I have never been more disappointed in this blog than last night and the toxic posting is only intensifying.
Too many seem more interested in conjecture and fantasy than in watching the team continue to develop in a multi-year process.
I've learned absolutely nothing from visiting this website last night and today.
Danny was very clever to not make a trade for the sake of it. To give away the shop for one player, whether it's Butler or Cousins, would have been the wrong decision.
The draft is overrated in that these players are not going to show up on day one and lift us up. People also need to chill out and wait to see what happens in free agency and trades.
While people complain about treadmills and fireworks that never happen, Danny is very close to balancing the roster.
Danny did not draft a guard. That was his best decision. That means we are all set at guard and Isaiah, Avery and Smart are that core. I expect Rozier to step up and be the fourth guard.
We have one of the best back courts in the NBA and Danny was clever to not upset that balance.
Now we are similarly all set to go at small forward. Crowder plus Brown is the same level of competence we have at guards. We are all set at three of five positions. That is something to be positive about.
I guess what needs to be known is which of these guys are draft and stash and who might play next year. Brown is obviously going to be in the rotation. His selection seems to imply that Evan Turner is not returning.
I await to see what Danny does with the front court. I can't imagine us winning less games than last year no matter what happens or doesn't happen next.
Anyone who can't wait another year or two for Danny to pull the trigger or for younger players to emerge is not the kind of fan I respect.
I await for more posts from Rollie and the few people on this blog who are thoughtful and not prone to making public hissy fits about a sport.
I would not miss Sully and Zeller and don't expect them back. I think Amir and Jerebko are returning. I hope Zizac is not draft and stash and can be the fourth or fifth big. We should be able to have a better idea about Jordan Mickey soon. It will also be Kelly's fourth year and it will be interesting to see what he does. And Marcus Smart is another player to keep an eye on.
Those who think we have a mediocre roster are fans that I don't respect. If it is so painful to follow the team and one feels they suck and everything sucks, those are not people I enjoy reading their thoughts.
I would sign Dwight Howard if at all possible. He could be the foundation for a three year window right now to win it all. He would cost nothing as a free agent other than his contract. That would take care of the antsy crowd who refuse to look ahead and forget that we are already in the hunt to be ranked as the sixth best team in the NBA.
Then in three years, all of our players still on the team from Smart to new draft picks and even the Brooklyn pick next year could be ready to compete. We do need a center. It might be Zizac. We need a bridge to get to three years in the future. If we could sign a decent free agent center to go with Amir and if Olynyk and Jerebko are decent and keep improving, we could steal a title before we even reach some longer window. Then we become the San Antonio Spurs.
If Danny strikes out on free agency, we are still a 48+ win team with a ton of assets. Or we could redo last year when some blogger all over this page kept saying the Nets were solid and could make the playoffs or late lottery. You can do that. I won't.
I believe right now we are only one player away from winning it all. That may or may not happen. We will definitely get that one or two players eventually and within a couple years. No one has a crystal ball. It either happens or doesn't this Summer or the passing of time ensures it will.
If we added Dwight Howard to the roster, how does the opponent score on us?
It's only been three years! People need to relax and enjoy this. We've gone from being at the bottom of the league to sixth best or top ten at least. The Brooklyn Nets did crumble and continue to crumble.
Maybe Zizac is not draft and stash and he can be the fourth big. Sure, we need Olynyk to take the next step. We need one more move for bigs. One move!
I place the bar for next season at 50+ wins and to win a playoff series or two.
It's gonna be fun. Will Smart shoot better? What about his point guard skills? Can he handle that for ten minutes a game? Or will Rozier make it into the rotation?
With Turner probably now gone, someone like Olynyk will have to assert himself playing some point-center or Rozier has to get it done. Or Smart will be the one. Isaiah can't play the whole game.
That is a better problem than if Ainge had drafted Dunn and there'd be too much of a logjam.
Patience is needed.
Appreciating what you have is needed.
It took Danny and Brad only a year and a half to turn the Celtics into a playoff team. Think about that!
Maybe some Celtics fans should find a different sport to follow.
They are obviously creating ulcers and not having much fun.
The guys getting drafted are usually around 19. Marcus Smart played his rookie year and so will Brown. We just added another core player for the next ten to fifteen years.
Can Jaylen and Jae play together? That would help. But that is not a problem for next year. It will only be an issue years later if they are both very good yet redundant.
While others are whining and crying, I will continue to enjoy the green kool-aid. The Celtics glass is three quarters full. The light at the end of the tunnel has entered the picture. We are one center away from winning it all or being right there. We didn't have to gut the team to get one superstar. I don't think Danny is done. I wasn't happy with David Lee, but I think a healthy Amir is part of the current core. Amir and Olynyk is not a bad tandem for power forward/center. We need one true center so guys like them are not overwhelmed. KG turned into a true center, but Danny never filled the hole left by Perk's departure.
I am curious how our front court will end up. Everything else seems to have been solved.