A Celtics Summer Of Inflated Expections

[guava_wrench]

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

I am not sure what you mean by muted. IMO, Ainge does very well in the draft. I noted his KO trade/pick b/c it felt forced, not as a representation of Ainge's drafting ability.

He and Grousbeck have stated their own expectations for the summer.

Agreed.

They either meet them, or they look like fools.

This is my point. I don't believe Danny or Wyc care if they look like fools. I don't care either. I only care about them forcing bad decisions, draft, FA, or trades..

The status quo - and your proposed draft choices aren't good options, especially the hideously overrated Bender - is unacceptable.

I used Bender and Brown as examples b/c they are rated high in almost every mock. You may sub in whoever outside of Simmons and Brown that you like the most.

Mk

Ainge's drafting record is littered with failure: James Young, Fab Melo, Sullinger, JR Giddens, JJ Johnson, R.J. Hunter ... the list goes on. Where would this franchise be had he not passed on DeAndre Jordan, the Greek Freak, etc.

He is an astute trader. That is where his strength lies. He will never be able to build a champion here through the draft. He simply is not an astute enough college talent evaluator.

Again, the status quo, which is a poorly constructed roster of players who cannot shoot, is simply not acceptable for another season. I don't for a minute believe that Brad Stevens is willing to wait forever for significant roster upgrades and continue trying to overachieve in the NBA with a clear lack of roster talent.

We get this same tired refrain from Ainge and Grousbeck every summer. It is time for them to put up or shut up.

Ainge is average at drafting.

He is a brief recap: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2494628-grading-every-nba-general-managers-draft-track-record/page/3

That doesn't include our ho-hum draft from last year.

He doesn't make the top or bottom in this list, tough that is evaluating a very long period of time:

http://imgur.com/raZHOS8

I don't worry much about the results. Drafts are crap shoots. It is more important that Danny has been acquiring a lot of chances.

[PhoSita]

A good GM is a good strategist.

A good strategist doesn't make moves just to make moves.

At the same time, a good strategist doesn't base their entire long term outlook on boom or bust plans.

That was the basic criticism if Hinkie, after all.

Having lots of assets and flexibility is great, but only if you can make use of it so that it allows you to keep moving forward even when the uncontrollable variables don't break your way.

This sounds like a criticism of Ainge but it's awfully vague... Is he too "boom or bust"? Only "boom/bust" move I can think of is trading for Ray+KG, and that one worked out pretty well. If anything Ainge has shown a penchant for making small- to medium-sized moves that pay big dividends. The Rondo/Crowder trade, the IT trade, re-signing AB, the Amir signing, and most underrated of all signing Jae to that awesome 5 year contract. Without those deals we'd be looking at a much worse team, still with assets, but we'd be staking a lot more on the "boom" and the "bust" would be looking a lot more likely.

I think a lot of C's fans will be disappointed if we see more of the same, medium-sized deals where we don't give up much and don't take much risk. But given Ainge's stellar record, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

Less a criticism of Ainge now and more a statement of how I will judge the moves made or not made this summer.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Really hope Danny trades our picks---cause he cannot draft to save his life.

Thinking about how Stevens has Never coached teams with real talent---and what he's been able to get out of them---Time for Ainge to give him that chance.

[Greyman]

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.

It's harder for me to envision a scenario where nothing happens.   There's just way too much to work with and way too much motivation to make something happen.   I have trouble even imagining a chain of events where Boston fails to do anything to improve the team.   We will almost certainly make improvements.

I have to agree, the question is only about the degree and quality of change/improvement. Everything may domino from draft night though I expect DA to have contingencies for many eventualities.

I would add that there is a danger in limited change. The ability to sell Boston as a great destination for NBA all stars is high this off season. It would be much lower next season if the team didn't improve, despite the draft picks. One of the selling points is that this is an organisation going somewhere. Standing still with so many assets would send a very negative message.

This is very important too. It's truly an offseason that will define the franchise for arguably a very long time

just my two cents worth here, but i am not so sure that it all hinges on THIS summer. the celtics still have two more years of lottery picks from the nets. there is time to CONTINUE to improve this team this year without it being the final, or hoped for, or intended finish.

it would not surprise me to have ainge carefully add one or two pieces to this team this year. and then build upon that in the next few years.

the expectation that is all has to come together THIS YEAR may be setting some folks up for disappointment. while it would be nice, i think ainge is patient enough to avoid a bad deal this year just to make a deal.

True that the team might not be the completed project after this off season. I still expect there to be significant change. As I said, all I think that is in question is the degree and quality of the change. A top six pick should ensure a very promising rookie or trade for a significant piece at least. Even if DA holds back because he can't get the right free agent or trade, there is going to be something happening.

[billysan]

We can continue to discuss Dannys drafting and trading skills but one thing remains clear. Danny has put the team in a position it hasnt seen in a long long time. I see a really good shot at landing a top 2 pick, cap space for 2 max or near FA, a pile of draft picks and assets if we need them for a trade. This adds up to 4 different ways to significantly improve this team.

Not to mention a core of decent young players


Not bad IMO

[Casperian]

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.

It might be a pretty significant dissappointment, especially to guys like you, but I wouldn't call it a failure at all.  Obviously it takes two to make a deal, and Ainge only controls one side of things.  You know Ainge wants to come out ahead in every deal and he's not going to pull the trigger just to make the impatatient people (from Wyc to the fans) happy.  I think this quality is part of what makes Ainge great.

I think that quality, if true - and I don't believe it is for a minute - is going to get Ainge fired.

As it should.

Oh please, if it was for you we would still trot out Pierce and KG to "win now". After the trade you wanted us to trade the "worthless picks" for the Josh Smith's of this world because "rebuilding is for losers".

You were calling for Ainge's head for years now, you're just p---ed that he pretty much always did the opposite of what you wanted and then went on to have success.

We traded P2 and KG less than three years ago. How hard is it to understand that we're in an excellent position for year 3 of the rebuild? Most other rebuilding teams would kill to be in our shoes. Yet here you are calling for Ainge's head because of things which you know very well are beyond his control.

I swear, sometimes it's like effing whack-a-mole with the hyperbole cowboys around here.

[Surferdad]

Really hope Danny trades our picks---cause he cannot draft to save his life.

Thinking about how Stevens has Never coached teams with real talent---and what he's been able to get out of them---Time for Ainge to give him that chance.

He HAS TO deal some picks, he has too many to keep. Trading some for future higher picks is a real possibility.

[CoachBo]

Really hope Danny trades our picks---cause he cannot draft to save his life.

Thinking about how Stevens has Never coached teams with real talent---and what he's been able to get out of them---Time for Ainge to give him that chance.

Precisely. The idea of Ainge drafting eight times this summer keeps me awake at night. We might become the first team in NBA history to dress 12 guards who can't shoot a lick.

At least if it happens, the fusillade of excuses on this board for Ainge's drafting would be good for a few laughs. They always are.

I get a particular laugh on this board out of how certain people are that Brad Stevens is here for life, too, so your point is well taken. He's going to want players to contend - and soon.

[Celtics4ever]

Precisely. The idea of Ainge drafting eight times this summer keeps me awake at night. We might become the first team in NBA history to dress 12 guards who can't shoot a lick.

TP, I laughed out loud when I read this, very funny but also sadly true in some ways.   I think guys know their position best and feel most comfortable when picking guards if they were a guard.

[LooseCannon]

Really hope Danny trades our picks---cause he cannot draft to save his life.

Thinking about how Stevens has Never coached teams with real talent---and what he's been able to get out of them---Time for Ainge to give him that chance.

He HAS TO deal some picks, he has too many to keep. Trading some for future higher picks is a real possibility.

Maybe the Celtics end up with pick #5 and trade the Dallas pick and a couple of seconds to move up to #3 and take Bender.

[PhoSita]

Really hope Danny trades our picks---cause he cannot draft to save his life.

Thinking about how Stevens has Never coached teams with real talent---and what he's been able to get out of them---Time for Ainge to give him that chance.

He HAS TO deal some picks, he has too many to keep. Trading some for future higher picks is a real possibility.

Trading for future higher picks?

When does that ever happen? If Ainge is trading out its because this draft is weak. Why would other teams trade future picks of greater value for picks in this draft?

[hwangjini_1]

Really hope Danny trades our picks---cause he cannot draft to save his life.

Thinking about how Stevens has Never coached teams with real talent---and what he's been able to get out of them---Time for Ainge to give him that chance.

ha, ha, ha, ha... you are very funny person.

[Surferdad]

Really hope Danny trades our picks---cause he cannot draft to save his life.

Thinking about how Stevens has Never coached teams with real talent---and what he's been able to get out of them---Time for Ainge to give him that chance.

He HAS TO deal some picks, he has too many to keep. Trading some for future higher picks is a real possibility.

Trading for future higher picks?

When does that ever happen? If Ainge is trading out its because this draft is weak. Why would other teams trade future picks of greater value for picks in this draft?

If there is a guy they really want this year.  It is not unheard of, but maybe happens more in the NFL.

[Ilikesports17]

Precisely. The idea of Ainge drafting eight times this summer keeps me awake at night. We might become the first team in NBA history to dress 12 guards who can't shoot a lick.

TP, I laughed out loud when I read this, very funny but also sadly true in some ways.   I think guys know their position best and feel most comfortable when picking guards if they were a guard.

I had not thought of this. Thats an interesting take. i wonder if it checks out with other GMs? od other guys tend to draft their former position better than others.