Ainge on Toucher and Rich: "Consolidating quantity for quality"

[nickagneta]

I thought the most interesting thing Ainge said was that the Celtics didn't HAVE to do anything before the deadline. I think he is trying to prepare the fanbase for the inevitable lack of fireworks. It's not going to surprise me one bit if the Celtics do nothing at the trade deadline.

Should make for some interesting reading here at Celticsblog when it happens too. The call for Danny's head is going to be loud and obnoxious, an also very entertaining to read about.

[PhoSita]

I thought the most interesting thing Ainge said was that the Celtics didn't HAVE to do anything before the deadline. I think he is trying to prepare the fan see for the inevitable lack of fireworks. It's not going to surprise me one bit if the Celtics do nothing at the trade deadline.

Should make for some interesting reading here at Celticsblog when it happens too. The call for Danny's head is going to be loud and obnoxious, an also very entertaining to read about.

The trade deadline has been pretty quiet in recent years across the league.  Obviously last year Ainge made a move that was actually pretty major in acquiring our current best player.

I agree with you.  I think more likely than not Ainge will not make any moves at the trade deadline.  The major moves will come this summer, first around the draft when he tries to either move up for a star prospect (as he has done the last few years), or else bundle up picks and assets to acquire a major player (e.g. Cousins or whoever).  If that doesn't work, we'll probably hear a lot about the Celts pursuing free agents, especially Al Horford and Nic Batum.

If all of those things fall through, much as they did last year, and come August we're sitting here with 5-8 first and second year players on the roster and pretty much the same core group of guys as we have now (Thomas, Crowder, Bradley, Olynyk, Smart), that's when I'd expect to see the "Fire Ainge!" threads popping up again.

[nickagneta]

I thought the most interesting thing Ainge said was that the Celtics didn't HAVE to do anything before the deadline. I think he is trying to prepare the fan see for the inevitable lack of fireworks. It's not going to surprise me one bit if the Celtics do nothing at the trade deadline.

Should make for some interesting reading here at Celticsblog when it happens too. The call for Danny's head is going to be loud and obnoxious, an also very entertaining to read about.

The trade deadline has been pretty quiet in recent years across the league.  Obviously last year Ainge made a move that was actually pretty major in acquiring our current best player.

I agree with you.  I think more likely than not Ainge will not make any moves at the trade deadline.  The major moves will come this summer, first around the draft when he tries to either move up for a star prospect (as he has done the last few years), or else bundle up picks and assets to acquire a major player (e.g. Cousins or whoever).  If that doesn't work, we'll probably hear a lot about the Celts pursuing free agents, especially Al Horford and Nic Batum.

If all of those things fall through, much as they did last year, and come August we're sitting here with 5-8 first and second year players on the roster and pretty much the same core group of guys as we have now (Thomas, Crowder, Bradley, Olynyk, Smart), that's when I'd expect to see the "Fire Ainge!" threads popping up again.

I think you are being a lot more patient than most of CB will be. I think there is a small but vocal component of fans that are already upset we aren't tanking. Add them to the decent size group that has absolutely convinced themselves that something has to happen by the trade deadline to dump certain players and open up playing time for other current players. Then add those groups to the group that just loves trades and constantly wants them and you have a decent size group of CBers that is going to be pretty upset if come the day after the trade deadline this roster hasn't changed.

Me? I am happy in thinking that the Nets picks should produce some top 10 picks and that we can add those players to some future free agent signings and that in about 3-4 years we will be contenders again. Just don't see a short term fix happening with this team

[Rosco917]

I thought the most interesting thing Ainge said was that the Celtics didn't HAVE to do anything before the deadline. I think he is trying to prepare the fan see for the inevitable lack of fireworks. It's not going to surprise me one bit if the Celtics do nothing at the trade deadline.

Should make for some interesting reading here at Celticsblog when it happens too. The call for Danny's head is going to be loud and obnoxious, an also very entertaining to read about.

If Danny readily admits trouble trading quantity for quality, then we should prepare for years of mediocrity. i'm sure he's finding this out from actual conversations with other GM's around the league.

If that's the case, and the C's are going to be a middle of the pack team, let's not get fooled with trying to make the playoffs in a weak Eastern division. Let's develop some of the young players we have, and prepare for the coming 2016 draft, where we have 4 more picks.

We can't keep drafting young players, seldom playing them, and stashing them in the D league, and all around Europe. Lets see who has potential, out of this group of Rosier, Mickey, Young, and RJ.

[snively]

I say we should become sellers (trade IT/Amir/Sully, cut Lee/ET), soft tank this year and make this offseason the time to shoot for the stars with a better asset portfolio.

The BK pick is too valuable as long as there's a chance it lands in the top 2 to trade midseason, and our pick and the Dallas pick might both still be in the 20s when the deadline rolls around.

Soft tanking our own pick to the 9-12 range (not hard to do - Charlotte, Washington, Orlando and New York would all be happy to overtake us in the East), could give us more options. Basically we'd have 3 tiers of trade offers: platinum (BK pick, maybe Smart if he has a great 2nd half with more responsibility), gold (9-12 pick, Smart if he stays as is) and silver (Dallas pick).

[PhoSita]

I think you are being a lot more patient than most of CB will be. I think there is a small but vocal component of fans that are already upset we aren't tanking. Add them to the decent size group that has absolutely convinced themselves that something has to happen by the trade deadline to dump certain players and open up playing time for other current players. Then add those groups to the group that just loves trades and constantly wants them and you have a decent size group of CBers that is going to be pretty upset if come the day after the trade deadline this roster hasn't changed.

Me? I am happy in thinking that the Nets picks should produce some top 10 picks and that we can add those players to some future free agent signings and that in about 3-4 years we will be contenders again. Just don't see a short term fix happening with this team

Well, I'd say that since I don't see a short-term "fix" coming (in the sense of making the team a contender right away), I don't much see the point in holding onto some of these expiring / psuedo-expiring veterans who aren't helping the team that much right now and who have no future here.

I don't expect it to happen, because it's not Ainge's MO, but I'd rather see the team just play Young / Hunter / Rozier / Mickey and try to figure out what they can do, instead of continuing to give lots of time to Evan Turner, Jonas Jerebko, Amir Johnson, or even Jared Sullinger (I've kind of moved on from Sullinger ... just don't think he's more than a rebounding specialist best brought off the bench, no confidence that he'll stay healthy or improve much due to fitness issues).

I'll definitely be one of the voices of discontent around here in six or seven months if the direction of the rebuild hasn't become much clearer (as far as identifying potential centerpieces).  If next year looks like yet another middle of the road campaign while Ainge bides his time looking for a major trade and we've got a bunch of young guys likely to hang out on the bench behind journeymen vets, that will be disappointing.

For now, I'm willing to sit on my mild discontent with the current team (and the lack of direction we've got at the moment) because of the possibilities offered by that Brooklyn pick. 

[PhoSita]

I say we should become sellers (trade IT/Amir/Sully, cut Lee/ET), soft tank this year and make this offseason the time to shoot for the stars with a better asset portfolio.

I don't think there's any chance of this happening.  My sense is that Ainge, Stevens, and especially ownership are pleased that the team has returned to playoff contention after just one year spent in the doldrums and they'll stay there so long as the Brooklyn picks coming our way offer a source of hope that isn't tied to the team's win total.

[snively]

I say we should become sellers (trade IT/Amir/Sully, cut Lee/ET), soft tank this year and make this offseason the time to shoot for the stars with a better asset portfolio.

I don't think there's any chance of this happening.  My sense is that Ainge, Stevens, and especially ownership are pleased that the team has returned to playoff contention after just one year spent in the doldrums and they'll stay there so long as the Brooklyn picks coming our way offer a source of hope that isn't tied to the team's win total.

Yeah, it's unlikely, though I think Ainge would be more amenable if he wasn't so in love with IT.

[manl_lui]

we have a huge logjam at guard and PF position. I think we need to get the following

-a two way center (one that can play defense, and rebound, and play offense, a disgruntled center hopefully...not gonna name who, all of you probably know who I'm talking about lol)

- a SF (I love Crowder, if he is going to play like this, then probably not, probably a backup SF then at that point)

-Maybe a SG with real size, none of our SG are 6'6 lol, I want one

now here is what I want to keep for the time being as the starting unit
Smart/IT/Crowder/Kelly/Amir

here are the people who I either think are redundant or probably not needed or me just being pessimistic and want him gone

Bradley/Sullinger/Young/David Lee/Zeller. I think these players with a few picks can probably net us an upgrade somewhere in our roster

Players I want to keep as a project

Hunter/Mickey

[walker834]

I think the whole point is Ainge can remain coy and is going to let our young guys continue to develop and miss shots and look for the right moves where we can possibly get a young game changer to go with them. Lee and Turner's contracts are expiring I think so we can just let them go and there's our 2 draft picks right there that are of any value.    But as it stands we have too many picks and  Ainge would make a move for the right guys if he could. If he can consolidate this stuff for the right situation he would and that's all he's saying. He's not going to sell himself short.

The thing is Mickey, Rj, Young, Rozier all have potential to be pieces for us down the road.  I don't think that's in question.  Our entire roster does outside of a few guys and even that is stretching it.  Lee isn't going to be here most likely.  Neither is Turner or Zeller but who knows. Even they have potential to be pieces here in the right situation and depending on what we do. 

I don't see Ainge extending Lee or Turner, but depending on what we do he might extend a guy like Turner. I also think Ainge would rather consolidate this stuff for the right situation if he could.

We are really set up perfectly where there is no rush but these drafts keep going by Ainge is going to make moves.  He really can just sit back and let players fall in our lap and contracts expire, but there is going to need to be some consolidating involved.

Ainge would much rather be aggressive and make the right move if he could is what I'm saying and it's only a matter of time before that situation presents itself if we remain diligent and aggressive.

As time goes by those shots will start going in more and that's the whole genius of it.  Consolidating quantity for quality in more ways than one.

[mctyson]

Here are the facts that the Celtics face today:

1) They are not a good enough team offensively to compete in the playoffs, IF they make them

2) Their roster has 5-6 PF/C position players that all are generally equal in ability (some slightly better than others, but not by huge margins)

3) They have too many players on the roster, period, that could play minutes on this squad

4) They have WAY too many draft picks given the amount of players that they have under contract now, even with the expiring deals of Lee, Jerebko, Johnson, Sully, and Zeller

So there is no doubt in my mind that Danny Ainge will be super active over the next few months.  Unlike last year, when he was dealing in December, I think he wanted to give Stevens and his team that went 20-10 over their last 30 in 2014/2015 a shot at proving themselves.  Well, they have proved that they are just slightly better than a .500 team.  So you have all the evidence you need in 35 games to make a decision.

At the very least, I expect to see one of the expiring deals and at least 1 first round draft pick gone at the deadline for a wing player that can slash to the basket and/or shoot 3s

[PhoSita]

At the very least, I expect to see one of the expiring deals and at least 1 first round draft pick gone at the deadline for a wing player that can slash to the basket and/or shoot 3s

Problem is that almost every team in the league needs guys who fit this description and they are in short supply. 

[Quetzalcoatl]

I'm constantly surprised that people think we're supposed to be good right now and it's not just that Stevens is good at developing talent, while Ainge is good at recognizing diamonds in the rough.  Does anybody think Ainge was like "by adding Crowder and IT we'll be a playoff team for sure!"...?  He's planning on making moves, but he doesn't want to give up too much that we max out too quickly on talent.  In the meantime, we're overachieving.  It's a good situation to be in.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I'm constantly surprised that people think we're supposed to be good right now and it's not just that Stevens is good at developing talent, while Ainge is good at recognizing diamonds in the rough.  Does anybody think Ainge was like "by adding Crowder and IT we'll be a playoff team for sure!"...?  He's planning on making moves, but he doesn't want to give up too much that we max out too quickly on talent.  In the meantime, we're overachieving.  It's a good situation to be in.

Well, we do have the 13th best record in the league right now. So not half bad. Not sure where you draw the line when one considers a good team.

We're 6th in the league on scoring margin.

We have one of the best defenses in the league. Though we'll have to see how that works out with the changes Stevens is now employing.

So we've lost a few games as of late. It isn't the first time, it won't be the last time... but evidence so far suggest, that yeah we're a good team. Flawed and with weaknesses, but a good team nonetheless.

[walker834]

We really could easily be the 3rd best team in the east if we just corrected some of our miscues.  We aren't but the talent level on this team is good enough to do that.  Scal basically did just say that we have about as much a chance of trading David Lee as we did trading Gerald Wallace.