Championship window

[konkmv]

Sometimes life is full of surprises
When danny sold the house for the picks i think he was ready for a long rebuilding period
But 2 unexpected things happened
Thomas and stevens...
Thomas playing like an all star was not a possibility two years ago
And i do not think many thought brad would do such a good job so soon
But those  things combined with the nets picks are not a blessing
Danny must chose at some point, probably next year when many contracts expire if this core can win it all... because this is the goal...
Can this team win the championship with thomas as a leader?
Or the championship window will open in 3-4 years when all the rookies will have some experience?
The real question is... resign thomas bradley and crowder... or sell them soon because their price is higher than ever? And believe me because signing someone like love melo and butler does not make us championsip contenters the question will have to be answered at some point

[NHCelticsFan]

Agreed to an extent.  One other thing that has changed is the reputation of the Celtics around the league.  We are a serious threat for any free agent to consider, so another piece to help take the pressure off of Thomas is not out of the question.

I recall Danny saying they had to think hard about trading for Thomas because they weren't sure if they wanted to get better at that point.  In other words,would another lottery pick have been a better choice.  I believe Ainge said the price they paid for Thomas was too good to pass up.

The trade deadline, draft, and offseason are going to be really interesting.  I can't see Ainge moving IT, Al, or Jaylen myself, but I think everyone else is fair game.

[Celtics4ever]

Right now as the team stands, I do not think we are a championship caliber team.   We are a good team but could be beat GS or CLE in a seven game series or even TOR with DeRozan?   I don't think so.

Ainge is a few moves away, yet.   He has done an amazing job in the rebuild.

[GreenEnvy]

Right now as the team stands, I do not think we are a championship caliber team.   We are a good team but could be beat GS or CLE in a seven game series or even TOR with DeRozan?   I don't think so.

Ainge is a few moves away, yet.   He has done an amazing job in the rebuild.

I think as currently constructed, we are at the very top of that second-tier of teams.

True contenders:
CLE
GSW
SAS

Deep playoff teams:
BOS
HOU
TOR
LAC

Possible upset teams:
MEM
WAS
UTA

[chilidawg]

We rely on youth more than any of the other contenders. How we do will depend in large part on how Brown, Rozier, Olynyk and Smart continue to improve.  I still think we have an outside chance if it all comes together.  Next year could be really special.

[CelticPride2016]

I think the window has begun this year and will last as long as the career of the last Brooklyn pick we keep and develop.

I doubt Danny does an all-in Cousins type trade. If he does, then fine. But the chance for a long window would decrease appreciably.

Two things need to happen for us to have a puncher's chance of winning it all.

1) we have health and stamina, perhaps elite teams start breaking down

2) we get the rebounding big who fits in. Zeller is underwhelming. It would help a lot if Amir, Al, and Olynyk are in good health for the playoffs and at the top of their games.

So, I refuse to concede anything this year. Anything is possible.

[konkmv]

I did not say it will happen this year or even next... the issue is which team you believe can win a titlee
Thomas bradley crowder as main players
Or brown smart and the 2 picks..
Because these groups have different windows

[Csfan1984]

I started a thread about embrace the "Development" and in that thread I said C's should keep doing the slow rebuild and stay competitive, the window isn't even half way open yet.

[CelticPride2016]

We have reached just below the super powers which might only be Golden State at this point. Since we are way ahead of schedule for piling up wins, there is no pressure on Ainge to give away the shop for Cousins or Butler.

The other time, Pierce was starting to get antsy.

Brown is already very good. He is twenty. Figure he will be great at some point, say in two years. If we guess the start of a true window for when he's 22, that will give us a pure ten years of contending for dynasty status.

Yeah, no way in heck Danny trades for Cousins. He is sitting on top of a huge nest egg. Stevens' forte is developing NBA players.

Unless Danny drafts Anthony Bennett's or Greg Oden, something rough, he is going to win the long game. He is competing with Red Auerbach. He is off to a rough start with only one title, but he must see how good we are developing. Marcus Smart with play after play on defense. Smart could be a hidden NBA star. I think he is.

People underestimate the talent already on the roster. Horford's contract will eventually run out. Maybe Horford will surprise us and develop. Teach the old man new tricks.

Yes, younger guys are learning how to chill out NBA veteran style under Amir, Al and Gerald.

It looks like one of Avery and Isaiah won't be here in a few years. But I try not to overthink it. I hope Danny gets us a big. This year's team deserves it. They play hungry.

[staticcc]

When Lebron is close to retirement, that should be the time to contend. Open window right there.

[CelticPride2016]

When Lebron is close to retirement, that should be the time to contend. Open window right there.

There will always be strong competition unless we are able to cheat like Golden State. Danny is trying his best. That was solid cheating what he did to Brooklyn.

We need GS to break down and/or start hitting the superstar funding cap. Or they overthink it and get too small.

I think we can already compete with Lebron. The Cleveland scam is completely dependent on James being dominant, Irving and probably Love too playing like stars, and the rest of the team has to be good, too. Lebron is 32. Once Pierce hit that age, he started to go downhill. 32 seems to be the key age for NBA players. They can adjust and still be complementary stars, and that's what we hope Horford can produce over the last two years of his contract when he begins his dinosaur era.

The Cleveland organization is spent. Their chemistry is falling apart, at least for the last month.

Cleveland will probably advance to the Finals, but that is no guarantee now. We get better every game. They are trying to hold on with what they've got with each day Lebron getting older and potentially more frustrated.

Golden State is a definite issue. It's grotesque that they were able to sign Durant. I hope it backfires on them. I hate both GS and Cleveland. They deserve nothing. They are bullies and cowards. Point to Charles Barkley.

If we take care of our own house in regards to development, we can compete with anyone. There's still regular season time for improvement. If by some chance we get the #1 seed, that could take us all the way to the ECF before having to play Cleveland or Toronto. I wouldn't trade our position for Houston's, Toronto's or the Clippers'. I wouldn't swap teams with Cleveland. Their window is closing fast, imho.

[chambers]

When Lebron is close to retirement, that should be the time to contend. Open window right there.

There will always be strong competition unless we are able to cheat like Golden State. Danny is trying his best. That was solid cheating what he did to Brooklyn.

We need GS to break down and/or start hitting the superstar funding cap. Or they overthink it and get too small.

I think we can already compete with Lebron. The Cleveland scam is completely dependent on James being dominant, Irving and probably Love too playing like stars, and the rest of the team has to be good, too. Lebron is 32. Once Pierce hit that age, he started to go downhill. 32 seems to be the key age for NBA players. They can adjust and still be complementary stars, and that's what we hope Horford can produce over the last two years of his contract when he begins his dinosaur era.

The Cleveland organization is spent. Their chemistry is falling apart, at least for the last month.

Cleveland will probably advance to the Finals, but that is no guarantee now. We get better every game. They are trying to hold on with what they've got with each day Lebron getting older and potentially more frustrated.

Golden State is a definite issue. It's grotesque that they were able to sign Durant. I hope it backfires on them. I hate both GS and Cleveland. They deserve nothing. They are bullies and cowards. Point to Charles Barkley.

If we take care of our own house in regards to development, we can compete with anyone. There's still regular season time for improvement. If by some chance we get the #1 seed, that could take us all the way to the ECF before having to play Cleveland or Toronto. I wouldn't trade our position for Houston's, Toronto's or the Clippers'. I wouldn't swap teams with Cleveland. Their window is closing fast, imho.

GSW didn't really cheat. They drafted all their main guys and added Durant as a free agent....
It would be like us drafting Brown and Fultz, winning a ship, and then adding a top 3 NBA player as a free agent

[mr. dee]

I did not say it will happen this year or even next... the issue is which team you believe can win a titlee
Thomas bradley crowder as main players
Or brown smart and the 2 picks..
Because these groups have different windows

Why not both? Bill Russell and Hondo experienced transition on main cores. Let the young guys develop first. If lets say Bradley and Isaiah can no longer be in the driver's seat, then that is the time to put the younger guys in.

From Bob Cousy and Tommy Heinson to KC Jones and Sam Jones

Hondo played with Bill Russell to Dave Cowens.

Duncan played with David Robinson to Kawhi Leonard.

[mr. dee]

When Lebron is close to retirement, that should be the time to contend. Open window right there.

There will always be strong competition unless we are able to cheat like Golden State. Danny is trying his best. That was solid cheating what he did to Brooklyn.

We need GS to break down and/or start hitting the superstar funding cap. Or they overthink it and get too small.

I think we can already compete with Lebron. The Cleveland scam is completely dependent on James being dominant, Irving and probably Love too playing like stars, and the rest of the team has to be good, too. Lebron is 32. Once Pierce hit that age, he started to go downhill. 32 seems to be the key age for NBA players. They can adjust and still be complementary stars, and that's what we hope Horford can produce over the last two years of his contract when he begins his dinosaur era.

The Cleveland organization is spent. Their chemistry is falling apart, at least for the last month.

Cleveland will probably advance to the Finals, but that is no guarantee now. We get better every game. They are trying to hold on with what they've got with each day Lebron getting older and potentially more frustrated.

Golden State is a definite issue. It's grotesque that they were able to sign Durant. I hope it backfires on them. I hate both GS and Cleveland. They deserve nothing. They are bullies and cowards. Point to Charles Barkley.

If we take care of our own house in regards to development, we can compete with anyone. There's still regular season time for improvement. If by some chance we get the #1 seed, that could take us all the way to the ECF before having to play Cleveland or Toronto. I wouldn't trade our position for Houston's, Toronto's or the Clippers'. I wouldn't swap teams with Cleveland. Their window is closing fast, imho.

GSW are really exploitable. You just need things along with respectable offensive execution. Defense, rebounding and post threat.

See the teams they lost:

Spurs
Lakers
Rockets
Grizzlies
Cavs
Grizzlies
Heat
Kings

Like the Celtics, Warriors can get pounded on boards with Teams that can rebound. Aside from Rockets, all these teams have players who are very good-elite rebounding skills.

[the TRUTH]

Very interesting thread. I don't think it's overly homer-ish to say that few NBA GM's have ever had as many viable options as Ainge has right now to take a team that's already this good and improve it significantly.

As so many other people have said, that 2017 Brooklyn pick is unbelievable in itself. Combine that with the roster we already have and the potential that Jaylen Brown takes a significant leap next season, and we really may only be a minor move or two away from being legitimate contenders in 2018.

I love this team now, but don't think we can take down Cleveland at full strength in a seven game series even if we get home court advantage. Don't forget how much help any LeBron-led team will get from the refs in the playoffs, so not only do we need to be better than the Cavs, but we need to be significantly better than them in order to win the East. Don't think we're ready for that yet, but we'll only get better in 2018, and I think the Cavs have hit their peak. There's a good chance that this is the last year where Cleveland is the odds-on favorite to win the East.

The biggest question becomes whether or not Ainge decides to go all-in with a win-now trade, or if he aims to become consistent contenders for 8-10 years. Each move has its merit, and as long as he makes the right moves on the path he selects, I'm fine with it. I'd take having a very good chance for one or two titles in the next four years even if it meant having to rebuild again in 4-5 years. On the other hand, if he can pull it off to where we're legitimate contenders every year for the next decade, that'd be a lot of fun as well.