How much of this Doc drama d'ya think is real? Your best/worst case scenario?

[Who]

I still think the most likely scenario is that the current core and Doc are back for one more run next year.

I just don't understand how the Celtics could put out this same group, with the same coach / GM combo and say to all of us fans, "This is the group we believe in.  We're going to be competitive this year.  We're excited to go forward with this group."

It's so obvious that nobody involved really feels that way.  They might as well just hold up a shovel-full of cow manure and say "Come and get it guys!  Eat up!"

I think it will be fine once they get back on the court and go to work.

Until then - and probably for a short while after - there will be some uneasiness but it will go away. The team will band together. They have to - to win.

The work, the day-to-day of an NBA season, will be bring them back together.

Okay, well, that's a fair argument about how the team / coach / GM will band back together and recommit to winning together, but you didn't really address the aspect of it as far as the relationship between the franchise and the fanbase.

We are really supposed to believe that this isn't totally Plan B (or C, or D) for this team if they bring 'em all back next season?

I just can't believe that they can "run it back" at this point without clearly signalling that they are basically conceding this year is a retread because they weren't able to do what they really felt was best.  Hard to get very excited about that as a fan.

That is a PR problem. It has nothing to do with basketball.

PR problems are for PR people. Basketball people make basketball decisions.

In other words, Danny Ainge shouldn't give a toss about it.

Take care of the basketball side of things and the rest will take of itself. Concentrate on what he (Danny Ainge) does (running basketball operations) and don't let any extraneous nonsense (PR problems in this case) effect your decisions. The minute you do that, you've gone off track.

It shouldn't impact the work. If it does, you have a weak GM on your hands.

[droopdog7]

I still think the most likely scenario is that the current core and Doc are back for one more run next year.

I just don't understand how the Celtics could put out this same group, with the same coach / GM combo and say to all of us fans, "This is the group we believe in.  We're going to be competitive this year.  We're excited to go forward with this group."

It's so obvious that nobody involved really feels that way.  They might as well just hold up a shovel-full of cow manure and say "Come and get it guys!  Eat up!"

I don't think there are any realistic scenerios where this team competes next year anyway.  So I dont think rerunning the same team is about winning next year.  You have to think about what is best for the future.  So, if you are not going to get valuable pieces to build around for our old guys, then the next best solution is to bring them back.  Pierce will expire after next year and the majority of the others will be on the last year of their contract. 

The worst thing you could do is trade our guys for mediocore guys with longer contracts.  DA needs to be patient.

[PhoSita]

I still think the most likely scenario is that the current core and Doc are back for one more run next year.

I just don't understand how the Celtics could put out this same group, with the same coach / GM combo and say to all of us fans, "This is the group we believe in.  We're going to be competitive this year.  We're excited to go forward with this group."

It's so obvious that nobody involved really feels that way.  They might as well just hold up a shovel-full of cow manure and say "Come and get it guys!  Eat up!"

I think it will be fine once they get back on the court and go to work.

Until then - and probably for a short while after - there will be some uneasiness but it will go away. The team will band together. They have to - to win.

The work, the day-to-day of an NBA season, will be bring them back together.

Okay, well, that's a fair argument about how the team / coach / GM will band back together and recommit to winning together, but you didn't really address the aspect of it as far as the relationship between the franchise and the fanbase.

We are really supposed to believe that this isn't totally Plan B (or C, or D) for this team if they bring 'em all back next season?

I just can't believe that they can "run it back" at this point without clearly signalling that they are basically conceding this year is a retread because they weren't able to do what they really felt was best.  Hard to get very excited about that as a fan.

That is a PR problem. It has nothing to do with basketball.

PR problems are for PR people. Basketball people make basketball decisions.

In other words, Danny Ainge shouldn't give a toss about it.

Take care of the basketball side of things and the rest will take of itself. Concentrate on what he (Danny Ainge) does (running basketball operations) and don't let any extraneous nonsense (PR problems in this case) effect your decisions. The minute you do that, you've gone off track.

It shouldn't impact the work. If it does, you have a weak GM on your hands.

I guess, but the franchise should care about that, to the extent that they want to make money.

I just feel like if they run it back at this point, after what's happened so far this off-season, they don't deserve a dime from the fanbase.  I have no interest in watching a team that even the people in management and on the coaching staff don't really believe in or want to have out there.

It was bad enough this season knowing that they wanted to blow it up, and knew that they weren't going to be competitive in the playoffs, and yet they weren't able to do what they wanted at the deadline.

Now that even the coach is not really invested in this group, I just don't see the point.

Might as well just air reruns of games from the past 5 years.

[PhoSita]

I still think the most likely scenario is that the current core and Doc are back for one more run next year.

I just don't understand how the Celtics could put out this same group, with the same coach / GM combo and say to all of us fans, "This is the group we believe in.  We're going to be competitive this year.  We're excited to go forward with this group."

It's so obvious that nobody involved really feels that way.  They might as well just hold up a shovel-full of cow manure and say "Come and get it guys!  Eat up!"

I don't think there are any realistic scenerios where this team competes next year anyway.  So I dont think rerunning the same team is about winning next year.  You have to think about what is best for the future.  So, if you are not going to get valuable pieces to build around for our old guys, then the next best solution is to bring them back.  Pierce will expire after next year and the majority of the others will be on the last year of their contract. 

The worst thing you could do is trade our guys for mediocore guys with longer contracts.  DA needs to be patient.

On the contrary . . . if everybody is agreed that next year is not about winning or being comeptitive, the best thing to do for the future of the team is to dump KG / Pierce for absolutely anything of future value -- without taking on any longer term contracts -- and then being as crappy as possible next season.  There's nothing to be gained by running it back and winning 40-45 games (max) and losing in the first round again.

At least if the team tanks that can be sold as a play for the future.  There's really no way that running it back serves an objective for the team beyond getting casual fans to spend money on tickets and maybe get 2 home playoff games in the bargain,.

In Boston, though, in order to stay relevant you really have to demonstrate a continued commitment to winning, not just short term but long term.  You have to offer fans something that shows you have a plan in place to be really good, even if that's just hope for the future and acquiring young assetes that have "potential."  Treading water and offering "bridge years" doesn't cut it.

  Fans around here are generally not gullible or easily placated.  I think if they run it back after the disappointing season we just had and then this debacle of an off-season, people will completely tune out.  The Celtics do not have the same margin of error that the Red Sox and Patriots do with the New England fanbase. 

[slamtheking]

I still think the most likely scenario is that the current core and Doc are back for one more run next year.

I just don't understand how the Celtics could put out this same group, with the same coach / GM combo and say to all of us fans, "This is the group we believe in.  We're going to be competitive this year.  We're excited to go forward with this group."

It's so obvious that nobody involved really feels that way.  They might as well just hold up a shovel-full of cow manure and say "Come and get it guys!  Eat up!"

I think it will be fine once they get back on the court and go to work.

Until then - and probably for a short while after - there will be some uneasiness but it will go away. The team will band together. They have to - to win.

The work, the day-to-day of an NBA season, will be bring them back together.

Okay, well, that's a fair argument about how the team / coach / GM will band back together and recommit to winning together, but you didn't really address the aspect of it as far as the relationship between the franchise and the fanbase.

We are really supposed to believe that this isn't totally Plan B (or C, or D) for this team if they bring 'em all back next season?

I just can't believe that they can "run it back" at this point without clearly signalling that they are basically conceding this year is a retread because they weren't able to do what they really felt was best.  Hard to get very excited about that as a fan.

That is a PR problem. It has nothing to do with basketball.

PR problems are for PR people. Basketball people make basketball decisions.

In other words, Danny Ainge shouldn't give a toss about it.

Take care of the basketball side of things and the rest will take of itself. Concentrate on what he (Danny Ainge) does (running basketball operations) and don't let any extraneous nonsense (PR problems in this case) effect your decisions. The minute you do that, you've gone off track.

It shouldn't impact the work. If it does, you have a weak GM on your hands.

I guess, but the franchise should care about that, to the extent that they want to make money.

I just feel like if they run it back at this point, after what's happened so far this off-season, they don't deserve a dime from the fanbase.  I have no interest in watching a team that even the people in management and on the coaching staff don't really believe in or want to have out there.

It was bad enough this season knowing that they wanted to blow it up, and knew that they weren't going to be competitive in the playoffs, and yet they weren't able to do what they wanted at the deadline.

Now that even the coach is not really invested in this group, I just don't see the point.

Might as well just air reruns of games from the past 5 years.

they haven't cared about the regular season since 2009.  Why would you think next year, with this same crew, be any different? 

I don't think all is lost with this roster for next year provided the following happens:
- Rondo and Sully come back healthy.
- Green continues to play at the level he demonstrated the last half of last year
- 2 of JET, Lee, AB, Crawford find their shooting stroke.  Can't carry 4 SGs that can't shoot worth a [dang] next year.
- Bass finds his shooting stroke again from midrange.
- Danny lands a rotation-quality player (preferably a big) at #16 in the draft.  I think Dieng could earn time next year off the bench.  Melo will be in Maine for another year.
- Danny signs a decent backup big man and vet PG for the bench.  Not sold on Wilcox, Shav or TWill for those roles again this year.  I think TWill could be a decent bench player but I don't know what role he'd fit since he doesn't have much of a shooting stroke.
- PP and KG have no significant injuries that knock them out for a prolonged period.

Nothing that's farfetched -- all certainly possible.