|
Post by The Eye of the Q is upon you! on Feb 4, 2007 22:37:52 GMT -5
The curse of Antione Walker.
Like it or not Paul Pierce and Antione Walker were faces of the 21st century of the Boston Celtics. Through complete destructive managerial decisions leaving them with extremely poor talent, Ainge comes in and trades Walker for a wounded knee Center, a Eurostiff, another lame retiree on an ending contract and a 1st round pick. Next he trades two serviceable players for a troublemaking talented player causing his HC to resign. Finally he extends a career stiff C who happened to have a good season and the stiff goes back to being a stiff. Finally he trades the troublemaker and the Stiff C and two young busts for another wounded overpriced good guy. He drafts for talent and upside but these guys should be in college instead of the NBA. Last he hires a non-winning HC but good on developing young kids - or so we are led to believe.
Now throw in the wretched bad luck of the injuries (But Ainge made some of that luck to begin with), and we end up as one the worst teams in NBA history.
We thought the Celtics had the dedication and hardwork to win 35 to 40 games. I don't believe the talent is there to win 30 games even next year (unless we get a stud in the draft).
So basically Danny has written his ticket out of Boston as well as Doc Rivers. I agree with Peter May on that one.
|
|
|
Post by The Eye of the Q is upon you! on Feb 4, 2007 22:41:33 GMT -5
The Celtics are not going to pass too many teams even if they get Pierce back this year. The rest of the league is way ahead of them. At best they finish ahead of 4 teams - Memphis, Philly, Milwaukee, and Portland so they will get a top 7 pick in the NBA draft.
|
|
|
Post by DERRENMATTS on Feb 4, 2007 22:53:13 GMT -5
I come to a different conclusion. Just look back at the roster we had right before Ainge took over and you can see that that roster needed a big overhaul. Ainge did what he had to do, which was blow up the team and start fresh. That included getting rid of Walker. He wasn't the right centerpiece (along with Pierce) to build the team around and there was no way Antoine was going to play a lesser role. He decided to build around Pierce, but this also might change.
Ainge has done a grand job of getting young talent, considering we didn't have a pick lower than 15 in any of his drafts. Plus, we're in position to possibly land our highest potential draft pick since Pierce came aboard in '98.
Doc seemed like a good selection for our head coaching position because of his personality and character (which is what I still like about him), but I'm questioning his coaching and his vision of the big picture. What coach can't teach a team to run pick and rolls and set solid picks?
|
|
|
Post by Roadrunner on Feb 4, 2007 23:09:28 GMT -5
Walker got suspended from Miami for being overweight. What makes him be under weight in Boston? He had to go. The ball stopped when it got to him. Point forward. No.
|
|
|
Post by The Eye of the Q is upon you! on Feb 4, 2007 23:27:49 GMT -5
It is great that Danny got all this young talent drafting at the back half of the 1st round and in the 2nd round. Unfortunately, the Celtics are coming up short on experience and physical maturity this year. Young talent may win in the long haul but the ownership is not going to shell out big bucks on losers. These players are losers. Doc is a loser. Danny is a loser. Are we going to rely on these players we have now to try to win games in the future. So far the only definite keepers are Pierce, Tony Allen, and Alan Jefferson. I like Perkins, Gomes, West, and Rondo. I don't know enough about Leon Powe but I think he has good rebounding ability. Sczczerbiak is a good player but in a bad location. Scalabrine is OK but I wouldn't mind seeing him move on. The rest of them can be cleared out of here along with Green to get a veteran hand. Even so the keepers and the 4 role players are not nearly enough to get the Celtics back to the playoffs let alone compete for a championship.
The best we can do now is get in line for Gasol. But I just don't think Memphis will listen to us, nor should they. Perhaps Cardinal and Damon Stoudemire for Bassy, Scalabrine, and Gomes?
|
|
|
Post by DERRENMATTS on Feb 5, 2007 4:03:03 GMT -5
It was never in Danny's plan to have a season where Pierce, Wally, Jefferson, Tony, Delonte, Gomes, Perkins, Theo, Olowokandi and Scalabrine all had time off the court nursing injuries. Of course we are going to come up short and lose games. The players who are playing a lot of minutes right now aren't ready for prime time.
Its ironic to say this, but this is exactly the season we need. We really need this season where our main veterans sit on the bench while our youngsters are given time to develop. In a couple of seasons, we are going to rely on these young guys heavily, so its important to develop them ASAP--and that's what's been happening. Plus, right now would be the best time to get a high pick in the draft because even if we don't get Oden, there's still a franchise player to get as a consolation prize (Durant).
|
|
|
Post by The Eye of the Q is upon you! on Feb 5, 2007 10:46:01 GMT -5
It was never in Danny's plan to have a season where Pierce, Wally, Jefferson, Tony, Delonte, Gomes, Perkins, Theo, Olowokandi and Scalabrine all had time off the court nursing injuries. Of course we are going to come up short and lose games. The players who are playing a lot of minutes right now aren't ready for prime time. Its ironic to say this, but this is exactly the season we need. We really need this season where our main veterans sit on the bench while our youngsters are given time to develop. In a couple of seasons, we are going to rely on these young guys heavily, so its important to develop them ASAP--and that's what's been happening. Plus, right now would be the best time to get a high pick in the draft because even if we don't get Oden, there's still a franchise player to get as a consolation prize (Durant). I see what you are saying so I go with my signiture in the profile. Auerbach is negotiating the rights to Greg Oden and will be in the Secaucus lottery ball bin pushing a little green ball into the #1 slot. And with a gun to David Stern's head - he is forced to announce that the Celtics have the #1 draft pick in 2007. Still this debate had to come out on this board. I want to see Powe hit the dance floor as this game is simply reduced to a 82 game exhibition season. I have my keeper list going and Gerald Green has not made it to keeper status, yet. If we draft Durant, then Gerald is probably odd man out.... I keep Tony Allen before I keep Gerald.
|
|
|
Post by DERRENMATTS on Feb 6, 2007 2:25:15 GMT -5
If we land Durant, I agree that Gerald becomes expendable--especially if Danny can dangle him for a stud big man (as in Gasol).
|
|
|
Post by freshnthehouse on Feb 6, 2007 2:53:56 GMT -5
Next he trades two serviceable players for a troublemaking talented player causing his HC to resign. Two servicable players? THe only thing EWilliams is servicing right now is his coach. So what should we have done. Kept OBrien as coach? Kept guys like Battie and Williams around? Match that ridiculous offer that the Heat gave Antoine(which is fast becoming one of the worst contracts in the league). What would that get us? 40 wins a year? More of OBriens patented two-on-five chuck-and-pray offense? We'd be no closer than this team is to championship. Id much rather roll with this roster and have a chance at a franchise changing player in the draft.
|
|