Let's Brainstorm and get creative

[walker834]

I'm pretty happy with how things are going so far. 

1. Horford after a bump to start has really been living up to his billing of late doing it all out there.

2. I like our guard situation. I think Bradley and Isaiah are two very good guards and play their roles on this team very well.  Bradley has been rebounding more while not losing that extra scoring punch to go with IT.  Smart is really growing into that 6th man role where we can go small or just utilize him in a variety of ways and Rozier provides the ying to his yang and his coming into his own as well.  Smart is concentrating more on being a playmaker and extra pg which I like but he still struggles shooting.

3. Crowder is really that defensive glue and Brown has been ok in limited minutes spelling him while injured so far.  I have no reason to believe why he isn't the future. Crowder is it for now and is fine though playing that poor man's stalwart at SF who can move around.

4. Our depth in bigs is where we lack imo.  Thing is I think KO and Zeller have potential and fit our system but neither has really shown any propensity to be any sort of physical presence or go getter as far as effort so far in their careers.  I wish they would. Both run the floor and can do different things. Both remain inconsistent at best though.

5. Jerebko is that extra glue and plays well when called upon.  Green hasn't done much but has provided a spark on occasion.  Amir is a decent enough starter and can bring some toughness to our lineup as well. He plays limited minutes where we are allowed to utilize our bench and is a team oriented toughness guy.

6.  We have Yab, Jackson, Zizic and Nader stashed who fit the mold of this team and really could supplant players on this roster as they develop

7.  We have a ton of draft picks and some expiring contracts on guys that can be replaced.

That's the breakdown I have.  I've never been one to make trades for the sake of it.  Something doesn't add up though.  We can just let things develop and I think Ainge is but he's going to have to get creative somewhere.   Will Ainge make a trade this year?  I follow the rumors somewhat as far as what is going on but at the same time the media's focus on it isn't really the reality of it. 

[walker834]

I realize our players are young and developing and trying to get that across. I like being aware of that and how players fit and how we can get creative to make the right moves in an accurate way.  I just don't know what that is right now.

I like our guard situation and wouldn't touch it although maybe.

Crowder is really part of this teams identity right now.

Horford isn't going anywhere. I don't think anyone is untradeable but he is probably the last guy to m ove on this team.

I think where we have strength is in picks and small we have an abundance that could equal something special but there are only so many players in the league.   

Paul George, Boogie Cousins, etc etc.  These are all names that have been thrown around.  I don't see this team necessarily just continuing to draft.  We have way too many picks where these are more chips.  We may utilize  some of them that way but they are chips even still.  I don't care if it's the brooklyn picks or IT that way. I don't think it will necessarily be our guards.  We may move Crowder to upgrade our current SF and Big man situation without giving up guys like Brown for the future however and some of those picks.

For example Celtics trade Crowder and one of the brooklyn picks and other picks for Paul George.  They move Zeller, Amir and additional assets for Cousins.  That stuff just doesn't add up though.

I tend to think Bird would want Brown and Crowder and future picks for George which I don't think happens.

It would also not leave us with enough assets to get another big man in here.

Having Paul George here with Brown also doesnt make a lot of sense unless we are trading them IT where we go with a different sort of lineup.  Our team makes sense how it's constituted even moreso imo.  That stuff just doesn't make sense.

It would make more sense to trade them Brown which I don't like.  I think our team is better as constituted.  We are coming into our own and this team makes sense how it is.

If we could turn this into a super team of IT, Bradley, George, Horford, Cousins that's one thing but I'm not necessarily a proponent of that.  I like what we are building.  That doesn't necessarily feel like the celtics way although it could be.  I think a lot of these dream scenarios are baloney.  Our team is fine how it's developing.

I think Ainge on the other hand if he can land star b to get star A to go with IT and Horford he would consider that much like we got Ray and KG.  Different world though.  I think he would trade a young player like Jaylen or at least consider it much like he did with Al J if a team really likes Jaylen.  The issue is I was never that high on Al J.  I am on Jaylen.  Getting Cousins or Anthony Davis or whoever to go with Paul George to go with IT, Horford and Bradley is pretty hard to pass up though.

[walker834]

It depends on how you look at it I guess.  I think there are deals Ainge would find hard to pass up,  but I still see us more being like the spurs and building a system here for the time being.  I think we may do that regardless with Brad Stevens and draft someone.  We have way too many players though and picks and something does not add up.  I really still believe Ainge if he gets an offer he can't refuse may move some of these guys.

The internet gets too concerned with what side of the fence you are on when I more try to see it from all sides.  I'm on neither on something like that.

[Rosco917]

I agree with your assessment of the current roster. I don't quite agree with you that Amir is a "decent enough starter" and I just don't see him bring toughness to the line-up at all. I see Amir slowing down physically, and not at all adding toughness. I've watched him get dismissed too often by many bigs under the boards, and in the paint. Frankly Amir does just enough to be a valued reserve player.

The problem with attaining a star player like Cousins, and George etc. is what do you give up as far as current roster of players. I also like the team we have, I can't see the Celtics without Crowder, Smart, or AB.
Those players, along with Horford are the defensive core of this team.

What I can see is, acquiring a center who can be valuable when the team goes big, with Horford at PF. A few centers around the league fit the bill, guys that will play 21-23 minutes a game, defend, and rebound well... Noel, WCS, Bogut.

Then waiting for another free agent season to get a "name" scorer type to add to the already improving roster.   



   

[Evantime34]

I think all our needs (besides a rebounding big) can be filled with player development. Right now the second unit is our biggest deficiency, but if Brown and Rozier can develop, by the end of the season that issue will diminish.

Obviously the team will put together a package for a star if one becomes available, but I'm not optimistic that one hits the market. If we can't add a Paul George, DeMarcus Cousins or another player of their ilk the best course is probably to suffer through the growing pains of our young guys, add a rebounding big with only one year left on his deal to keep salary space open and remain flexible.

We want to avoid trading for a player with long term salary. Dealing for a guy like Faried might make us better now, but if trading for Faried takes us out of the running for a star in free agency it would be a truly shortsighted move.

[walker834]

I wonder if teams are onto us too.  They haven't been throughout history though.  Teams may be afraid of trading us their franchise player because teams always get hosed by us that way though. I am  high on jaylen brown though.  I was not that high on Al J.  We got Mchale, Parish etc to go with Bird.  We got KG for Al J because Mchale liked him. 

It happens though.  Teams just seem to be able to get those guys regardless somehow some way.

Building a system like we are may be the route anyways.  There are teams that do it that way as well.  Either way it puts us in a position of strength where our team is attractive.  That is the real key.  Most teams don't figure this out though.

You have to be steadfast in being aware of what is going on around the league but also sticking to your guns.

[Evantime34]

I wonder if teams are onto us too.  They haven't been throughout history though.  Teams may be afraid of trading us their franchise player because teams always get hosed by us that way though. I am  high on jaylen brown though.  I was not that high on Al J.  We got Mchale, Parish etc to go with Bird.  We got KG for Al J because Mchale liked him. 

It happens though.  Teams just seem to be able to get those guys regardless somehow some way.

Building a system like we are may be the route anyways.  There are teams that do it that way as well.  Either way it puts us in a position of strength where our team is attractive.  That is the real key.  Most teams don't figure this out though.

You have to be steadfast in being aware of what is going on around the league but also sticking to your guns.

Teams are afraid of trading away star players in general. More often than not, trading a star player is the first step in a rebuild, which often cost teams money in ticket revenue. It seems like since the last CBA, players are holding onto their stars tighter than ever and we just happen to be the ones with assets waiting for a star to become available

[walker834]

Some teams lose their stars though. Stars have power in the league because of free agency.  I'd much rather be a team like us than some teams that spend years sitting on their star player then losing them to a team like us.

There are teams that get lucky that way and draft stars because they are so high in the lottery but they are stupid otherwise or just dont care.

Teams that draft star players aren't always the brightest tacks in the shed.  they won the lottery for a reason.

Some teams genuinally are smart and try to win and go through bad stretches.  Other teams are in the lottery because they suck.  When it comes time to ante up and pay these guys or build a team around them they've done neither.

[Rosco917]

I wonder if teams are onto us too.  They haven't been throughout history though.  Teams may be afraid of trading us their franchise player because teams always get hosed by us that way though. I am  high on jaylen brown though.  I was not that high on Al J.  We got Mchale, Parish etc to go with Bird.  We got KG for Al J because Mchale liked him. 

It happens though.  Teams just seem to be able to get those guys regardless somehow some way.

Building a system like we are may be the route anyways.  There are teams that do it that way as well.  Either way it puts us in a position of strength where our team is attractive.  That is the real key.  Most teams don't figure this out though.

You have to be steadfast in being aware of what is going on around the league but also sticking to your guns.

IMO teams "are on to us" in the way teams are defending IT. They know he's really our only reliable go to scorer. When he first arrived on the C's they played him honestly, and immediately had his way. Now that he's an all-star, and a top 10-12 scorer, teams are really playing him physically, and getting away with it. His path to the rim has a road block, and is full of bumps, pushes, and grabs, and teams are getting away with it. We need to find a reliable additional scorer as this season moves on. This is kind of where Eric Turner shinned.

As to teams being afraid to trade with us, you're correct...DA has a habit of winning trades, and showing results from them. We might be finding opposing GM's asking a bit more, to hedge on a Celtic winning trade.

[Bobshot]

Horford out tonite in Miami.

Whiteside will show Stevens what rim protecting and rebounding is all about--if his knee is OK.

The missing ingredient.

[flybono]

Is that you Danny, selling us more kool-aid?

Purgatory not development without a deal made with any of these dreaded Net picks