Post by DERRENMATTS on May 30, 2006 4:01:59 GMT -5
Even with a solid draft, there are issues we need to address this offseason if we want to make the playoffs in '07 by earning it and not by sliding in.
We are still very young up front. Perkins, Jefferson, Gomes, and DJ will surely be bigger factors next season, but they won't make us forget how young they really are (Gomes will be the old man at 24 yrs old, while Perk will be the most experienced entering his 4th season, though its more like his 3rd). We cannot realistically expect these 4 guys to be able to match up with proven veteran playoff big men on a consistent basis without falling on their faces and showing their young age. Wily veterans will know how to sneak in some timely rebounds late in games, know how to pump fake them into foul trouble, know how to force them to take bad shots, etc. Clifford Ray will hopefully be a big help in their development, but I don't know how quickly his impact will be felt and to what degree.
It would be in our best interest if Ainge brings in a veteran big man who will allow Perk and Al to continue their learning curve, while not eating up all their playing time. Raef is not the right example for them to follow. He's a solid rebounder, but Perk and Al are already better rebounders than he is. We need a veteran who can show the young guys the tricks of the trade when it comes to rebounding and scoring inside.
This is where a veteran like PJ Brown can be useful. PJ can still be an effective 10 - 15 minute big man who can come in and steady the ship when things start to get rough for the young guns. This is the final year of his contract, and he's only making 8 million. Definitely worth a look.
Theo Ratliff is more of a shot blocker than he is a rebounder, but he could prove to be a useful mentor for the young guys. His contract is bigger than Raef's in terms of annual salary, but it isn't as long. I'm not too keen to do this trade.
Greg Ostertag was never a big time rebounder, but he was an effective one because of his large size. He's past his prime so I'm not too interested in bringing him in. But he would be a cheap veteran to bring in who may show the young kids how to use their bodies to create space.
Brian Grant is a rebounder who never got any love, for reasons I'll never know. He's in his final year of his contract, which pays him nearly 15+ million. IMO, he's a better positional rebounder than Raef and he actually plays near the basket.
Alonzo Mourning would be nice. Still proving that he's a warrior, despite being 75% of what he used to be. Still, he can certainly teach the young guys how to fight for rebounds and how to dig in deep to secure space against bigger opposition. But unless Miami throws him out the door, he won't come to Boston. If he's still got something left in his tank, he'll want to keep playing for MIA, or with some team that is contending for a title.
Drew Gooden is not your typical veteran because he's still a young guy. He's in his final year of his contract and could be trade bait. He's an excellent scorer and rebounder. Would fit in nicely with our young guys and he would be a nice player off the bench.
Joe Smith is also in his final year of his contract that pays him just under 7 mill. He's still a quality rebounder and is only in his early 30's.
My final 2 cents would be Kenny Thomas. He's always been a quality rebounder and a scrappy player. Still just 29 years old and under contract for a good 4 years (at about 7.5 mil per year, which is not bad, on par with his production), he can be a good bench player for years to come once Perk, Al, and the rest are fully grown. Plus, he plays in a passing offense that utilizes his passing abilities and he's a crafty scorer in the paint, as well as having a steady jumper from 15 feet. He can still give a team double digits on offense and rebound about 8 - 9 boards as a starter.
We are still very young up front. Perkins, Jefferson, Gomes, and DJ will surely be bigger factors next season, but they won't make us forget how young they really are (Gomes will be the old man at 24 yrs old, while Perk will be the most experienced entering his 4th season, though its more like his 3rd). We cannot realistically expect these 4 guys to be able to match up with proven veteran playoff big men on a consistent basis without falling on their faces and showing their young age. Wily veterans will know how to sneak in some timely rebounds late in games, know how to pump fake them into foul trouble, know how to force them to take bad shots, etc. Clifford Ray will hopefully be a big help in their development, but I don't know how quickly his impact will be felt and to what degree.
It would be in our best interest if Ainge brings in a veteran big man who will allow Perk and Al to continue their learning curve, while not eating up all their playing time. Raef is not the right example for them to follow. He's a solid rebounder, but Perk and Al are already better rebounders than he is. We need a veteran who can show the young guys the tricks of the trade when it comes to rebounding and scoring inside.
This is where a veteran like PJ Brown can be useful. PJ can still be an effective 10 - 15 minute big man who can come in and steady the ship when things start to get rough for the young guns. This is the final year of his contract, and he's only making 8 million. Definitely worth a look.
Theo Ratliff is more of a shot blocker than he is a rebounder, but he could prove to be a useful mentor for the young guys. His contract is bigger than Raef's in terms of annual salary, but it isn't as long. I'm not too keen to do this trade.
Greg Ostertag was never a big time rebounder, but he was an effective one because of his large size. He's past his prime so I'm not too interested in bringing him in. But he would be a cheap veteran to bring in who may show the young kids how to use their bodies to create space.
Brian Grant is a rebounder who never got any love, for reasons I'll never know. He's in his final year of his contract, which pays him nearly 15+ million. IMO, he's a better positional rebounder than Raef and he actually plays near the basket.
Alonzo Mourning would be nice. Still proving that he's a warrior, despite being 75% of what he used to be. Still, he can certainly teach the young guys how to fight for rebounds and how to dig in deep to secure space against bigger opposition. But unless Miami throws him out the door, he won't come to Boston. If he's still got something left in his tank, he'll want to keep playing for MIA, or with some team that is contending for a title.
Drew Gooden is not your typical veteran because he's still a young guy. He's in his final year of his contract and could be trade bait. He's an excellent scorer and rebounder. Would fit in nicely with our young guys and he would be a nice player off the bench.
Joe Smith is also in his final year of his contract that pays him just under 7 mill. He's still a quality rebounder and is only in his early 30's.
My final 2 cents would be Kenny Thomas. He's always been a quality rebounder and a scrappy player. Still just 29 years old and under contract for a good 4 years (at about 7.5 mil per year, which is not bad, on par with his production), he can be a good bench player for years to come once Perk, Al, and the rest are fully grown. Plus, he plays in a passing offense that utilizes his passing abilities and he's a crafty scorer in the paint, as well as having a steady jumper from 15 feet. He can still give a team double digits on offense and rebound about 8 - 9 boards as a starter.