Why are so few people talking about/excited for THIS plan for the future??

[mrb617]

Fultz
Jaylen Brown
Zizic
Smart
Rozier
BK 18' pick = a really good BIG.

This is a HELL of a CORE or the future! Package IT/Bradley for another great chance at a lottery pick next year, giving us 2 shots at one of these transcendent BIGS in next year's draft!

NO GORDON Hayward. If we give out another MAX deal we will be handicapped going forward, when you factor in Hortford and future extensions. Keep the CAP space for the future- so we can add 1 or even 2 MAX players to the above core. KD or Steph will be FA after next year for instance, and Im sure theres plenty of top 15 guys that will be available in the next 3 years.

Who wouldn't want to play with the above lineup and Brad Stevens! Imagine adding a KD, Steph, Butler (not trade), Westbrook, Kawhi, etc.. These guys will all be FA in the next couple years, and again, who wouldn't want to play with the ABOVE!!!

[Roy H.]

Can you explain how Hayward vs. Smart + Rozier is even a choice?

Why would a superstar leave his team to babysit our youngsters without any win now talent?

[mrb617]

In 2 years Brown will have developed in to a potential all star. Fultz will be ready to start, and the rest of the youngins will all have a lot more experience by then. The only in experienced players will be the BK 18 and hopefully another 18 lottery through a trade.

We will also have plenty of cap space to add other vets, and most likely enough for 2 max players.

Smart/Rozier are amazing bench/role players to have on a championship team.

[Roy H.]

In 2 years Brown will have developed in to a potential all star. Fultz will be ready to start, and the rest of the youngins will all have a lot more experience by then. The only in experienced players will be the BK 18 and hopefully another 18 lottery through a trade.

We will also have plenty of cap space to add other vets, and most likely enough for 2 max players.

Smart/Rozier are amazing bench/role players to have on a championship team.

How is Rozier amazing at anything?

What are the chances that Brown develops into an all-star?

Most importantly, why should the team abandon winning now, rather than winning now (perennial conference Finalist) and later (hopefully better than ECF)?

[mahcus smaht]

the only really impressive asset on that list is Markelle Fultz.

[jade88]

Marcus Smart is a lunch pail bench player, offensively challenged. What part of Jaylen having absolutely no handle don't some of you get? He's got no skills on the offensive end, and though he shows signs defensively, he's often lost there too. He's a solid little prospect with great athleticism. Raw as hell.

Bigs aren't winning anybody anything these days, you need size, but traditional bugs are dead. BK 18 is sketchy is if it's a big man draft.

The youth we have is nothing special, nobody is salivating at any one guy we have across the league. Fultz maybe, but we don't need a PG, we have a better scorer than Paul Pierce at that position for crying out loud.

What we actually need is a large 2 guard 6 ft 7 or so, and a big SF with length. Maybe we'll get a decent PF someday, I hope so.

I'm not enamored with a single young player we have or is incoming. I'm not a hater, there are plenty of players that I enjoy watching, but the rose colored glasses here is sad.

[Surferdad]

Fultz
Jaylen Brown
Zizic
Smart
Rozier
BK 18' pick = a really good BIG.

This is a HELL of a CORE or the future! Package IT/Bradley for another great chance at a lottery pick next year, giving us 2 shots at one of these transcendent BIGS in next year's draft!

NO GORDON Hayward. If we give out another MAX deal we will be handicapped going forward, when you factor in Hortford and future extensions. Keep the CAP space for the future- so we can add 1 or even 2 MAX players to the above core. KD or Steph will be FA after next year for instance, and Im sure theres plenty of top 15 guys that will be available in the next 3 years.

Who wouldn't want to play with the above lineup and Brad Stevens! Imagine adding a KD, Steph, Butler (not trade), Westbrook, Kawhi, etc.. These guys will all be FA in the next couple years, and again, who wouldn't want to play with the ABOVE!!!

So why Horford not on the team?
You have to take back salary for IT/Bradley, where are those players?
Did you let Crowder walk or trade him?

EDIT: Welcome to CelticsBlog Forums mrb617!

[Onslaught]

I like Brown and all but I don't see where people get the "all star" talk from.

[chiken Green]

I'm with you homie..   I love what Brown did as a Rook on a very good team..  The growth he showed from day one to the end of the year is very encouraging..  His Athlestism mis Elite and his poise was lightyears ahead of his age.. The kid was suppose to be a non-shooting turnover machine..  He was far more than that.. I think people dont understand how hard it is for a young player to develop on a team that needed desperately to get out of the first round of the playoffs.  Jaylen Brown is going to be a player, it's not hard to see that.

Also Excited to See what Fultz can turn into. The guy has all the tools in the world to be special and I believe he is coming to the perfect coach. His polished Offense, elite handle and NBA size is exactly what we need. The kid is coming to us with elite tools already in his toolkit..  If you go through the history of the NBA you can count the number of guards who went first on one hand. And all of them turned out to be pretty darn special. It takes alot for a guard to be considered as the consenses number 1 pick.. And in a draft as deep as this...  How can you not be excited as a Celtics fan.

Smart and Rozier are coming along a little slower but they are definitely coming along. Every year they improved some aspect of their game. They were both a huge part of our success this year, expecially Smart. I find it comical how people downplay the many tools he has has because of the few tools he doesnt.  Yes his shooting has a ways to go but the kid is a gamer and has been for us since he put on the jersey..  He will never be Ray Allen, or win a 3 point shooting contest.. But he will help us win games and at the end of the day that is all we really want.

Zizic should be fun, I dont know what to expect from the kid but I think it will be fun to watch him bang, set hard picks and grab boards for us. 

The BK 18 could be that last piece to a Fultz / Brown Dynasty run.. 

Our future, if we just stand still and let the chips fall where they may is super bright..  That's exciting.

[RodyTur10]

I agree with the OP. Unless Ainge can pull off a marvellous off season in which he signs two all stars to the team there is no point in putting or losing assets (draft picks, cap space) into the current core of Thomas-Bradley-Crowder-Horford.

That's just not a championship group, not even close. Don't let the achievement of getting to the Conference Finals (very nice though) throw dust in our eyes. The Celtics are no better than teams like the Raptors, Wizards, Hawks, Rockets or Jazz.

Hayward is not a big difference maker and signing him (and or) Thomas for a max contract would keep the Celtics into that second tier for a long time. Of course you could be happy with being guaranteed to reach the playoffs every year and sporadically overachieve like this year, but to me the goal should be to become the best team in the NBA. Especially considering the luxury position the Celtics are in long term.

That means patience and develop our younger players like Fultz (hopefully), Rozier, Smart, Brown, Olynyk (?), Zizic and other incoming draftees. I'm perfectly all right with not making abrupt changes and steadily grow as a team while still being competitive, but it has to be clear that the most important players for the Celtics are Fultz and Brown.

Do nothing that hampers the opportunity for them to fully blossom. So trade Thomas or Crowder whenever that's needed. That doesn't have to happen all at once. But don't sign players for max contracts that aren't superstars. No Hayward and let Thomas walk if he demands a 20+ million contract.

If we only give out a couple of average contracts (for maybe Rozier, Smart, Bradley, Olynyk) the next few years than in 2020 when Horford's contract ends we'll have the chance to sign a top free agent and then we can go over the cap again by resigning Brown (and Fultz, Zizic in 2021).

The Celtics peak should therefore be focussed on for approximately 2021 and onwards. In the meantime I'd happily surrender some small successes. I hope Ainge feels the same way and acts accordingly because Stevens probably doesn't.

[GreenEnvy]

The idea of growing a team into a dynasty is a nice one. There just doesn't seem to be much precedent to it.

I guess you could say the Spurs did it, but besides them?

You need to draft well, you need to make savvy trades, and you need to take advantage of free agency when you have the space.

Nobody is looking at the TWolves and shaking in their boots. Nobody expects them to bring in any superstar to compliment their young studs.

Ainge is in a position to make a trade for a star, sign a star, and draft a star. He already has a star and a superstar.

I don't think casual fans realize the position we are in.

[mctyson]

I like Brown and all but I don't see where people get the "all star" talk from.

Andre Iguodala was an All-Star.  I project Brown as that type of player.  Does that make sense?

[Celtics4ever]

Who wouldn't want to play with the above lineup and Brad Stevens! Imagine adding a KD, Steph, Butler (not trade), Westbrook, Kawhi, etc.. These guys will all be FA in the next couple years, and again, who wouldn't want to play with the ABOVE!!!

Yeah, cause vets always want to play with young guys.   They want play with guys who can win now.

[chilidawg]

Marcus Smart is a lunch pail bench player, offensively challenged. What part of Jaylen having absolutely no handle don't some of you get? He's got no skills on the offensive end, and though he shows signs defensively, he's often lost there too. He's a solid little prospect with great athleticism. Raw as hell.

Bigs aren't winning anybody anything these days, you need size, but traditional bugs are dead. BK 18 is sketchy is if it's a big man draft.

The youth we have is nothing special, nobody is salivating at any one guy we have across the league. Fultz maybe, but we don't need a PG, we have a better scorer than Paul Pierce at that position for crying out loud.

What we actually need is a large 2 guard 6 ft 7 or so, and a big SF with length. Maybe we'll get a decent PF someday, I hope so.

I'm not enamored with a single young player we have or is incoming. I'm not a hater, there are plenty of players that I enjoy watching, but the rose colored glasses here is sad.

Wow, I think I'm a skeptic, but that's about the most negative appraisal of an Eastern Conference finalist with multiple young assets I could imagine.

Congratulations!

[jade88]

Marcus Smart is a lunch pail bench player, offensively challenged. What part of Jaylen having absolutely no handle don't some of you get? He's got no skills on the offensive end, and though he shows signs defensively, he's often lost there too. He's a solid little prospect with great athleticism. Raw as hell.

Bigs aren't winning anybody anything these days, you need size, but traditional bugs are dead. BK 18 is sketchy is if it's a big man draft.

The youth we have is nothing special, nobody is salivating at any one guy we have across the league. Fultz maybe, but we don't need a PG, we have a better scorer than Paul Pierce at that position for crying out loud.

What we actually need is a large 2 guard 6 ft 7 or so, and a big SF with length. Maybe we'll get a decent PF someday, I hope so.

I'm not enamored with a single young player we have or is incoming. I'm not a hater, there are plenty of players that I enjoy watching, but the rose colored glasses here is sad.

Wow, I think I'm a skeptic, but that's about the most negative appraisal of an Eastern Conference finalist with multiple young assets I could imagine.

Congratulations!

We're a one man offense, though Al Horford has seriously enhanced it.

We have two players that are truly elite, Thomas and Horford. Thomas as a pure scorer and Horford as one of the leagues best jack of all trades, he's as dynamic of a big man as you can get.

Avery Bradley is a very good, albeit inconsistent player. I'd love him as a 6th man or starting 2 of we had a star 3 and borderline 4. Really we need bigger wings, so it's tough.

I'm not down on our team at all, I just think we're very talent deficient. Isaiah's greatness and Brad's coaching can't hide that outside of Horford and Bradley, we have no. other players that contenders would feature.

If Thomas was only 3/4 as good as he is, we'd have lost to the Wizards and probably the Bulls without Rondo.