Let Kyrie walk, don't go after AD, build around young core

[pistal47]

We have a very good young core of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and possibly Semi Ojeleye and Robert Williams. Kyrie is without question an elite and unique talent and so is AD. But I for one would rather root for a team that is homegrown and who we developed and have become emotionally attatched to, championship win or not. Rozier has to go, so does Morris. Am Gosford HAS to be retained and Hayward is a great vet to provide leadership for the yoinger guys.

In this upcommimg draft there is a PG named Ja Morant. Unreal athlete, great handle, facilitator, defender, scorer, and someone that you could draft and develope with your already very good young core. It would certainly cost us less to trade up innthe draft to take Morant than it would AD and I havent heard anything negative regarding poor leadership or issues with teammates.

Just an alternate suggestion/theory, I really dont see any hope in KI coming back or us trading for AD or AD even wanting to come here and sign an extension. Why not try to draft a great prospect that would potentially fit in perfectly with oir young core and make our young guys better players?

[gouki88]

TP, and welcome.

These desires are all pretty understandable, but I don't know how we would trade up for the likely top 5 pick required to pick Morant. I love his game - reminds me of Rondo with some of the passes he makes, but obviously more athletic - but so do many many NBA scouts. I don't think we have enough value on our roster to trade up for him without shipping off Brown/Tatum, and nobody really wants to do that without a sure thing coming back.

Plus, this sets back our plans of being a true contender a while, don't you think?

[GreenCoffeeBean]

Danny, Brad, and some other team's draft pick in 2031.

[otherdave]

I am absolutely on board with the OP.  Build around the young core!!!  Don't go after A Davis, and if Irving wants to sign else where - so be it.  The C's will be fine.

[Erik]

Then what was the point of trading for him? Don't you guys get it? Whether you agree or not, Celtics management has already committed to moving forward with Kyrie. There are exactly two options: he signs or he chooses another team. There is no third option that WE LET him walk.

Not trying to be ****, but seriously don't get your hopes up. Barring injury, this will not happen. If they had any thought in their head that it will, he was going to be shipped off at the trade deadline.

[CptZoogs]

Danny, Brad, and some other team's draft pick in 2031.

Was this meant for the thread asking who our 3 guys are?

[pistal47]

Oh $h!t Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline.!?!?!? I typed a freaking thesis in this thread, said my message was sent, but don't see it here? Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline. did it go!?!?!?! Took me like 30 minutes to type that. [dang]it!!! I think I actually might have accidentally sent the reply to Gouki, the first dude that responded to this thread. AHhhhhhh!!!!!!!

[Donoghus]

I have no interest in dropping back down to a borderline playoff team (if even that) & rebuilding again. 

[PhoSita]

I have no interest in dropping back down to a borderline playoff team (if even that) & rebuilding again.

At this point, I have little faith that contention is happening in the next few years regardless, so my #1 goal is to actually like the team again and to look forward to seeing them play.


So sign me up for Kyrie going to New York to be part of a franchise that deserves him.  Let Rozier get paid starter money for the Orlando Magic, or whatever. 

Let's sign a veteran point guard.  Let's use all our draft picks.  Let's re-sign Horford to a long term deal at less money.  Let's add some high character veterans to round out the bench. 


Then let's see how good Jayson, Jaylen, and Hayward can be over the next 4-5 years. 

Let's watch Smart and Horford play in green until they're ready to retire.

Let's talk about a Brad Stevens team that overachieves, plays harder in the regular season than basically anybody, that is greater than the sum of their parts.

Hey, let's sign Isaiah Thomas to a MLE deal and see what he has left in the tank.


I'm all in on feeling good about the Celtics again.  I don't care if it means the ceiling is reaching the ECF again and losing to a team with an MVP talent. 

It's better than this mess.

[number_n9ne]

I have no interest in dropping back down to a borderline playoff team (if even that) & rebuilding again.

At this point, I have little faith that contention is happening in the next few years regardless, so my #1 goal is to actually like the team again and to look forward to seeing them play.


So sign me up for Kyrie going to New York to be part of a franchise that deserves him.  Let Rozier get paid starter money for the Orlando Magic, or whatever. 

Let's sign a veteran point guard.  Let's use all our draft picks.  Let's re-sign Horford to a long term deal at less money.  Let's add some high character veterans to round out the bench. 


Then let's see how good Jayson, Jaylen, and Hayward can be over the next 4-5 years. 

Let's watch Smart and Horford play in green until they're ready to retire.

Let's talk about a Brad Stevens team that overachieves, plays harder in the regular season than basically anybody, that is greater than the sum of their parts.

Hey, let's sign Isaiah Thomas to a MLE deal and see what he has left in the tank.


I'm all in on feeling good about the Celtics again.  I don't care if it means the ceiling is reaching the ECF again and losing to a team with an MVP talent. 

It's better than this mess.

I'm basically at the same point, and I'm a huge Kyrie apologist. I still wonder if we can get Kyrie to opt in and trade him a la Chris Paul. Either to the Nets for a S&T for Russell or Clippers for Harrell and Gilgeous-Alexander. Let those teams chase KD.

I'm Also hoping ET gets bought out next season and we can bring The Kid back home 

[PhoSita]

I have no interest in dropping back down to a borderline playoff team (if even that) & rebuilding again.

At this point, I have little faith that contention is happening in the next few years regardless, so my #1 goal is to actually like the team again and to look forward to seeing them play.


So sign me up for Kyrie going to New York to be part of a franchise that deserves him.  Let Rozier get paid starter money for the Orlando Magic, or whatever. 

Let's sign a veteran point guard.  Let's use all our draft picks.  Let's re-sign Horford to a long term deal at less money.  Let's add some high character veterans to round out the bench. 


Then let's see how good Jayson, Jaylen, and Hayward can be over the next 4-5 years. 

Let's watch Smart and Horford play in green until they're ready to retire.

Let's talk about a Brad Stevens team that overachieves, plays harder in the regular season than basically anybody, that is greater than the sum of their parts.

Hey, let's sign Isaiah Thomas to a MLE deal and see what he has left in the tank.


I'm all in on feeling good about the Celtics again.  I don't care if it means the ceiling is reaching the ECF again and losing to a team with an MVP talent. 

It's better than this mess.

I'm basically at the same point, and I'm a huge Kyrie apologist. I still wonder if we can get Kyrie to opt in and trade him a la Chris Paul. Either to the Nets for a S&T for Russell or Clippers for Harrell and Gilgeous-Alexander. Let those teams chase KD.

I'm Also hoping ET gets bought out next season and we can bring The Kid back home 

The opt in and trade thing would only work if Kyrie wants to go to a team without cap space.

It seems more likely that if he leaves he'll go to a team with a bunch of cap space so he can join up with somebody else, e.g. KD.

But I agree that would be ideal.

[td450]

Then what was the point of trading for him? Don't you guys get it? Whether you agree or not, Celtics management has already committed to moving forward with Kyrie. There are exactly two options: he signs or he chooses another team. There is no third option that WE LET him walk.

Not trying to be ****, but seriously don't get your hopes up. Barring injury, this will not happen. If they had any thought in their head that it will, he was going to be shipped off at the trade deadline.

They traded for Kyrie to escape the impending disaster that was Isaiah Thomas's next contract. It was a huge get at the time, and I doubt they had any better choices.

This thread does pose an interesting question. If the team we see now does not pull out of this funk, how does management view going all in for Kyrie and AD? If the team continues to struggle and Kyrie's shaky leadership skills become increasingly obvious, will Ainge bet the farm on keeping two inherently unhappy guys happy?

They would have to commit to Kyrie and ship out much of the teams future for a gamble that AD will be comfortable here.

That's putting it all on the line for two guys that are plenty talented enough basketball players to be a championship core, but who have both shown signs that they can't be counted on to establish a team culture around. They could very well click together or they could both continue to be somewhat uncomfortable with the fame and pressure of being at the top of the NBA.

Ainge is not a guy who is afraid to make a tough decision. If this season ends badly, don't be surprised if he passes on Kyrie.

[Donoghus]

I'm all in on feeling good about the Celtics again.  I don't care if it means the ceiling is reaching the ECF again and losing to a team with an MVP talent. 

It's better than this mess.

I'm more concerned about them winning championships rather than how warm & fuzzy they make me on the inside and plateauing.

Yearning for a ceiling of ECF as long as I like the team is just a concept that's never registered in my head as a sports fan.   It's been about winning the championship and everything else being second nature.

[Green-18]

I'm all in on feeling good about the Celtics again.  I don't care if it means the ceiling is reaching the ECF again and losing to a team with an MVP talent. 

It's better than this mess.

I'm more concerned about them winning championships rather than how warm & fuzzy they make me on the inside and plateauing.

Yearning for a ceiling of ECF as long as I like the team is just a concept that's never registered in my head as a sports fan.   It's been about winning the championship and everything else being second nature.

I fall somewhere in the middle on this.  It's important for my favorite teams to be likable to some extent.  There at least needs to be some sort of core player(s) to root for.  Even better is when a team ascends together over the course of multiple seasons.  I'd be lying if I said a championship with Tatum and Smart wouldn't feel slightly better than winning with Davis + veteran role players.     

On the flip side, I certainly wouldn't want to backtrack to the 2016 Celtics.     

[RJ87]

I'm all in on feeling good about the Celtics again.  I don't care if it means the ceiling is reaching the ECF again and losing to a team with an MVP talent. 

It's better than this mess.

I'm more concerned about them winning championships rather than how warm & fuzzy they make me on the inside and plateauing.

Yearning for a ceiling of ECF as long as I like the team is just a concept that's never registered in my head as a sports fan.   It's been about winning the championship and everything else being second nature.

Ditto.