Danny: "We need great players"

[RJ87]

I think Danny made his choice.  I don't really subscribe to the idea that Rondo is gone this summer even though there's a lot of noise right now in the media that says it's inevitable.

I'm over that.  Rondo will be here long-term (or bail on us in summer 2015).  Here's hoping Sully continues to surprise.  If he can play consistently like he's been able to play sporadically, we might have 2/3 of our next Big 3.  We just need a KG-level superstar for those two to surround.  Luckily we have boatloads of assets in the event a KG-level superstar becomes available and someone wants to take 8 dimes for a dollar.

This past offseason the media also predicted he would be gone by the deadline if not well before - the media just talk for the sake of it.

I agree - I think Danny's been hoarding assets to gear up for a future trade. People are fixating on Kevin Love, but there's other quality bigs hitting free agency in 2015 that could be available via trade soon (Marc Gasol comes to mind if Memphis decides against spending anymore money on the Z.Bo/Gasol core).

[JBcat]

Well right now it's actually a 21% chance.  Lakers would have a 28% chance... presuming the Top 3 ends up being Embiid, Wiggins and Parker.

This is correct. But slide 3 spots down, and it's a 6% chance. And we're only 3 games out of that, too.

Oh well.  We might as well just make the playoffs and end up with the 15th and 18th picks.  *shrug*

I have faith in Ainge.  He didn't bite on a Rondo trade and was comfortable keeping the contributing vets... so either he's failing at his job or he thinks we don't need a Top 5 pick to get the "great players" he clearly understands we need.

I don't think all is lost if we don't get a top 3 or 4 pick.  Ainge just has to get a little creative.  I've kind of thrown this idea out there in a couple threads.  2 of our biggest needs is a center defensive anchor and a talented wing scorer.  It just so happens every bad team out there with a decent shot for the first pick aside from us and the Lakers already has a talented young center.  If any of those teams take Embiid their current center may immediately go on the block.  Say if we put a package together with one of our picks to get a Sanders, Noel, Kanter, Vuvicic, or even Cousins, and then use our other pick to draft a talented wing player.  That is one area where this draft is very deep.

If we end up with something like that I'll be happy with the offseason, even before getting to free agency. 

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

Hey........We got Brandon Bass   !

CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!   

[celticmania]

I hope Rondo is traded for a lottery pick and we pick Dante Exum at #4 and Julius Randle around 6 or 7, maybe use Sully to move up.

[fitzhickey]

I hope Rondo is traded for a lottery pick and we pick Dante Exum at #4 and Julius Randle around 6 or 7, maybe use Sully to move up.

I wouldn't want Randle if we still have Sully

[clover]

I hope Rondo is traded for a lottery pick and we pick Dante Exum at #4 and Julius Randle around 6 or 7, maybe use Sully to move up.

I'm not that sold on Randle.

[Celtics4ever]

I think we will know a lot about Sully based on his offseason workouts.

yeah he likes to shoot threes and really can't........

[celticmania]

I think Randle is being underrated severely. He is not being used on the perimeter much. He has so much skill and ball handling ability. He can beat most power forwards of the bounce. He is a huge mismatch and if he improves his defense he can play both forward spots. Is Charles Barkley an awful comparison ?

[Tr1boy]

I think Randle is being underrated severely. He is not being used on the perimeter much. He has so much skill and ball handling ability. He can beat most power forwards of the bounce. He is a huge mismatch and if he improves his defense he can play both forward spots. Is Charles Barkley an awful comparison ?

Barkley is on another level.  Larry Johnson is a better comparison. Randle is going to be good but not elite good.  He is going to need to extend his range to be an effective player in the nba (like sullinger)

[cometboy]

We all want a repeat of 2007, from last to first. It could happen. However, Danny has lots of assets to use and it may take a year or two longer (think FA class of 2015), but I have confidence Danny is doing his best. He's not perfect by any stretch, but he's working very hard to make it happen. If he returns this team to contention within 3 years, he should be given some sort of NBA medal of honor.

CB

[celticmania]

I think Randle is being underrated severely. He is not being used on the perimeter much. He has so much skill and ball handling ability. He can beat most power forwards of the bounce. He is a huge mismatch and if he improves his defense he can play both forward spots. Is Charles Barkley an awful comparison ?

Barkley is on another level.  Larry Johnson is a better comparison. Randle is going to be good but not elite good.  He is going to need to extend his range to be an effective player in the nba (like sullinger)

From what I've read he has a good work ethic. He also has good form on his jumper and i don't think sully is a great shooter either. He just Takes a bunch of 3s until he makes one

[freshinthehouse]

I think Randle is being underrated severely. He is not being used on the perimeter much. He has so much skill and ball handling ability. He can beat most power forwards of the bounce. He is a huge mismatch and if he improves his defense he can play both forward spots. Is Charles Barkley an awful comparison ?

Barkley is on another level.  Larry Johnson is a better comparison. Randle is going to be good but not elite good.  He is going to need to extend his range to be an effective player in the nba (like sullinger)

From what I've read he has a good work ethic. He also has good form on his jumper and i don't think sully is a great shooter either. He just Takes a bunch of 3s until he makes one

Skill-wise LJ is a solid comparison but I don't think Randle is nearly as short as LJ.  I think Randle is going to measure out at legit PF size.

[Cman]

Saying we need great players is pretty much stating the obvious. 

If he pulls off a major team improvement this summer I'd be surprised.  I would think that with the picks and contract situations that 2015 would be the better timeframe but kudos to Danny if he really makes the team significantly better before next season

^Yes I agree with this. I don't think that Danny necessarily makes any big moves this summer. Mind you, he might, but it is equally likely he does not. He's not operating under idea that the Celtics have a certain timeline to achieve success, rather, as I see it, he's operating under the idea that he's got a bunch of trade assets, and will for the next several years, and he'll use those if the right oppty arises. But only then, not because he feels he needs to "make a move".

[Tr1boy]

can someone explain what options we have with AB from end of the season until the summer?

If he doesn't sign to a qualifying one year offer, can he become a FA?

After the season ends, how long do we have his rights for?

If another team offers more money and we don't match, do we get any compensation?

Thanks. Seems like a long while since we had to deal with a rfa situation

[Tr1boy]

Ainge on 2014 draft talent level

"Yes [it's been overrated] from the very beginning," Ainge said. "It's just all hype. It's a bunch of young kids out playing in AAU basketball and high school and making all sorts of assessments an then they watch them play on the real stages and they're not quite as good. College is a big jump from high school and I think reality has hit. We see the potential in a lot of these guys, but they certainly not LeBron [James] or [Kevin] Durant.

"

http://www.csnne.com/blog/celtics-talk/ainge-2014-draft-overrated-very-beginning