28, 8, and 5

[droopdog7]

That's my prediction for Kyrie's average for points, assists, rebounds.  And not just for next year, but on average for the next 7-8 years! 

*Insert line about him averages those numbers for another team after two years*

Anyway, I still am in disbelief on how much people around here are sleeping on the this guy's superstar talent.  Bottom line is that IT was a great story who had a top 5 year, but he was never and will never be a top 5 player.  Kyrie has that potential and then some.

[snively]

Thomas averaged 29/6/3 last year.

Gaudy stats aren't as impressive when you only bring it on one side of the ball and your scoring is inflated by oversized usage.

[droopdog7]

Thomas averaged 29/6/3 last year.

Gaudy stats aren't as impressive when you only bring it on one side of the ball and your scoring is inflated by oversized usage.

That's fine.  Yet the stats show that we might have been better with him off the floor, which is part of my message.  Besides, IT will never average those numbers again.

And I firmly believe that defense is mostly desire and culture, except for IT that is, who's physical limitations could not be accounted for. 

[jpotter33]

That's my prediction for Kyrie's average for points, assists, rebounds.  And not just for next year, but on average for the next 7-8 years! 

*Insert line about him averages those numbers for another team after two years*

Anyway, I still am in disbelief on how much people around here are sleeping on the this guy's superstar talent.  Bottom line is that IT was a great story who had a top 5 year, but he was never and will never be a top 5 player.  Kyrie has that potential and then some.

TP. I was never a huge IT fan, but people are seriously underestimating Kyrie. If he buys into Brad's system, which I think he will, then he's MVP-level. IT had a great year last year, but it's doubtful he'll ever come close to that type of production and efficiency again in a different context and with his hip.

[Roy H.]

Kyrie isn't averaging 8 assists. It's just not his game.

[Quetzalcoatl]

Thomas averaged 29/6/3 last year.

Gaudy stats aren't as impressive when you only bring it on one side of the ball and your scoring is inflated by oversized usage.

In 2017, I'm starting to think that they are.  My biggest thing about Kyrie over IT is that Kyrie can still consistently get those #s efficiently against elite teams

[nickagneta]

For the next 7 years I will be overwhelmingly happy with an average of 25 PPG, 6 APG, 4 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 2.2 TOPG and a TS% around 58-60%. He might have better years, he might have worse years. But if that is what he gives us for 7 years as an average, that's awesome.

[makaveli]

kyrie will have a carer year is what i am going to say. he is a beast. he has so much will power and toughness and a little bit of nastyiness.
he is basically a taller, better, younger version of isaiah.

[mmmmm]

Thomas averaged 29/6/3 last year.

Gaudy stats aren't as impressive when you only bring it on one side of the ball and your scoring is inflated by oversized usage.

In 2017, I'm starting to think that they are.  My biggest thing about Kyrie over IT is that Kyrie can still consistently get those #s efficiently against elite teams

Well, could he do it as the only scoring weapon on the floor?  As someone the defense can specifically focus on to the point of ignoring others on the floor at times?   We'll probably never know.

Because Kyrie has only played in the playoffs against 'elite teams' with other elite scorers (Lebron, Love) and shooters (Love, Korver, Smith, etc.) on the floor with him.

Going forward, Irving will get to have an elite scorer in Hayward on the floor with him and possibly another assuming Tatum develops as we expect.  And Danny has made a point to add a ton of 3PT shooting in this new roster.

So we'll probably never really know how Irving might have done if put in the same situations as Thomas has had to face the last three seasons.

Thomas himself, of course, will be placed in the same situation that KI has been in, surrounded by Lebron, Love & Co., for this year.   If he's fully healthy, it will be interesting to see how that goes.

[mmmmm]

For the next 7 years I will be overwhelmingly happy with an average of 25 PPG, 6 APG, 4 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 2.2 TOPG and a TS% around 58-60%. He might have better years, he might have worse years. But if that is what he gives us for 7 years as an average, that's awesome.

So, basically, you'll be happy if Irving averages what Isaiah has averaged for the Celtics since coming to Boston:

Isaiah Thomas @ Boston
179 games, 32.2 mpg, 24.7 points, 6.0 assists, 2.7 rebounds, 1.0 steals, 2.7 tov, 59.4% TS%

Or, per-36 for his career:
441 games, 36 min, 23.0 points, 6.2 assists, 3.2 reb, 1.2 steals, 3.1 tov, 58.5% TS%


Personally, what I need to see from Irving depends somewhat on what we see from Thomas over the next few years.   Because we paid for Irving with Thomas plus quite a lot more, I don't see how we can think it is a favorable trade unless we think we can get a lot more out of Irving than we could have gotten out of Thomas.

If Thomas' hip proves problematic, then maybe that won't be a very high threshold.

But if Thomas produces at anywhere close to the same level that he has over his _career_ (not even his super-elite 2016-17), then we will need more from Irving than what you are asking for for me to view the trade favorably.

[Donoghus]

If he helps lead this team to a couple of championships, I don't really give a [dang] what his stats end up coming out to. 

If it makes the trade look worse on paper, so be it. 

[No Nickname]

I'm shocked no one has commented (or maybe they have) that the principals involved in the trade (we can't really say the Nets' pick is a principal until we actually see where it lands) have Danny trading the last pick (#60) in the 2011 draft for the #1 pick in the 2011 draft.

That's pretty amazing.

[spikelovetheCelts]

For the next 7 years I will be overwhelmingly happy with an average of 25 PPG, 6 APG, 4 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 2.2 TOPG and a TS% around 58-60%. He might have better years, he might have worse years. But if that is what he gives us for 7 years as an average, that's awesome.

So, basically, you'll be happy if Irving averages what Isaiah has averaged for the Celtics since coming to Boston:

Isaiah Thomas @ Boston
179 games, 32.2 mpg, 24.7 points, 6.0 assists, 2.7 rebounds, 1.0 steals, 2.7 tov, 59.4% TS%

Or, per-36 for his career:
441 games, 36 min, 23.0 points, 6.2 assists, 3.2 reb, 1.2 steals, 3.1 tov, 58.5% TS%


Personally, what I need to see from Irving depends somewhat on what we see from Thomas over the next few years.   Because we paid for Irving with Thomas plus quite a lot more, I don't see how we can think it is a favorable trade unless we think we can get a lot more out of Irving than we could have gotten out of Thomas.

If Thomas' hip proves problematic, then maybe that won't be a very high threshold.

But if Thomas produces at anywhere close to the same level that he has over his _career_ (not even his super-elite 2016-17), then we will need more from Irving than what you are asking for for me to view the trade favorably.

I think IT was taken out at the end of games for Defense. KI is on the Floor.
 We need KI to win a title, period. I can shoot over IT But i love the guy.

[nickagneta]

For the next 7 years I will be overwhelmingly happy with an average of 25 PPG, 6 APG, 4 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 2.2 TOPG and a TS% around 58-60%. He might have better years, he might have worse years. But if that is what he gives us for 7 years as an average, that's awesome.

So, basically, you'll be happy if Irving averages what Isaiah has averaged for the Celtics since coming to Boston:

Isaiah Thomas @ Boston
179 games, 32.2 mpg, 24.7 points, 6.0 assists, 2.7 rebounds, 1.0 steals, 2.7 tov, 59.4% TS%

Or, per-36 for his career:
441 games, 36 min, 23.0 points, 6.2 assists, 3.2 reb, 1.2 steals, 3.1 tov, 58.5% TS%


Personally, what I need to see from Irving depends somewhat on what we see from Thomas over the next few years.   Because we paid for Irving with Thomas plus quite a lot more, I don't see how we can think it is a favorable trade unless we think we can get a lot more out of Irving than we could have gotten out of Thomas.

If Thomas' hip proves problematic, then maybe that won't be a very high threshold.

But if Thomas produces at anywhere close to the same level that he has over his _career_ (not even his super-elite 2016-17), then we will need more from Irving than what you are asking for for me to view the trade favorably.

Yes I would be happy with those numbers because those numbers would be over 7 years. I don't feel IT will be able to do that for the next 7 years.

[KingChre]

Kyrie isn't averaging 8 assists. It's just not his game.

I couldn't disagree more. You're basing this on his time playing alongside LeBron. He averaged 5.8 assists per game last year as the secondary ball handler. He is now being given the keys to the car in a system that is based on sharing the ball. I don't think it's unreasonable at all to expect an uptick in his assist numbers.