What exactly did you expect?

[Ed Hollison]

I must say I'm dumbfounded by some of the negativity on this blog (cue Pitino rant). That especially goes for how the discussion seems to be headed with regard to Danny and Brad.

When your team trades away two all stars, your third all star tears his acl (and is ultimately traded), and then lets go the coach who brought you a title... How did you think it would be?

Danny got an astounding boatload of picks in exchange for KG, Pierce, and Doc and tried to leverage them into another star to pair with Rondo. Well, he tried but it didn't quite work out (the Cavs improbably winning the lottery had something to do with it). So we are on to plan B.

The goal right now is not to win games. The goal is to develop talent and stockpile assets to use when the right trade opens up.

It sucks, but... how exactly did you expect it to be?

[fandrew]

TP

[gpap]

What did I exepct?

I expected a team that looked like it knew how to play basketball.

And by the way, since when was it "negative" to hold your team accountable while they charge up the you know what for ticket prices?

[Al91]

What did I exepct?

I expected a team that looked like it new how to play basketball.

And by the way, since when was it "negative" to hold your team accountable while they charge up the you know what for ticket prices?

As someone who has gone to many Celtics games, who has had season tickets in the family before, I can whole-heartedly agree with the quoted sentiments.

If a team's intentions are not based on winning, at all, then I want nothing to do with that team. There's no point in developing talent in a losing situation. If that was the case let's pull a Philly and trade away Green, Bass, Thorton, and Bradley for D-Leaguers and let it roll.

Now if the team wants to give tickets away for nothing, then by all means, go lose and develop talent. But in the meantime their goals better be to win games and develop talent side by side. Clearly it doesn't seem as if players like Sully, Green, or Bass are happy with losing. KG would be ashamed by this idea.

[Ed Hollison]

Maybe I should rephrase my original question:

After gutting the team of talent and hiring a rookie head coach after it was clear the KG-Pierce-Rondo-Doc teams wouldn't win another title, just how good did you expect this current team to be? Did you expect a playoff team? A .500 record?

[gpap]

What did I exepct?

I expected a team that looked like it new how to play basketball.

And by the way, since when was it "negative" to hold your team accountable while they charge up the you know what for ticket prices?

As someone who has gone to many Celtics games, who has had season tickets in the family before, I can whole-heartedly agree with the quoted sentiments.

If a team's intentions are not based on winning, at all, then I want nothing to do with that team. There's no point in developing talent in a losing situation. If that was the case let's pull a Philly and trade away Green, Bass, Thorton, and Bradley for D-Leaguers and let it roll.

Now if the team wants to give tickets away for nothing, then by all means, go lose and develop talent. But in the meantime their goals better be to win games and develop talent side by side. Clearly it doesn't seem as if players like Sully, Green, or Bass are happy with losing. KG would be ashamed by this idea.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

I understand this isn't a playoff team

But honest to God, last night it looked like this team didn't even know how to play basketball.

Seriously!

Like Olynyk for example.

I understand everyone on this board really likes him and he does impress me sometimes with his talent.

But other times, ever notice how confused he always looks? It's like he doesn't know what to do.

Maybe the problem is coaching but at the same time, if you're in the NBA, it's time to play.

If you don't know how to play the game and how to be good at it, why are you in the NBA in the first place?

Sorry, this "oh their young and are developing and we need patience" blah blah doesn't work for me.

Trust me, I am not expecting a championship. I am not even expecting a 35 win season. But for the love of God, at least be somewhat respectable.

In the meantime, prices are only going up.

Which is why after this season, if changes aren't made to make this team respectable, I am taking my time, money and enthusiasm elsewhere.

PS...last night had to be a record for how many 20 second timeouts were called toward the end of the game. The NBA (I feel) should start cracking down on making the last 5 minutes of a game last 5 hours. It gets ridiculous and totally turns me off as a viewer.

[Moranis]

I expected the team to be worse than it is.  I'm pleasantly surprised.

[MBunge]

Maybe I should rephrase my original question:

After gutting the team of talent and hiring a rookie head coach after it was clear the KG-Pierce-Rondo-Doc teams wouldn't win another title, just how good did you expect this current team to be? Did you expect a playoff team? A .500 record?

1.  I expected Rondo to play the best basketball of his career.

2.  I expected this team to win 30something games, simply because they've got a lot of decent NBA talent.

3.  I hoped the coaching would be good enough to elevate them to the upper 30s and maybe inch into the 40s.

4.  If 1-3 happened, I wanted Ainge to leave the team alone and let them develop.

One was a total disappointment.  I still think two is true.  I'm still giving Stevens a chance to make three happen, but it's not looking good.  Four is a lost cause.

Fundamentally, I expected them to play like a well-coached team that lost more than they won  due to inexperience and lack of talent.  I think we can all agree that is NOT how this team has performed.

Mike

[gpap]

By the way, Kemba Walker and Cody Zeller are not exactly first ballot hall of famers.

Just sayin'

No reason why either guy should've looked like Godzilla last night.

[Who]

I expected Danny Ainge to continue building around Rondo and to try to get the team back into the playoffs this season or next season. A shorter rebuilding process with Ainge looking to make big additions via trades and/or free agency.

Post-Rondo Trade, I expect Ainge to fully blow this team up and enter a long term rebuilding process. I expect him to sell off veterans like J.Green and B.Bass. I expect the team to bottom out and be amongst the 5 worst teams in the league. I expect multiple high draft choices over next few years to build new Celtics team around. I do not expect any major FA or trade acquisitions. I expect slow long rebuilding process.

[TheTruthFot18]

Play the young guys, dump the vets.

Our young guys are nothing but bench players on a playoff team, we need ____ (insert player we will never get here).

Only two opinions I ever see on here. The first option is better for this team and will speed up the rebuild. IF Stevens just did it.

At least Young got PT last night. If Doc was here in the same circumstances, it'd be Nelson (yes in the suit), Turner, Wallace, Green, and Wright playing the entire fourth quarter. Anyone else miss those days?

[jonaslopes]

I expected Danny Ainge to continue building around Rondo and to try to get the team back into the playoffs this season or next season. A shorter rebuilding process with Ainge looking to make big additions via trades and/or free agency.

Post-Rondo Trade, I expect Ainge to fully blow this team up and enter a long term rebuilding process. I expect him to sell off veterans like J.Green and B.Bass. I expect the team to bottom out and be amongst the 5 worst teams in the league. I expect multiple high draft choices over next few years to build new Celtics team around. I do not expect any major FA or trade acquisitions. I expect slow long rebuilding process.

I agree with everything, wonderful post. Thought that we could build a very nice team around Rondo, with Green playing better (he was A LOT better until the trade), bring a good center at FA (Hibbert and JG are very good friends, Gasol would be a GREAT fit with Rondo) and so. But Ainge chose another way. That's fine, but now nobody must think about FA. Wanted Rondo out? Now don't complain. Forget about FA. Now we must think about 2018, 2019.

[Moranis]

Building around Rondo was never a viable option because Rondo was never a build around type player. 

[Fred Roberts]

Danny's just changing the value on our own draft picks, at the expense of making the playoffs.

This team, when it had Rondo, Bradley, Green, Sully, Zeller (KO, Smart, Thornton, etc) would have likely made the playoffs and would have been fun to watch if/when we saw playoff Rondo come alive looking to earn his payday.

That type of mini run would give the entire franchise momentum. Our own 1st rounder loses value, but we're still developing lots of talent, still flush with draft picks and now finally seeing some cap space open up.

I'd rather see the team winning and developing talent at the same time, instead of completely sucking to improve by a few draft slots (which guarantees very little). 

We throw away this season in order to get a pile of crap for Rondo and draft 8th instead of 13th?

[Donoghus]

With the exception of moving Rondo, I pretty much expected this.  25-30 win team (although even 25 might be a reach now).  Lottery bound again.

Say it with me.."multi-year rebuild".  Its been shaping up that way since the moment they moved Pierce & KG.