A Celtics Summer Of Inflated Expections

[mef730]

Obviously Danny is going to try to make moves. People are going to be upset if he doesn't but i definitely will not be upset if no major moves are made because I know he is going to try. Some people think this is GM mode in NBA 2k or something where you can force trades and sign any free agent you want. In real life other teams have to agree to trades and real people (players) have to agree to come here.  It's not like Danny can force moves he wants to happen.  We know for a fact he is going to be active like always trying to make big moves.  That is all we can hope for. Don't set expectations to high. If we have the same team minus Sullinger plus whatever pick we land.. That'll be disappointing but I have a feeling everyone is going to blame Danny which is totally unfair.

#truth

There are three options this summer. In order of preference:

1) Danny makes a big move because it's worth it.
2) Danny does nothing or only makes minor moves because he can't get the right deal.
3) Danny makes fireworks for the sake of fireworks and does a poor, large deal.

Avoiding #3 will be almost as important as hitting #1.

Mike

[LarBrd33]

We will almost certainly have opportunities to improve this team this summer.  Durant isn't a guarantee but there's about 50 scenarios I can think of.  The entire league isn't standing pat.  We will make significant improvements.

[greece66]

Yours are far too muted and clearly too reliant on the one thing Ainge does not do well - draft.

Not true

[CelticGuardian]

For people's info.

[loco_91]

I agree. There's reason for optimism that something good will happen this offseason-- for example, we could win the lottery-- but C's fans need to keep in mind that time is on our side. None of our key players are exiting their primes anytime soon. We're not in danger of losing key guys in FA. The 2017 FA class is much stronger than the 2016 one. And finally, we still have two more Nets picks coming our way.

[mkogav]

I agree. There's reason for optimism that something good will happen this offseason-- for example, we could win the lottery-- but C's fans need to keep in mind that time is on our side. None of our key players are exiting their primes anytime soon. We're not in danger of losing key guys in FA. The 2017 FA class is much stronger than the 2016 one. And finally, we still have two more Nets picks coming our way.

I agree 100%. The expectations are rushing-to-contend are a bit crazy right now. As much as fan would like to see the Cs march out Cousins, Durant, and Butler next season, the journey to a title contention based off of Smart, Crowder, this year's Net's pick, next year's Nets pick, etc... will be longer and more fulfilling/enjoyable IMO.

Mk

[Boris Badenov]

We will almost certainly have opportunities to improve this team this summer.  Durant isn't a guarantee but there's about 50 scenarios I can think of.  The entire league isn't standing pat.  We will make significant improvements.

I'm not so sure.

We need to keep in mind that with the new cap, and for various other reasons, a slew of teams will be facing the same pressure and opportunities to make a splash.

And there are enough bad GMs out there that some silly money will be thrown at marginal NBA players. Which will in turn drive up the trade price for guys under decent contracts.

Ainge could very well explore the FA and trade markets and conclude that it's better to wait until the dust settles...meaning wait until next year.

I don't want that to happen, but it's a real possibility in my mind.

[Lucky17]

mk, you can temper your concerns by knowing that Ainge won't rush to make a bad deal. He didn't force a deal last season, when Wyc was promising fireworks.

Fans are only symbolic stakeholders; Ainge has no accountability to them. If he decides to pass on trades that don't improve the club, and merely rolls over available cap space with another Amir Johnson/Jonas Jerebko type signing or two, that's what he'll do.

Just keep a salt lick handy for the next couple months' worth of empty prognostication and silly thoughtpieces that pass for NBA journalism. A bottle of tequila and some limes to go with that salt lick might not be a bad idea either.

[mkogav]

mk, you can temper your concerns by knowing that Ainge won't rush to make a bad deal. He didn't force a deal last season, when Wyc was promising fireworks.

Fans are only symbolic stakeholders; Ainge has no accountability to them. If he decides to pass on trades that don't improve the club, and merely rolls over available cap space with another Amir Johnson/Jonas Jerebko type signing or two, that's what he'll do.

Just keep a salt lick handy for the next couple months' worth of empty prognostication and silly thoughtpieces that pass for NBA journalism. A bottle of tequila and some limes to go with that salt lick might not be a bad idea either.

Mk

[LarBrd33]

We will almost certainly have opportunities to improve this team this summer.  Durant isn't a guarantee but there's about 50 scenarios I can think of.  The entire league isn't standing pat.  We will make significant improvements.

I'm not so sure.

We need to keep in mind that with the new cap, and for various other reasons, a slew of teams will be facing the same pressure and opportunities to make a splash.

And there are enough bad GMs out there that some silly money will be thrown at marginal NBA players. Which will in turn drive up the trade price for guys under decent contracts.

Ainge could very well explore the FA and trade markets and conclude that it's better to wait until the dust settles...meaning wait until next year.

I don't want that to happen, but it's a real possibility in my mind.

Worst-case scenario, we renounce Sully, Zeller, Amir, Jerebko and Turner, strike out in free agency, strike out in the trade market, have the pick fall to #6, and use all our roster spots to add rookies. 

Even in that scenario, the pick has the potential to develop into the team's best player.

And we aren't going to see a worst-case scenario.  We have mounds of picks including future Brooklyn picks, significant cap space for the first time in the history of this franchise, a solid core already, etc.  Ainge absolutely will have opportunities to add talent.  I'm sure if he wants to, he can grab someone like Gallinari, but that's probably Option Q or something.  If he makes no movies, it's because he thinks we're better off not making them.  Not because the opportunities aren't there.

[PhoSita]

The expectations are inflated this summer, but to be honest, Danny Ainge has done everything to jack those expectations up, as he does almost every summer.

At some point, he is going to have to deliver.  Yes, rationally, we cannot "expect" Danny to make great things happen if the stuff seemingly outside of his control (the lottery, free agent priorities, etc) don't go his way.

Still, I think if you continually raise the stakes, and premise your whole rebuild plan on setting your team up for a big move, you've got to come through sooner rather than later.  You can't simply continue acquiring assets and maintaining flexibility in perpetuity.


If the team looks more or less the same headed into next season, save the addition of a few rookies, that has to be seen as a pretty significant failure.

[EJPLAYA]

The expectations are inflated this summer, but to be honest, Danny Ainge has done everything to jack those expectations up, as he does almost every summer.

At some point, he is going to have to deliver.  Yes, rationally, we cannot "expect" Danny to make great things happen if the stuff seemingly outside of his control (the lottery, free agent priorities, etc) don't go his way.

Still, I think if you continually raise the stakes, and premise your whole rebuild plan on setting your team up for a big move, you've got to come through sooner rather than later.  You can't simply continue acquiring assets and maintaining flexibility in perpetuity.


If the team looks more or less the same headed into next season, save the addition of a few rookies, that has to be seen as a pretty significant failure.

Isn't it the GM's job to create excitement within the fan base for the upcoming season?! What do you expect him to do... He has proven that he has been able to turn assets into better ones. Let's see what he does before we count him out.

[max215]

We will almost certainly have opportunities to improve this team this summer.  Durant isn't a guarantee but there's about 50 scenarios I can think of.  The entire league isn't standing pat.  We will make significant improvements.

This. The absolute worst case scenario is that we get the 6th Pick...that's the worst case scenario. People have reason to be optimistic.

[Celtics18]

I agree. There's reason for optimism that something good will happen this offseason-- for example, we could win the lottery-- but C's fans need to keep in mind that time is on our side. None of our key players are exiting their primes anytime soon. We're not in danger of losing key guys in FA. The 2017 FA class is much stronger than the 2016 one. And finally, we still have two more Nets picks coming our way.

I agree 100%. The expectations are rushing-to-contend are a bit crazy right now. As much as fan would like to see the Cs march out Cousins, Durant, and Butler next season, the journey to a title contention based off of Smart, Crowder, this year's Net's pick, next year's Nets pick, etc... will be longer and more fulfilling/enjoyable IMO.

Mk

I'm with you.  Bringing back the same core and adding a top five draft pick to the mix with little else in the way of significant change would make me very happy.

[Donoghus]

It's tough not be right now, at this point. 

The best case scenario(s) are certainly within the realm of possibility; hitting on the draft lottery and acquiring an alpha dog (via FA or trade).  Extremely tough not to get enamored with that possibility since it conceivably sets the franchise up as a true contender for the next several years.

That's really exciting.