Are we Rondo + 1 player away from contending?

[boscel33]

I could see this argument.  You supposedly need a big 3, well with Rondo, Sully (who don't forget could have gone top five in 2011), then add the final star.  Why not, I'll drink the kool-aid!  Question is, how do you get that third piece and who would you go after?

[LarBrd33]

Yeah I figure we're Rondo + LeBron away from contending. 

It's starting to look more and more like we'll finish with a mid 1st round pick.  Kinda a shame, because if guys like Jabari Parker are as good as everyone seems to think... I think you could add him and potentially make some noise in a couple years.

[TitleMaster]

Melo is Vince Carter 2.0. Clearly, a volume shooter who'll never lead a team anywhere.

[ssspence]

Yeah I figure we're Rondo + LeBron away from contending. 

It's starting to look more and more like we'll finish with a mid 1st round pick.  Kinda a shame, because if guys like Jabari Parker are as good as everyone seems to think... I think you could add him and potentially make some noise in a couple years.

You under estimate Wyc & Danny. Two smart gentlemen. What do you think they want? And did we not hear Ainge try to sluff off the quality of this draft on radio?

Patience....

[juice]

I think we're rondo plus 2 stars, or rondo plus 1 superstar away from contending. It's not beyond the realm of possibility though, that we could make a move next offseason.

Say we manage to clear cap space by trading bass and lee for expiring contracts and a future second round pick or two at the trade deadline, then during the offseason we get rid of all extraneous contracts, such as by renouncing crawford (keep bogans as trade salary for the time being). That will probably get us enough to make a strong offer for monroe and resign bradley.

Then, there are two stars that will be in the last years of their contracts, namely love (likely will opt out) and aldridge. now, both players may choose to stay since their teams are doing well, but maybe their teams will be afraid of losing them for nothing...like when howard, deron williams, or melo was traded. then say we make a strong offer of olynyk, sully, both our '15 first round picks, and bos '16 first round pick (use bogans and pressy as salary filler, non-guaranteed contracts). at the very least, that would have to be a tempting offer for minny or portland.

This would give us a roster of:
Rondo - vet min/'14pick
Bradley - vet min/'14 pick
Green - wallace
Love or Aldridge - '14 pick
Monroe - Faverani

Is that a roster that can compete now and in the future? I think so...and wed still keep brooklyn's '16 pick, swap rights in '17, and 2 picks in '18 (and brooklyn might have poor teams)

[BballTim]

Because neither is particularly successful unless they handle the ball the vast majority of the time. Said another way, the offense of a team can only flow throw one of them, harming the strength of the other.

Why want Melo in the first place? He has a historically bad playoff record. If he were gonna 'get it', he'd have gotten it by now. He's a loser, plain and simple.

How would it be any different from Rondo playing with Pierce?

  It really wouldn't.

[D.o.s.]

Because neither is particularly successful unless they handle the ball the vast majority of the time. Said another way, the offense of a team can only flow throw one of them, harming the strength of the other.

Why want Melo in the first place? He has a historically bad playoff record. If he were gonna 'get it', he'd have gotten it by now. He's a loser, plain and simple.

How would it be any different from Rondo playing with Pierce?

  It really wouldn't.

That's my feeling too. I'm not convinced that Carmelo can't succeed because he hasn't succeeded, or that he's necessarily a ball hog--the Olympics showed that when he's put into more of a scoring role and less of a "here's the ball, do things" he can be outstandingly effective.

[TitleMaster]

Because neither is particularly successful unless they handle the ball the vast majority of the time. Said another way, the offense of a team can only flow throw one of them, harming the strength of the other.

Why want Melo in the first place? He has a historically bad playoff record. If he were gonna 'get it', he'd have gotten it by now. He's a loser, plain and simple.

How would it be any different from Rondo playing with Pierce?

  It really wouldn't.

C'mon folks, Melo's a terrible team player. His entire bag of tricks are iso plays & he needs to get most of his team's touches to be effective. And this was for every team he'd played for, not too distinct from Vince Carter.

Pierce, on the other hand, only fell so low, during certain stretches in the '05-'07 seasons, when his teams weren't going anywhere without him being a ball hog.

[aporel#18]

Well, if Melo is willing to play some D... (big IF I know) he's a better fit than LeBron.

LeBron is the better player, but unless Silver allows us to play with 2 basketballs, I can't see either Rondo or LeBron setting each other for open shots.

We all like to make fun of Melo, but he's an amazing shooter. He's been the most impressive player on the Olympic Team, able to produce in the halfcourt offense in the FIBA game where you have less space to operate and he worked as a deadly spot shooter. He's not the best playmaker, but we have Rondo, who is the best at it.

Of course, if you buy into the "be the guy" garbage, Melo doesn't fit the part. Melo is able to create his shot (not very efficiently though), but he would thrive playing off the ball. But Rondo+Bradley+Melo+Sully isn't an ECF contender unless you get a great defensive center. I'd rather have Marc Gasol, obviously.

[More Banners]

I'd love to add a star big man. That would solve so many problems, not only by addition but in shifting other guys to their natural spots.

I'm with the 3-star people, RR as one of them. Maybe Sully or Green or KO can be a #3. If Rondo is a #2, we  we'd to move for a big 

Who is available this offseason or in trade?  Asik in trade and Gortat this offseason?

Who else?  What about Aldridge?

[ssspence]

Because neither is particularly successful unless they handle the ball the vast majority of the time. Said another way, the offense of a team can only flow throw one of them, harming the strength of the other.

Why want Melo in the first place? He has a historically bad playoff record. If he were gonna 'get it', he'd have gotten it by now. He's a loser, plain and simple.

How would it be any different from Rondo playing with Pierce?

  It really wouldn't.

Rondo and Pierce would never've won ****.

Garnett and Allen were essential, along with well defined role players that weren't easy to acquire either. And they only managed to squeeze out one title. Meanhile, the Knicks wouldn't trade us that bozo anyway (thank god). So this discussion is for morons.

Incidentally, I find the Melo / PP comparison offensive. One's a HOFer and a great Celtic, the other's a dimwit. Let's not compare one of the greatest Cs of all time with this generation's Allen Iverson.

=================================

Footnote: in case folks aren't paying attention to tonight's game, we're not a move / two moves / three moves away from a title.

Thanksgiving is, in part, believing in Wyc & Ainge, which I do.

[BballTim]

Because neither is particularly successful unless they handle the ball the vast majority of the time. Said another way, the offense of a team can only flow throw one of them, harming the strength of the other.

Why want Melo in the first place? He has a historically bad playoff record. If he were gonna 'get it', he'd have gotten it by now. He's a loser, plain and simple.

How would it be any different from Rondo playing with Pierce?

  It really wouldn't.

Rondo and Pierce would never've won ****.

Garnett and Allen were essential, along with well defined role players that weren't easy to acquire either. And they only managed to squeeze out one title.

  The main reason they only won one title was KG's knee. Rondo and PP might not have won a title but they would have been at least fringe contenders. In 2009 with KG out they had a supporting cast of Ray/Perk/Baby/Scal/House/Marbury and they almost went to the conference finals. It's not hard to imagine a better supporting cast.

[BASS_THUMPER]

we should have kept Paul
and traded Kevin

Paul is the missin piece with Rondo

[Celtics4ever]

we should have kept Paul
and traded Kevin

Paul is the missin piece with Rondo

Seriously, even PP has lost a step.   He has given us a lot though and deserved things to go down how he wanted.   I would love to see him become the next Tommy.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

I could see this argument.  You supposedly need a big 3, well with Rondo, Sully (who don't forget could have gone top five in 2011), then add the final star.  Why not, I'll drink the kool-aid!  Question is, how do you get that third piece and who would you go after?

You cannot count on sully as part of a big 3. not right now. you need two more stars either through draft or FA/trades to go with rondo, sully and MAYBE green IF we keep him.