Which Celtics are starters on a Championship club?

[Rosco917]

I think Al Horford is. Al's game is very well rounded. He contributes in many ways.

I think Bradley is close, but not quite. AB has some real eye opening games, just not on a night in, night out basis. His defense is a plus, his size is not.

Amir isn't, (unless last nights game becomes the new Amir)

Crowder is close, but not quite. Unless paired with a true star or two.

IT? I'm not sure here, his defense is questionable at best. Is he really a good enough distributor of the ball?

[jpotter33]

This type of question is so context-specific that it's not even worth asking. You can construct teams where probably our top-7 guys ( IT, Bradley, Crowder, Al, Amir, Smart, and KO) are starters, because there's no objective value to delineate starting on a championship team. For example, Mario freaking Chalmers and Joel Anthony have rings as starters for their Heat teams.

[Who]

Horford
Crowder
Avery
Smart

[Surferdad]

Horford is the only definite, IMO.  Avery is a probably.

I'm not at all convinced that IT should be the starting PG on the next Celtics championship team.

Crowder yes, but only if he can maintain this kind of offensive efficiency through the rest of the season.

Love Smart, LOVE HIM, but he apparently would need to be surrounded by better shooters b/c it now seems more clear that he may not improve his own shooting a lot more.

[Big333223]

This type of question is so context-specific that it's not even worth asking. You can construct teams where probably our top-7 guys ( IT, Bradley, Crowder, Al, Amir, Smart, and KO) are starters, because there's no objective value to delineate starting on a championship team. For example, Mario freaking Chalmers and Joel Anthony have rings as starters for their Heat teams.

This.

Is Isaiah Thomas better than Mario Chalmers? Is Avery Bradley better than DeShawn Stevenson? Is Jae Crowder better than Bruce Bowen? Is Amir Johnson better than Kendrick Perkins (debatable)? Is Al Horford better than Andrew Bogut?

[BitterJim]

This type of question is so context-specific that it's not even worth asking. You can construct teams where probably our top-7 guys ( IT, Bradley, Crowder, Al, Amir, Smart, and KO) are starters, because there's no objective value to delineate starting on a championship team. For example, Mario freaking Chalmers and Joel Anthony have rings as starters for their Heat teams.

Yeah, I've always hated questions like this (or the "_____ could never be a starter on a championship team!" statements.  You could put freaking Fab Melo as the starting C on the Warriors this year and they would STILL be championship favorites.  Without context (ex: could they be top 3 on a championship team?) or a more specific question (ex: what current Celtics starter(s) need(s) to be replaced in order for the Celtics to become a true contender?), it's a useless question

[LarBrd33]

For years I've been saying that Avery Bradley seemed like he could end up on a team someday with a LeBron-esque ball-dominating Superstar and be the default point guard on a championship team... where all he'd have to do is defend, hit open shots and dump the ball into the superstar.

Avery has since improved to the point where I think he could threaten for an all-star appearance with enough minutes and a big enough role.   But If stardom never happens for Avery, he's a good candidate to become a solid veteran starter on a champion someday

[Surferdad]

This type of question is so context-specific that it's not even worth asking. You can construct teams where probably our top-7 guys ( IT, Bradley, Crowder, Al, Amir, Smart, and KO) are starters, because there's no objective value to delineate starting on a championship team. For example, Mario freaking Chalmers and Joel Anthony have rings as starters for their Heat teams.

Yeah, I've always hated questions like this (or the "_____ could never be a starter on a championship team!" statements.  You could put freaking Fab Melo as the starting C on the Warriors this year and they would STILL be championship favorites.  Without context (ex: could they be top 3 on a championship team?) or a more specific question (ex: what current Celtics starter(s) need(s) to be replaced in order for the Celtics to become a true contender?), it's a useless question

No it isn't. I actually find this topic quite interesting. Just watching IT makes me think he is not the 'ideal' point guard.  As LarBrd just pointed out, Avery would need a superstar next to him. Yes context is very important, but I think what the OP wants to know is which of these guys do you keep (and therefore which do you trade to fill needs).

[max215]

This type of question is so context-specific that it's not even worth asking. You can construct teams where probably our top-7 guys ( IT, Bradley, Crowder, Al, Amir, Smart, and KO) are starters, because there's no objective value to delineate starting on a championship team. For example, Mario freaking Chalmers and Joel Anthony have rings as starters for their Heat teams.

This. Way too much context is needed to definitively answer this question. Al is most obvious, as he'd start on any of today's major contenders.

[Kuberski33]

Any of them potentially depending on who you put them with.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Almost every rotation player, if not all. I've always thought the whole "who can be a starter on a championship team" to be a frivolous question.

[Eja117]

Well....the two basic championship clubs in this league are the Cavs and the Warriors.

So does Al Horford beat out a starter on one of those teams? Yes.

Does Crowder? I think he beats out Harrison Barnes last year, so yes.

IT? I think he beats out JR Smith

Avery? These days I think he does beat out a guy like JR

Amir? He could possibly beat out Zaza P or Festus Ezeli. Probably not a healthy Bogut. Sorta borderline. I think when healthy I give him the benefit of the doubt.

Smart. Maybe over JR for his defense.

I think that everyone on the team with a chance.

But these are sorta starters in a weak link way

[cltc5]

Horford

[crimson_stallion]

Horford, Crowder, Bradley and Thomas could all easily be starters on a championship club.

Cleveland won a title last year - once you go beyond their big 3 of Kyrie/Lebron/Love, who else in their starting 5 is as good as either of the Celtics I just listed?  Nobody.

Hence they are all good enough to start on a championship club.

[green_bballers13]

Horford, Crowder, Bradley and Thomas could all easily be starters on a championship club.

Cleveland won a title last year - once you go beyond their big 3 of Kyrie/Lebron/Love, who else in their starting 5 is as good as either of the Celtics I just listed?  Nobody.

Hence they are all good enough to start on a championship club.

Smart and eventually Brown could start as well- they just wouldn't be the best players. Their defensive abilities allow them to play significant minutes, but they would need superstars to carry them, at least at this point.