Danny Ainge: "I think we're not done"

Adam Himmelsbach
@AdamHimmelsbach 1 minute ago
Danny Ainge on if he'd be comfortable taking the current roster to opening day: "I think we're not done."

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bob
MY NOTE: He's such a tease.


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Mark MurphyVerified account
‏@Murf56
Ainge said options on Johnson and Jerebko being picked up. Ante Zizic will stay in Europe for a year. Team hasn't made that decision on Yabu



bob


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Brian Robb @CelticsHub
Ainge said roster is not completed. Team still looking for upgrades, especially in shooting department.
5:09 PM - 7 Jul 2016 · Salt Lake City, UT, United States
 59 59 Retweets   68 68 likes



Brian Robb @CelticsHub
Ainge on what's next: "We are still looking at doing deals and we're certainly not finished for the summer."
5:17 PM - 7 Jul 2016 · Salt Lake City, UT, United States
 50 50 Retweets   45 45 likes



Brian Robb @CelticsHub
Ainge on team needs still as he sees them: Shooting, a stronger center, maybe a ballhandler.
5:33 PM - 7 Jul 2016 · Salt Lake City, UT, United States
 9 9 Retweets   11 11 likes



Ainge also confirmed the club will hold on to both Amir Johnson and Jonas Jerebko, whose contracts become guaranteed at the end of Thursday. Including No. 3 overall pick Jaylen Brown, that means the Celtics now have 13 players on the roster for next season -- a number that does not include Yabusele or any of the team's second-round selections.



bob


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I would guess Jackson could very well become number 14. Not so sure of their intentions for Yabusele.

Christian Wood once again looking better than Ben Simmons. Dunks, blocks, 3 pointers, variety of scoring moves, and much, much better length.

Not signing Wood is going to come back and bite us in the ass.

Simmons might be the 4th best power forward on his own team behind Dario Saric, Nerlens Noel, and Christian Wood if they sign him.


A big man who plays small and can only pass and dribble is like a point guard who can only post up and rebound. Gee that's great buddy, but it doesn't help win games.

Simmons with the lowest +/- on the 76ers tonight. The 76ers. Summer league.

+/- doesn't mean much in a one game sample of course, but this guy is as overrated as any recent prospect not named Anthony Bennett.

bobheckler wrote:



Ainge on team needs still as he sees them: Shooting, a stronger center, maybe a ballhandler.



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Same needs as we had prior to the draft and free agency.

We have made some nice additions to the roster, however, so we're making progress in the right direction.  We've still got money to spend, and if we can at least keep pace with last year's record, other teams are going to place a greater value on some of our players as trade possibilities.  Something will shake loose.  In the meantime, the additions of Brown and Horford, plus more minutes for Rozier, should allow this to be a faster paced, higher scoring group.  It's going to be a good season, even if we don't fill those needs quite yet.

NYCelt wrote:

bobheckler wrote:



Ainge on team needs still as he sees them: Shooting, a stronger center, maybe a ballhandler.



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Same needs as we had prior to the draft and free agency.

We have made some nice additions to the roster, however, so we're making progress in the right direction.  We've still got money to spend, and if we can at least keep pace with last year's record, other teams are going to place a greater value on some of our players as trade possibilities.  Something will shake loose.  In the meantime, the additions of Brown and Horford, plus more minutes for Rozier, should allow this to be a faster paced, higher scoring group.  It's going to be a good season, even if we don't fill those needs quite yet.

NYCelt

I would expect Boston to maintain there winning percentage and maybe push it up 5-10 more wins.  Other teams are also adding pieces so it is difficult to see where the Celtics rank.  NY should be better while the Heat may take a step back.  The Hawks will also take a step back in my opinion.  Orlando has been busy as has Chicago.

Once again the East will be a minefield.

dboss

Brian Robb @CelticsHub
Ainge on team needs still as he sees them: Shooting, a stronger center, maybe a ballhandler.
5:33 PM - 7 Jul 2016 · Salt Lake City, UT, United States
9 9 Retweets   11 11 likes



http://www.csnne.com/boston-celtics/colton-iverson-could-fill-need-danny-ainge-stronger-center-nba-rumors



COLTON IVERSON COULD FILL CELTICS' NEED FOR 'A STRONGER CENTER'


By Kevin O'Connor July 07, 2016 9:32 PM




WALTHAM – Danny Ainge said Thursday that the Boston Celtics likely aren’t done making moves, with their biggest needs being “shooting” and “a stronger center.” According to a source, the latter need could be filled by center Colton Iverson, whose rights are owned by the Celtics as the 53rd overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

After spending the last three years playing in the Turkish and Spanish leagues, with two summer league appearances with the Celtics, Iverson is now a 27-year-old seasoned veteran who’s ready to compete immediately in an energy role off the bench.

The Celtics have frontcourt depth featuring Al Horford, Kelly Olynyk, Amir Johnson, and Jordan Mickey -- but they lack a traditional center who specializes in rim running on offense, rebounding on both ends, and rim protection on defense.

At 7-feet and 263-pounds, that’s precisely where Iverson is equipped to help. The Colorado State alumni played this past season with Karsiyaka of the Turkish League, and averaged 11.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. As one of Turkey’s most efficient pick-and-roll finishers, Iverson’s player efficiency rating of 24.1 was third in the league.

Small ball is en vogue in the NBA, but there's still a need for traditional big men. Centers Steven Adams and Andrew Bogut played pivotal roles for their respective teams in the NBA Playoffs, and Timothy Mozgov and Ian Mahinmi signed lucrative contracts in free agency. Iverson isn’t quite at the same level of those players, but he can fill a similar role and do it at a tremendously lower cost compared to any of the remaining options, including Boston’s own restricted free agents Tyler Zeller and Jared Sullinger.

A move for Iverson is not impending, but at the least, per the source, he is a name to monitor as a depth piece for the Celtics, regardless of any potential transactions they make in the upcoming weeks and months.


bob
MY NOTE:  Not a rim protector, but I don't see many people bouncing Colton Iverson back 3 feet.

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I was hoping to see Iverson in Summer League. I guess not. Maybe in preseason.

No downside in taking a look at Iverson. I don't think he's expected for the Vegas summer league either, but at least in pre-season would be nice. I wouldn't want to see him go the way of the typical draft-and-stash disappearing act without a good look. We need a big presence in the paint too badly to waste the possibility.

Danny drafts the FIBA center of the year in Ante Zizic, then forces him to stay in Europe, so he can bring in the much more limited Iverson for one year?

This is the kind of crap that is going to come back and haunt us in the playoffs.

arambone wrote:Danny drafts the FIBA center of the year in Ante Zizic, then forces him to stay in Europe, so he can bring in the much more limited Iverson for one year?

This is the kind of crap that is going to come back and haunt us in the playoffs.

Maybe so. We sure aren't seeing any indication they're going to do what it takes to get Zizic here any time soon. I'm not so sure we'll even see Iverson. Ever.

As a completely tongue-in-cheek aside, I recently read a few comments elsewhere that re-surfaced from a few seasons back. Something to the effect that Ainge is actually trying to wreck the Celtics because he's still mad about being traded to the Suns! Oliver Stone invades basketball...

I'm sure there's a plan in place. Has to be. Just frustrating for us fans not knowing what that is.

I wouldn't be surprised for Iverson to not get a camp invite.
You can have 20 under contract at camp.
Boston has 12 on the roster right now.
Add in the 5 rookies, but not Nader.
Add in Sullinger or Zeller.
That is 18, not including Holland, Nader, last year's second round pick Marcus Thornton and either Zeller or Sullinger.

I don't see Boston ever giving a roster spot to a very limited 27 year old Iverson.

tjmakz wrote:I wouldn't be surprised for Iverson to not get a camp invite.
You can have 20 under contract at camp.
Boston has 12 on the roster right now.
Add in the 5 rookies, but not Nader.
Add in Sullinger or Zeller.
That is 18, not including Holland, Nader, last year's second round pick Marcus Thornton and either Zeller or Sullinger.

I don't see Boston ever giving a roster spot to a very limited 27 year old Iverson.

TJ,

1. What makes you think Sully and/or Zeller are coming back? I'd say the odds are that at least one of them is not.

2. I am also not confident Thornton is invited either. His play over the past two games doesn't look like Brad's style.

3. Danny has already said that Zizic is staying in Europe. The jury is still out on Yabusele.

That opens up space for all kinds of possibilities.


bob


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bobheckler wrote:

tjmakz wrote:I wouldn't be surprised for Iverson to not get a camp invite.
You can have 20 under contract at camp.
Boston has 12 on the roster right now.
Add in the 5 rookies, but not Nader.
Add in Sullinger or Zeller.
That is 18, not including Holland, Nader, last year's second round pick Marcus Thornton and either Zeller or Sullinger.

I don't see Boston ever giving a roster spot to a very limited 27 year old Iverson.

TJ,

1.  What makes you think Sully and/or Zeller are coming back?  I'd say the odds are that at least one of them is not.

2.  I am also not confident Thornton is invited either.  His play over the past two games doesn't look like Brad's style.

3.  Danny has already said that Zizic is staying in Europe.  The jury is still out on Yabusele.

That opens up space for all kinds of possibilities.


bob


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I'm assuming Zeller or Sullinger will be back.
If neither gets a big contract, I assume one will return.

If neither 1st round Euro player will be in camp, Iverson could get a look.
But there could be other undrafted players Danny could put ahead of Iverson who has been around for years.

I could be wrong, but with Boston's issue with deciding who will make the 15 man roster, I seriously doubt Iverson ever gets a contract from Boston.

Everyone's favorite local sports personality thinks Danny might still pull something off for Cousins:

http://www.csnne.com/boston-celtics/felger-cousins-stronger-center-celtics-are-looking

Iverson has clearly done what the Cs have asked him to do in the past three years, but now he may just not be good enough to make their team. If he was as well developed three years ago as he seems to be right now he probably would have made the 2014 team.

With that said, I think that he should at least be given a solid look this pre season by our team.

wideclyde wrote:Iverson has clearly done what the Cs have asked him to do in the past three years, but now he may just not be good enough to make their team.   If he was as well developed three years ago as he seems to be right now he probably would have made the 2014 team.

With that said, I think that he should at least be given a solid look this pre season by our team.

Clyde,

Iverson's problem, among others, is that there was no room on the roster for him.  Both Sully and Zeller were more developed than he and both were on rookie contracts.  They may still be more developed than him but will be much more expensive, both on an annual $ basis but also long-term.  Sully and Zeller will both want multi-year deals while Iverson might be tickled pink with a one year deal in the NBA.


bob


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Jesus, I hope Iverson is not what Danny had in mind when he said "I think we're not done". Nothing against the guy, but he won't have much of an impact.

Shamrock1000 wrote:Jesus, I hope Iverson is not what Danny had in mind when he said "I think we're not done". Nothing against the guy, but he won't have much of an impact.

Shamrock,

Good point.

Upon further review, despite Ainge's statement, I think we're done.

Time for some down time after Vegas. Then pennant races. Then NFL. Then NBA time.

It's all good.

Regards