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Post by DERRENMATTS on Jun 14, 2022 12:07:35 GMT -5
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Post by jmost on Jun 14, 2022 14:34:00 GMT -5
We still have several trade exceptions, the largest of which is just over $17 mil - which has to be used by July. Brad should be able to turn that into something good. We don't need a superstar, just a solid guy.
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Jun 14, 2022 14:43:42 GMT -5
Do we keep the core together?
I ask because we have to examine if the chemistry is right among Tatum-Brown-Smart.
This team ebbs and flows way too much, and much of it falls on our 3 main players.
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Post by jmost on Jun 14, 2022 19:58:58 GMT -5
As much as Smart has grown on me this year, I never have and still don't see him as a championship caliber point guard. I'd see what kind of return we could get for him.
I imagine though, that what will matter to Brad is how this series ends. If we play well and somehow, miraculously, fix our end of game offensive issues, then maybe we just add to the current roster. If the offense completely degenerates once again into a 3-fest and we lose ugly, then I think Brad has to at least consider whether a shake-up is in order.
Brad will also have his own opinion as to whether we would have even gotten this far if Middleton and Herro hadn't been MIA. You can certainly make a good case that we wouldn't, so maybe we're not as good as we'd like to think we are.
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Jun 15, 2022 18:06:42 GMT -5
That's a heck of a first step!! Sign Duece up, Brad.
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Post by eja117 on Jun 16, 2022 8:00:03 GMT -5
Do we keep the core together? I ask because we have to examine if the chemistry is right among Tatum-Brown-Smart. This team ebbs and flows way too much, and much of it falls on our 3 main players. Generally speaking I think we do keep this core together, but there has to be a plan for Rob Williams injury management and for Al's age management. There also has to be a plan for some young guys to get better.
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Post by runrondo on Jun 16, 2022 9:06:18 GMT -5
I can't see any argument to split up Tatum and Brown. I know it picked up some steam when we were struggling - but, Tatum is 24 and Brown is 25. Players, even the "stars", rarely win that young as the main contributor.
Smart, as always, is a tricky one. I think I've accepted there's probably no favorable trade/move that would improve us with him leaving. The "best" approach is probably to re-tool our surrounding cast so we're not completely reliant on Tatum/Brown to have to be in the game or else we can't score. Likewise, RWill, Tatum, and Brown continue to get better.
We don't have a healthy Rob this playoffs and it's a huge difference. That guy was having a great season and he's not playing at that level. So while we probably got lucky our opponents had injuries, I wouldn't say we had our true team either.
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Post by jmost on Jun 16, 2022 14:09:30 GMT -5
I was listening to Shaughnessy on the radio and he was saying that he had talked with Cousy two days ago about our offensive woes, and Cooz said that the Celtics still don't have a PG. Now Cousy is on record that he loves Smart but not as a point guard. So what I'd say is that if we're going to keep Smart, we need to find someone who can run the offense. Smart isn't the guy, and neither Tatum nor Brown has the skills either. Maybe they will someday, but if this post-season is any indication, that day may be far off.
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Jun 16, 2022 14:51:36 GMT -5
I was listening to Shaughnessy on the radio and he was saying that he had talked with Cousy two days ago about our offensive woes, and Cooz said that the Celtics still don't have a PG. Now Cousy is on record that he loves Smart but not as a point guard. So what I'd say is that if we're going to keep Smart, we need to find someone who can run the offense. Smart isn't the guy, and neither Tatum or Brown has the skills either. Maybe they will someday, but if this post-season is any indication, that day may be far off. Is there a PG out there who we can realistically target, who will get us over the hump, though?
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Post by jmost on Jun 16, 2022 15:13:35 GMT -5
I don't know, but sometimes you have to give up something to get something. Red was never afraid to do that. When he traded Paul Westphal for Charlie Scott he probably gave up more talent than he got, but he got a better fit.
I don't think we HAVE to break up Tatum and Brown. Hell, they could still win it this year. But I wouldn't close my mind to offers for one of them either.
I think there is some truth to them being redundant. Not to say they have the same skillsets, but they are both scoring wings whose offense comes from them handling the ball. Neither is a good mover-without-the-ball, like Steph or JJ Reddick, among others. I think there's certainly a case to be made that we can find a better fit than two ball dominant wings taking turns.
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Post by freshnthehouse on Jun 16, 2022 15:51:56 GMT -5
I still will stand by the idea of John Wall (assuming he does a buy out) as a low-cost reclamation project. While he's not a deadeye shooter, he does cover a lot of bases that i think we're missing right now. He's an A+ floor general, he's a great driver, and a great finisher at the cup. He's also a fine defender with good length for a PG.
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Jun 16, 2022 16:12:16 GMT -5
I gave Wall some thought. Still a fantastic talent and he's a good distributor. But he's a high usage PG -- how will that work with Tatum, who's also high usage?
I'm wondering if a better shooting PG would fit this team better? A guy who helps move the ball, and when it comes back to him can knock it down at a high percentage.
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Post by freshnthehouse on Jun 16, 2022 16:19:19 GMT -5
I think you can find parallels between Wall and Tiny Archibald. He was one of the first crazy high usage PGs. He suffered a severe injury in his prime, but found a 2nd life in his 30s as a facilitator for those early 80s celtics teams. I think Wall could do the same.
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Post by freshnthehouse on Jun 16, 2022 16:20:12 GMT -5
I'd still like to find a young guy with crazy upside we could buy low on, you all know who i want lol.
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Post by eja117 on Jun 16, 2022 17:14:40 GMT -5
I was listening to Shaughnessy on the radio and he was saying that he had talked with Cousy two days ago about our offensive woes, and Cooz said that the Celtics still don't have a PG. Now Cousy is on record that he loves Smart but not as a point guard. So what I'd say is that if we're going to keep Smart, we need to find someone who can run the offense. Smart isn't the guy, and neither Tatum nor Brown has the skills either. Maybe they will someday, but if this post-season is any indication, that day may be far off. The thing I don't love about this is Cooz wasn't a great shooter and they didn't even have the three point line back then. Plus if he made a mistake he had the world's best rebounder, player, and defender behind him. And when passing he had his choice of like 9 hall of famers to pass to. Smart is in a very different situation and probably fixes a lot of problems for our team. Quick question....let's say it's an important possession. Who do you want guarding or switching onto Bam Adebayo? Smart or Tatum? Yeah. Sorry Cooz. Gotta keep Smart. That assume Cooz even actually said that.
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