No Davis or Kyrie? We still have a great team

[PAOBoston]

Great?? No.

BUT, it could be a lot worse. A Rozier/Smart/Brown/Tatum/Hayward/Williams is a solid core. They’d have some cap flexibility and some draft picks to figure it as well assuming no other main star type targets.

who is they ? On what planet is new Orleans accepting haywards abysmal contract? On what galaxy are we trading both tatum+brown?  How do we trade rozier if it has to be a sign and trade?

Umm, what are you talking about?

I was referring to how the Cs core even with Kyrie/AD isn’t a total train wreck.

[Stig]

We'll still have a good team, but we won't have much chance of winning a champion. If we somehow manages to overcome the raptors or bucks and goes to the final, we'll face either Lebron + AD or GSW.

Also don't forget we'll need to pay Brown next year and Tatum the year after, if they keep on improving we'll need to pay max or close to max to keep them. In this league a borderline all-star and a superstar command the same max salary. So instead of paying superstar talent like AD and Kyrie, we might end up paying borderline all-star Tatum and Brown. It would only work out if two of Tatum, Brown, Hayward reaches all nba player level. Still possible but unlikely, given that none of them are killing it at the moment.

So having both Kyrie and AD is ideal, having one is Ok, having none is likely a set back.

[Moranis]

great?  that team would be ok, but pretty easily could lose in the 1st round of the playoffs to any number of teams that are just flat out better. 

[Green-18]

great?  that team would be ok, but pretty easily could lose in the 1st round of the playoffs to any number of teams that are just flat out better.

Can't disagree with you on this.  This team would be "very good" without Kyrie.  The window absolutely gets pushed back for a few years. 

I believe the Celtics are confident that Tatum and Brown will become All-Stars.  Danny would still have solid assets to build around them and Hayward.  Additionally, he might be able to work out cap space for another FA (a few years down the line) depending on the status of Hayward and Horford.  I also wouldn't rule out the potential for RWIII to become a highly effective starting Center.  Hopefully he is willing to put in the work.

We are far ahead of the 2016-17 Celtics regardless of how things play out.

[td450]

Why is a team with only one all-star able to play at a high level without him? Because the real muscle of this team is that we can maintain 48 minutes of pace, defense and attacking offense at our wing positions, and because Rozier and Horford play their best supporting this style. We don't have any other superstars, but we have no significant drop off down roster either.

Tatum Brown and Morris are tough two way players and they aren't afraid of playing against superstars. If Hayward gets back to that level too, that becomes a difficult group to beat, even if you have an elite wing. Its extremely unusual to have 4 wings this good, and given the evolution of the game these days, I think its a mistake not to build out the team from that.

A wing centric fast paced style works best for everyone except Kyrie.

[spikelovetheCelts]

Can we get Beal?  or do we hope KI sees How it worked for Paul George.   We all were hurt with his July 1st comments. I think if Durants signs in NY he is gone. I think Beal or McCullum are ideas for the deadline. I think Ainge will be on the phone because he has to be.

[tazzmaniac]

Why is a team with only one all-star able to play at a high level without him? Because the real muscle of this team is that we can maintain 48 minutes of pace, defense and attacking offense at our wing positions, and because Rozier and Horford play their best supporting this style. We don't have any other superstars, but we have no significant drop off down roster either.

Tatum Brown and Morris are tough two way players and they aren't afraid of playing against superstars. If Hayward gets back to that level too, that becomes a difficult group to beat, even if you have an elite wing. Its extremely unusual to have 4 wings this good, and given the evolution of the game these days, I think its a mistake not to build out the team from that.

A wing centric fast paced style works best for everyone except Kyrie.

Regular season isn't the playoffs when top end talent takes over. 

[coco]

If Kyrie bolts I wouldn’t mind Mike Conley replacing him....not sure how feasible that is

...heck and add Marc Gasol

[Fierce1]

If Kyrie bolts I wouldn’t mind Mike Conley replacing him....not sure how feasible that is

...heck and add Marc Gasol

That would make the team the Boston Grizzlies.

[MaxAMillion]

Why is a team with only one all-star able to play at a high level without him? Because the real muscle of this team is that we can maintain 48 minutes of pace, defense and attacking offense at our wing positions, and because Rozier and Horford play their best supporting this style. We don't have any other superstars, but we have no significant drop off down roster either.

Tatum Brown and Morris are tough two way players and they aren't afraid of playing against superstars. If Hayward gets back to that level too, that becomes a difficult group to beat, even if you have an elite wing. Its extremely unusual to have 4 wings this good, and given the evolution of the game these days, I think its a mistake not to build out the team from that.
Depends on what you consider a high level. You need elite players to win championships. If Irving leaves you are further away instead of closer. Part of me wants Irving to leave so people can see next season just how far the C's really are from a championship.
A wing centric fast paced style works best for everyone except Kyrie.

[Birdman]

If we dont get either one, going have same team w/o any big FA coming..just going have 3 1st rounders who going spend all season in Maine

[nickagneta]

Can we get Beal?  or do we hope KI sees How it worked for Paul George.   We all were hurt with his July 1st comments. I think if Durants signs in NY he is gone. I think Beal or McCullum are ideas for the deadline. I think Ainge will be on the phone because he has to be.

Did you watch the video where he told the reporter in a dismissful and disdainful manner while answering the guy while looking st his shoes?

Kyrie's "Ask me July 1st" comment wasn't him saying he was unsure and would make his decision July 1st. It was more like him saying "Why do I keep getting asked this question when I have answered it? You know what, dude, ask me July 1st when the Celtics announced I have re-signed"

At least when actually watching the video, that's what I took out of it. Really have to watch the whole video. That entire interview was taken completely out of context by a lot of the media.

[Stig]

if we do lose Kyrie and don't get AD, what's the cap situation? can we still sign another max player?

[gouki88]

if we do lose Kyrie and don't get AD, what's the cap situation? can we still sign another max player?

I would think that depends on what Al does contract wise

[celticsclay]

Why is a team with only one all-star able to play at a high level without him? Because the real muscle of this team is that we can maintain 48 minutes of pace, defense and attacking offense at our wing positions, and because Rozier and Horford play their best supporting this style. We don't have any other superstars, but we have no significant drop off down roster either.

Tatum Brown and Morris are tough two way players and they aren't afraid of playing against superstars. If Hayward gets back to that level too, that becomes a difficult group to beat, even if you have an elite wing. Its extremely unusual to have 4 wings this good, and given the evolution of the game these days, I think its a mistake not to build out the team from that.

A wing centric fast paced style works best for everyone except Kyrie.

Regular season isn't the playoffs when top end talent takes over.

I’m not so sure this is true anymore. If Paul wasn’t injured last year the rockets probably beat golden state and their 4 stars last year. We certainly had less top end talent than the 76ers and bucks last year and we beat them. Jazz had a lot less star power than thunder and dispatched then. The raptors and bucks have been beating every one this year without a ton of star power. Will have to see what happens in the playoffs