much more frequent if he keeps playing. He's expressed that he doesn't want to play for another team; he likely could have been traded to the Clippers around the trade deadline this season if he wanted to, but he chose not to. It's unfortunate that he couldn't close his career with another deep playoff run, but things are only going downhill from here -- both for KG as an individual player and for the Celtics as a team.
2. The team should sit down with Pierce, tell him that they wish him well, thank him for all that he's done for the franchise, and amnesty him. Pierce can then join up with the contender of his choice for a discount on his true value, and spend the last season or three of his career being a very nice complementary piece on a good team. "Celtic for life" is a nice thought, but not really that important in the long run. Karl Malone will always be thought of as a Jazz guy. Gary Payton will always be a Sonics guy. Pierce will always be a Celtic, regardless of what uniform he's wearing when he retires.
3. Target the best player available in the draft. The Celtics just need talent. They aren't in a position to draft for need -- regardless of their lack of half-decent big men. Even if it's a point guard, just take the guy who has the best chance of being an above average starter one day.
4. Salary dump Terry in the off-season. It doesn't matter what it takes, if there's a team out there willing to take Terry for a 2nd round pick or even a flat salary dump with inconsequential consideration, the team should do it. This pairing hasn't worked out for Terry or the Celtics, and everybody involved needs a fresh start. The Celtics really would be better off with his salary off the books, too.
5. Explore trade options for Lee and Bass. Neither player is likely to command a ton of value on the market this summer, but they have still shown this season, despite their struggles at times, that they have value for a playoff team. The issue with them is that they are pretty much at their ceiling as players and they struggle if you put them in a situation where they are asked to do more than fill a very simple role. That makes them a poor fit on a rebuilding team, which is what the Celtics are now. Both have multiple years left on their contracts, and they made mid-level money or better, so it's in the team's best interest to get them off the books for flexibility's sake. In short, players like Lee and Bass are a luxury a mediocre team can't afford.
6. In free agency, look for players who are available for a bargain, or who will take a one year deal. Ideally get guys who have potential to raise their value so they could serve as a trade chip later, but the top priority is to fill out the roster with capable players without tying up future cap. Needs: true backup point guard (Will Bynum, Beno Udrih), multiple centers (Mozgov, Dalembert, Blair, Splitter), and backup SF (Budinger, Wright, Ronnie Brewer, Marquis Daniels).
7. Bring Rondo and Sullinger back slowly from injury to give them the best opportunity to produce at a high level once they are back. Hope that they can build their value back up as they play into shape. Hope Rondo has a bounce-back All-Star season.
8. Feature Jeff Green as the top offensive option and hope he produces with reasonable efficiency. This will result in a lot of losses but that's okay.
9. Shop everybody on the roster around trade deadline time -- in particular Rondo, Bradley, and Green -- in the hopes of securing a higher pick in the loaded 2014 draft, or getting a legitimate cornerstone prospect for the rebuild.
10. Miss the playoffs, get a solid lottery pick. Dangle Rondo, Bradley, Green, and anybody else of significant trade value around draft time next year to try to secure multiple prospects or move up the draft if there's one guy in particular to target.
Topic: 10 Things Celtics Should Do in 2013-2014 (Read 16672 times)