Boston Celtics 2014 Offseason Thread

The idea that Ainge was "gifted" Garnett is far too dismissive for my taste (not least of all because the Celtics clearly had the best offer on the table at the time). It's not easy to collect a bunch of assets and then cash them in at the right time. Sure, some element of luck is required too (i.e., the right superstar available for the right price), but it also takes a great deal of patience and vision. For me at least, Ainge's legacy as a GM is pretty clear already: he assembled a great team that won one title and was in serious contention for a couple more. Anything he does this offseason is icing on the cake.

More on-topic: Kevin Love or bust. He's a superstar in his prime who might be available, which is the exact scenario you collect all those assets for. Something like this year's pick (assuming it doesn't fall in the top 3), Sullinger, and some expirings should just about do it (maybe a protected future Nets pick). Then grab Asik for next years' Clippers pick and the trade exception, re-sign Bradley for reasonable dollars, and you have a Rondo/Bradley/Green/Love/Asik core that features complementary young players and should compete for a title almost immediately.

Jon,

Would you make that move without an extension for Love? You get 1 year of him but I'm not sure what I'd do if he doesn't agree to sign an extension (most feel he wants to go to LAL).

Yea just grab Asik for a late first round pick. Easy Peezy.

Maybe you can get Love for that, but I wouldn't count on it. If you can, great but why should it matter if you have top 3 or not. If Kevin love is that good, he's worth any pick 1-8 in this draft.

I guess I meant whether Ainge is a "good" versus a "great" GM. Not saying he'd be remembered as a bum or anything. Just mean that doing "destroy and rebuild" twice successfully would set him apart somewhat.

My bad if that was muddled by the Garnett comment. I just mean it could be easier to dismiss the 2007 moves if he's unable to do anything with the assets he's gathered this offseason.

The Rockets and Celtics almost completed an Asik deal centered around the Clippers pick this year. The Rockets didn't think that was enough (but they also didn't get any other better offers), but now Asik only has a year left on his contract, and while he only counts $8m against the cap, he's due to receive $14m in real cash next year, which might give other owners some hesitation. The Rockets also want to clear cap room for a run at Melo, and Boston is one of the few teams that can absorb all of Asik's contract without sending any money back. Maybe the Celtics need to include a sweetener (maybe the Philadelphia first round pick that is actually two second round picks), but it shouldn't take much more than the Clippers' pick to get Asik.

If Embiid's medicals check out, he might be one of those transformational players that makes me hesitate to go down the win-now path. Wiggins or Parker may similarly be of that caliber, but I'm less sure about them. Noone else in the draft is near that level for me, so that's why I include the 1-3 qualification.

I just don't think this kind of opportunity comes up often enough that it makes sense to wait. The only real ways to get superstar talent (and you generally need two of them to compete) are to draft it or to trade for it. The draft route is incredibly risky (even a Philadelphia-style teardown guarantees nothing but comes with immense pain), and you can't be sure that another player of Love's caliber will be available at the right time.

HUGE!

You don't think it's the right time? I'm not Rondo's biggest fan, but I still think he's an All-Star-caliber player in his prime, and next year is probably the last one where his salary:production ratio is a clear positive. The alternative to win-now is either a total tear-down (read: trade Rondo) or maintaining the status quo for another year and seeing if there are any opportunities next year, neither of which does anything for me.

James Young and Rodney Hood join Parker in the draft. Jordan Adams (UCLA) stay put. All via Chad Ford

I don't know if it's the right time or not. It really depends. You're a lot higher on some of these guys than I am though. I don't see Rondo-Bradley-green-love-Asik as a championship starting 5. You are way higher on Bradley than I am and I think Jeff Green is a losing ball player. Like him as a guy, hate him as a player or competitor. As far as I'm concerned, he needs to go if you want a winning team.

I just think Bradley and Green are great secondary pieces who look worse than they really are because the current team forces them to be primary shot creators, which they are not. Green in particular can be a monster third option who can shoot and drive against scrambling defenses and is an average-to-better defender. Bradley can be your defensive ace who also spreads the floor and makes smart cuts on offense. Unlike in baseball, basketball requires that the pieces fit together, and I think those pieces fit together really well (I'm also really high on Asik, for what it's worth).

I also think the bench has some potential. Wallace is not as bad as he looked this year and is a useful glue guy. Olynyk can be a low-rent version of Love who quarterbacks the second unit offense. Humphries could re-sign as a cheap backup big who rebounds. Maybe Pressey improves his shot enough to be a backup PG option. They'll also still have a mid-first-round pick and the full mid-level to add depth.