The Celtics Offseason

Everetts Dinosaurs

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Jan 22, 2006
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In the Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo pod, they seemed convinced that Charlotte CAN'T be that stupid that they would pass on Scoot at #2, right?! Although they may bluff to keep the asset value high.
I heard the same pod. I really don't want to underestimate what a trash organization the Hornets are.
 

ElcaballitoMVP

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Nov 19, 2008
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I think they have to take a long look at replacing Mazzulla. If they think he's the guy, they need to add experienced assistants to help him.

The C's couldn't figure out how to attack a zone defense the entire series. It took them until game 6 to play big against Joel Embiid and the 76ers. There were stretches of playoff games Tatum didn't touch the ball. Get better coaching and adjustments are made quicker.
 

luckiestman

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Trae for Jaylen. We only make the 5 seed in the regular season and the die hards threaten mass suicide regularly but we crush close and late in the playoffs and win the Finals.
 

Reardon's Beard

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Dec 3, 2005
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To me Tatum and Rob Williams are cornerstones. Every time RWilliams is on the floor, it literally tilts and forces the opposition off their game. Everything else is negotiable. But if you move Brown, have to get back NBA championship starter ability that can fill the role(s) you need them to - and that's the tricky part.
 

luckiestman

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To me Tatum and Rob Williams are cornerstones. Every time RWilliams is on the floor, it literally tilts and forces the opposition off their game. Everything else is negotiable. But if you move Brown, have to get back NBA championship starter ability that can fill the role(s) you need them to - and that's the tricky part.
You are correct about TimeLord’s talent. I think of him as a basketball savant. What sucks is that he cannot eat minutes.
 

teddykgb

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My mind only drifts to whether there’s some opportunity to pry Morant free with all his troubles. Probably no chance but that would be your DJ trade if you think you can keep him from more trouble
 

Light-Tower-Power

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My mind only drifts to whether there’s some opportunity to pry Morant free with all his troubles. Probably no chance but that would be your DJ trade if you think you can keep him from more trouble
Talk about a guy with a ten cent head. I wouldn’t touch Morant with a ten foot pole.
 

luckiestman

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My mind only drifts to whether there’s some opportunity to pry Morant free with all his troubles. Probably no chance but that would be your DJ trade if you think you can keep him from more trouble
Is Morant a winning player? Aren’t the splits on Memphis weird with him like he doesn’t seem to matter as much as you would think? . I’m asking, I thought I read that but I don’t follow the NBA like I follow the Cs.
 

teddykgb

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Is Morant a winning player? Aren’t the splits on Memphis weird with him like he doesn’t seem to matter as much as you would think? . I’m asking, I thought I read that but I don’t follow the NBA like I follow the Cs.
I really don’t know. I don’t think they try to trade him while his value is low anyway. Just thinking that Jaylens value is in a weird spot and getting like for like talent is going to be really hard. A player whose value is compromised opens the door but it would be really risky of course

edit: I do think though that playoff basketball is not just about splits though. Morant is outrageously talented at getting to the rim — he may never stay healthy— but having a guy who simply can’t be stopped off the dribble would help this particular team a lot, I think
 

reggiecleveland

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To me Tatum and Rob Williams are cornerstones. Every time RWilliams is on the floor, it literally tilts and forces the opposition off their game. Everything else is negotiable. But if you move Brown, have to get back NBA championship starter ability that can fill the role(s) you need them to - and that's the tricky part.
Williams is already in physical decline. Thery under utilized him, but he is just as likely to not play again as to be a major contributor. He is built as the ultimate vertoical player, but those types of levers, and power work both ways. To be so long ans springy is not a recipe for longevity. He to me is a wild card, not a cornerstone.
 

Auger34

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Everyone please stop with the Portland trades. The made up offers and ideas suck. Lillard is 34 and a bad defender. Simons is a short SG who can’t defend and is a chucker. Not to mention, trading Brown for Simons and 3 would make the team MUCH worse next year.

If you want to shit on Jaylen for a lack of BBIQ…then you are going to absolutely fucking despise Karl Anthony Towns.

No one is going to touch Ja with a 10 foot pole for the next year….and if his head is on straight for the next year, then there’s no way that Memphis will trade him.
 

djbayko

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Trae for Jaylen. We only make the 5 seed in the regular season and the die hards threaten mass suicide regularly but we crush close and late in the playoffs and win the Finals.
Dear lord, I do not want Trae at all. But I will say that having him would probably result in a ton of TL lob dunks.
 

luckiestman

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Dear lord, I do not want Trae at all. But I will say that having him would probably result in a ton of TL lob dunks.
Teams could not attack Tatum on D like they do if we had Trae. We would also roast that zone. Hire Mike D, trade for Trae, score 150 a game. IF YOU WILL IT, IT IS NO DREAM!*






*none of this will happen
 

CoffeeNerdness

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No one is going to touch Ja with a 10 foot pole for the next year….and if his head is on straight for the next year, then there’s no way that Memphis will trade him.
Ja can peg me in the head with a basketball for the next 500 days if that means he'd end up in Boston.
 

Auger34

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I love TimeLord. I love watching him play. I think he doesn’t get nearly enough credit for how good of a passer and basketball thinker he is…

however, you can’t count on him or bank on him at all. The guy is absolutely made out of glass. He gets injured or dinged up in every game he plays.

If Rob is one of your pillars or someone that you are counting on then your team will not go far at all. It’s shitty but it’s the truth
 

BigSoxFan

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May 31, 2007
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Nah, run it back. Tinker around the margins but run it back. The core is talented enough to win a championship. Just have to hope they learn from this experience and mature.
And hope that TL somehow stays healthy, Horford reverses aging process, Brogdon stays healthy, Smart’s clear defensive decline reverses, etc. They are going to tinker around the margins because that’s all they can do with Tatum wanting Jaylen back.

But, I’m not convinced this group of players will ever “get it”. They’ve had a million opportunities to learn from their mistakes and they never do.
 

Auger34

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Ja can peg me in the head with a basketball for the next 500 days if that means he'd end up in Boston.
I think you’d have to do a little bit more…
-agree to be in one of his Instagram videos holding a gun
-be in his entourage when they run up on a foot locker employee
-be the person pointing the red beam at Indiana Pacers security
-Go with him to his sisters high school to threaten someone who talked trash to her
-be at the strip club in Denver and hold his gun
-take control of his social media so cops don’t have to go to his house for a “wellness check”
-help him serve his (likely) 30+ game suspension.

I might have actually forgot a thing or two is the sad part
 

luckiestman

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I think you’d have to do a little bit more…
-agree to be in one of his Instagram videos holding a gun
-be in his entourage when they run up on a foot locker employee
-be the person pointing the red beam at Indiana Pacers security
-Go with him to his sisters high school to threaten someone who talked trash to her
-be at the strip club in Denver and hold his gun
-take control of his social media so cops don’t have to go to his house for a “wellness check”
-help him serve his (likely) 30+ game suspension.

I might have actually forgot a thing or two is the sad part

Will he fuck the owners wife? If not sign him and buy him some guns.
 

Light-Tower-Power

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And hope that TL somehow stays healthy, Horford reverses aging process, Brogdon stays healthy, Smart’s clear defensive decline reverses, etc. They are going to tinker around the margins because that’s all they can do with Tatum wanting Jaylen back.

But, I’m not convinced this group of players will ever “get it”. They’ve had a million opportunities to learn from their mistakes and they never do.
I agree with all that but I don’t really know what else they can do. Their hands seem tied here.
 

CoffeeNerdness

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And hope that TL somehow stays healthy, Horford reverses aging process, Brogdon stays healthy, Smart’s clear defensive decline reverses, etc. They are going to tinker around the margins because that’s all they can do with Tatum wanting Jaylen back.
I think that's one of the most frustrating parts about looking forward; you cannot have a reasonable expectation of health going forward. The core has played an extra seasons worth of games over this run and the wear and tear is completely evident on key players.
 

lars10

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Blow it up
For everyone that says this.. how long of a window are you willing to wait for a team that will end up being just as good as the team is right now? Because blowing it up isn't a winning strategy in the NBA.
 

BigSoxFan

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I think that's one of the most frustrating parts about looking forward; you cannot have a reasonable expectation of health going forward. The core has played an extra seasons worth of games over this run and the wear and tear is completely evident on key players.
That’s my biggest concern with the path forward. Any improvements by the Jay’s could easily be offset by age/injury decline of the supporting cast. Brad needs to pull some rabbits out of his hat. I don’t trust this supporting cast staying healthy and effective in the next 2-3 years.
 

ALiveH

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Apr 23, 2010
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I immediately call Portland and try to swing Smart for Nurkic. Attach any draft assets or min salaries to make it happen. Apart from that I run it back. This group can absolutely win it all.

Smart & Nurkic salaries nearly match, and the advanced stats say they're similar quality players. Nurkic even became a decent 3-point shooter on decent volume this year. D-White is better than Smart at this point and Smart is likely to fall off a cliff within a couple years due to style of play and mileage. I'm riding with White as my starter and getting more big depth so we can play 2-big which is way better defensively. Our roster is way too thin at the bigs and we have three big starting caliber PGs - way too many, plus a serviceable backup small PG (Pritchard).
 

bosockboy

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Really tough decisions for Brad because they are bipolar and have insane variance from game to game.

But Smart for a 3/D wing seems like Occam’s Razor.
 

nighthob

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Clearly when I think about mobile bigs Nurkic is the first name that comes to mind.
 

djbayko

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For everyone that says this.. how long of a window are you willing to wait for a team that will end up being just as good as the team is right now? Because blowing it up isn't a winning strategy in the NBA.
Good luck rebuilding and getting a team this good. Most cities would give anything to have the level of success the Tatum/Brown Celtics have had.
 

Ale Xander

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Oct 31, 2013
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I immediately call Portland and try to swing Smart for Nurkic. Attach any draft assets or min salaries to make it happen. Apart from that I run it back. This group can absolutely win it all.

Smart & Nurkic salaries nearly match, and the advanced stats say they're similar quality players. Nurkic even became a decent 3-point shooter on decent volume this year. D-White is better than Smart at this point and Smart is likely to fall off a cliff within a couple years due to style of play and mileage. I'm riding with White as my starter and getting more big depth so we can play 2-big which is way better defensively. Our roster is way too thin at the bigs and we have three big starting caliber PGs - way too many, plus a serviceable backup small PG (Pritchard).
I agree we’re too thin at bigs. I’d rather trade PP and filler for Eubanks and see if he can replace Horford and/or Muscala by continuing to shoot 39% from 3 and then get a true big man somehow (Rob insurance)

Smart is more valuable to us then other teams
 

djbayko

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I immediately call Portland and try to swing Smart for Nurkic. Attach any draft assets or min salaries to make it happen. Apart from that I run it back. This group can absolutely win it all.

Smart & Nurkic salaries nearly match, and the advanced stats say they're similar quality players. Nurkic even became a decent 3-point shooter on decent volume this year. D-White is better than Smart at this point and Smart is likely to fall off a cliff within a couple years due to style of play and mileage. I'm riding with White as my starter and getting more big depth so we can play 2-big which is way better defensively. Our roster is way too thin at the bigs and we have three big starting caliber PGs - way too many, plus a serviceable backup small PG (Pritchard).
Unfortunately, I don't think you get the same value back for Smart. It's not like we're the only ones who know he's not going to age gracefully with his style of play. I mean, he wears a back brace during warm ups.
 

nighthob

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Yeah, the more I've thought about the more I've realized that the new CBA is going to crush teams built around two supermax guys and that the way forward for Boston probably involves turning Brown into a couple of lesser, but cost controlled players.
 

luckiestman

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Yeah, the more I've thought about the more I've realized that the new CBA is going to crush teams built around two supermax guys and that the way forward for Boston probably involves turning Brown into a couple of lesser, but cost controlled players.
I need to see examples. Like not JB so who are the two archetypes of players that replace him?
 

Auger34

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Every NBA writer that I respect is saying that the best option for the Celtics is to sign Brown to a Supermax and keep this group together for another year or two. Until I see a compelling article stating otherwise, I am pretty sure that this is the route Brad wk take.

The questions are what assistants we will bring in to help Joe and what moves Brad will make on the margins
 

kazuneko

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Yeah, the more I've thought about the more I've realized that the new CBA is going to crush teams built around two supermax guys and that the way forward for Boston probably involves turning Brown into a couple of lesser, but cost controlled players.
Can you explain this more. Why do you think the new CBA is going to crush teams built around two supermax guys?