Is it time to shore up the 5-spot?

Agreed bob, this year let’s roll with what we got. In the draft I hope we can get the best big man available, who knows maybe we get lucky with a big 2 years in a row?

I voted for stand pat. I can live with some losses as the home team figures out its identity.
Time with Theis and Williams may hurt against the better centers, but we just have to get to the playoffs.
Some of the draft picks will have to go, but let's hope for some happy deals as the season goes along.

Celtics' frontline decimated by injury, handing them greatest challenge of Brad Stevens Era

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/celtics-frontline-decimated-injury-handing-them-greatest-challenge-brad-stevens-era

BOSTON -- We've often seen the Boston Celtics play their way through injuries and illnesses.

But things are different this time around.

Usually, they've had a hodgepodge of ailments to various players at different positions. But the C's have now received a more precise, more painful blow: Their frontline has taken most of the recent hits, cutting into their already thin pool of big men.

This was never a position of tremendous depth for the Celtics, so the setbacks have cut even deeper than previous injuries.

Being without so many key big men has exposed the Celts' lack of physicality and rebounding strength, two areas exploited in Boston’s last two games -- both losses -- by Detroit and Phoenix, respectively.

Al Horford (patellofemoral pain syndrome, left knee) is out indefinitely, although indications are he’ll be back soon.

Guerschon Yabusele has a right ankle sprain suffered against New Orleans on Dec. 10 and he’s not due to return in the near future.

Now you can add Aron Baynes to the walking wounded. He suffered a fracture in the fourth metacarpal of his left hand Wednesday night that will sideline him for an extensive, but yet-to-be-determined period of time.

That leaves the Green team extremely thin and green when it comes to bigs.

And with a roster that stands at the NBA-maximum 15 players with guaranteed contracts, it’s not like the Celtics can go out and sign a free agent big man to help.


They still have a two-way contract available after waiving Walter Lemon Jr. earlier this month. However, it’s unlikely they can sign someone who can come in and get up to speed quickly enough to be a contributor.


So the more likely course of action is to batten down the hatches and ride out this storm of injuries, hoping they’ll have a healthy contingent of players in time for the postseason. In the meantime, the big-man rotation consists of Daniel Theis and rookie Robert Williams III, along with a host of other wings who may find themselves called upon to play one of the big forward positions.

It is not an ideal situation, obviously.

But if there is a silver lining to all this, it’s that Brad Stevens continues to get opportunities to look at different combinations that, were it not for all the injuries, he might not get to see on a more consistent basis.

Still, the lack of healthy bodies in the frontcourt is indeed Boston’s number one problem right now, a problem that doesn't have a clear-cut solution on the horizon.

Because even if Horford returns this weekend or early next week, the Celtics will still be shorthanded withoiut Baynes and Yabusele.
While neither gobbles up a ton of minutes, the absence of players cuts into Boston’s margin for error because of its impact on the team’s overall depth.

However, these Celtics still have a relatively high level of confidence despite the losses and injuries. That speaks to how they view themselves as a championship contender, regardless of who's in the lineup or not.

But that title-contention belief only adds to what distinguishes this most recent set of setbacks from previous injuries.

This team was built to contend for a title and, with that, opened the season with a tremendous amount of unprecedented expectations in the Brad Stevens era.

And so these injuries cut deeper than previous ones because of their potential impact on what this team is locked on achieving -- winning a title -- in a season in which the C's have a roster that can legitimately make that goal achievable.

Yes, the Celtics have shown a resiliency in the face of injuries that has to be respected and admired, for sure.

But with the expectations, and the fact that the injuries have hit them so hard at one particular position, overcoming these injuries will test them unlike anything we’ve seen in previous Stevens-coached teams.

And that only adds to what has been a unique, very different challenge for this battle-tested bunch on the injury front.

From above:

"They still have a two-way contract available after waiving Walter Lemon Jr. earlier this month. However, it’s unlikely they can sign someone who can come in and get up to speed quickly enough to be a contributor. "

This could be done without making a trade with one of our players on the 15 man roster. Perhaps a G-League player trade can be made. That may help over the long haul, if not so immediately.

I'll revise the poll and allow vote canceling.

gyso

I chose:

Sign a new player with a 2-way contract (G-League trade)

Based on this poll, support for maintaining the roster as it is appears to be the preferred choice.

I do not believe we would be having this discussion if both Baynes and Horford were not hurt.  A Sherrod Blakely suggests that we did not have enough depth anyways.

How many teams have enough depth where they can lose their top 2 centers?

Answer none.

We had this conversation last year and added Monroe late in the year.  But last year we did not have Williams.  That is really a big difference.

I am going to change my vote from do nothing to add a 2-way player which is pretty much the same as doing nothing.

I would add John Bohannon, 6' 11" center who plays for our farm team. The Maine Redclaws.

Keep in mind that any two way contract does not help us in the playoffs.

From what I can see there have been no players suggestions that actually work salary wise except for Za Za for Yabuselle.  Danny and Brad really like Yabuselle and I do too.  I would not do that deal but I was just trying to match up salaries and the perceived need to add a center.

For those that think Yabu and a pick or anybody and a pick is a good idea, the number of picks that we have may be clouding your judgement.  1st round picks should never be used for some filler to the roster.  If a 1st round pick was worth $250,000 and you had 4 picks, wagering one pick for a 4th string center would be like gambling at Russian Roulette.

Patience.

Of course we want to win #18 this season, but remember, Danny has eyes on Davis, who would fulfill our #5 needs for a decade. All his calculations will factor in that goal. Don't be surprised if after the season ends Danny ships off several #1 picks and/or Jayson and
or Jaylen to New Orleans.Don't be surprised.

Jayson Tatum is the player DA has been waiting for his whole life. No way he is included in any deal for anyone, anytime in the near future.

One never knows with Danny.

The way Brown has been playing the asking price for Davis begins with Jason Tatum.

But that is just the tip of the iceberg because Smart may have to be included as well.

I very much agree with Worcester that Danny is going to hold on to his 1st rounders.  I know this belongs under the AD thread but I am not at all comfortable with gutting the team depth for Anthony Davis or anyone else for that matter.  Jason Tatum is going to be an allstar in my opinion and I could not bring myself to trade him.

The draft picks will become of great value except how can you trade them if you already used them?  Danny and the Celtics will not know what Davis is planning to do.  He has to first decline the extension and that probably will not happen until July.  

You see how far fetched it is for the Celtics to make a trade for Davis?

I don't think Davis has anything to do with what the team needs to do right now. Boston simply needs a big or two; mainly a defense oriented center who can board. Doesn't need to be a star, just someone to help make up for the situation with Horford and Baynes while joining a rotation with Williams and Theis, or at least spelling them on occasion. It will still take a pick and a couple of players to get that much, but Davis is nearly an impossibility during this season. That's a conversation for summer, if at all.

Davis is 100% impossible until July, 2019.

worcester wrote:Davis is 100% impossible until July, 2019.

Truth.

OK I put this  as part of my RANT  on the Milwaukee game thread , but I'll repeat part of it here.

Hayward and Rob Williams

to Utah for

Gobert and Crowder


IF ONLY Utah would do it!!

It is absolutely time to shore up the 5 spot! I am sure that Ainge began looking hard right after Baynes got hurt earlier this week.

In fact, the Celtics have needed to do this since Garnett left town. Quality rebounding has been an issue for years on this team. Horford has never been a real center, but has had to play there. He has never been a good rebounder. Baynes rebounds OK, but only averages about 15 minutes or less per game even on a team that needs rebounding. Of course, now he is hurt and out for at least a month. Williams has a good future, but is not ready to play well enough to be a starting center on a good team that has hopes of gaining a good playoff seed and then play well in the playoffs. Theis is a forward. Some mention Yabusele as a center, but he has yet to crack anything that resembles even the bottom of the rotation at any position.

Big teams have killed us on the boards. Cripes, out rebounded by 19 an against the Bucks and pounded in the paint by Detroit in just the last week! Similar results can only be expected if Williams and Theis are our only centers, I would expect.

When in a "championship window" short term reinforcements are very much part of keeping that window open. Red Auerbach seemed to do this every year back in the day.

I don't think John Bohannon is the answer:

https://basketball.realgm.com/player/John-Bohannon/Summary/22895

https://basketball.realgm.com/player/John-Bohannon/International/22895

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/51369/john-bohannon

I've changed my vote to:

Trade multiple players and a first round pick

wideclyde wrote:It is absolutely time to shore up the 5 spot!  I am sure that Ainge began looking hard right after Baynes got hurt earlier this week.

In fact, the Celtics have needed to do this since Garnett left town.  Quality rebounding has been an issue for years on this team.  Horford has never been a real center, but has had to play there. He has never been a good rebounder.  Baynes rebounds OK, but only averages about 15 minutes or less per game even on a team that needs rebounding. Of course, now he is hurt and out for at least a month.  Williams has a good future, but is not ready to play well enough to be a starting center on a good team that has hopes of gaining a good playoff seed and then play well in the playoffs.  Theis is a forward.  Some mention Yabusele as a center, but he has yet to crack anything that resembles even the bottom of the rotation at any position.

Big teams have killed us on the boards.  Cripes, out rebounded by 19 an against the Bucks and pounded in the paint by Detroit in just the last week!  Similar results can only be expected if Williams and Theis are our only centers, I would expect.

When in a "championship window" short term reinforcements are very much part of keeping that window open.  Red Auerbach seemed to do this every year back in the day.

Great post. Excellent points start to finish.

I agree and don't view this idea as optional, but rather the last needed step in creating a championship roster. It was needed even before injuries, which was the whole reason to draft Williams.

It's not impatience, it's looking at reality. It's completing the last piece of the puzzle.

I am reluctant to change my vote a 2nd time but change is part of life.

I think as we float ideas around on getting another big the Celtics have to first identify a player and convince a team that he should be traded.   Also are we talking about a rotation guy or a full time starter?

Will he be a rental or a guy with a couple of years left on his contract.  If he will become a FA in the summer is he a guy that Boston would want to retain.  If so how does the cost of retaining him impact the luxury tax.  Would the team rather keep Morris or Rozier for the same amount of money?

AH is probable against Charlotte.  Baynes will return in 6 weeks.  Would Boston be over reacting if they moved players and assets right now?

With all these unanswered questions I am requesting that a new option be added to the poll.

:Not Enough Information Available To Make A Decision

dboss,

Of course we do not have enough information to make a decision. When has that stopped us before?

However, I added the following to the poll: None of the above (please define)

That should allow you to get back off the limb.

gyso

gyso wrote:dboss,

Of course we do not have enough information to make a decision.  When has that stopped us before?  

However, I added the following to the poll:  None of the above (please define)

That should allow you to get back off the limb.  

gyso

Thanks gyso...you always find a way to bail me out.

dboss wrote:I am reluctant to change my vote a 2nd time but change is part of life.

I think as we float ideas around on getting another big the Celtics have to first identify a player and convince a team that he should be traded.   Also are we talking about a rotation guy or a full time starter?

Will he be a rental or a guy with a couple of years left on his contract.  If he will become a FA in the summer is he a guy that Boston would want to retain.  If so how does the cost of retaining him impact the luxury tax.  Would the team rather keep Morris or Rozier for the same amount of money?

AH is probable against Charlotte.  Baynes will return in 6 weeks.  Would Boston be over reacting if they moved players and assets right now?

With all these unanswered questions I am requesting that a new option be added to the poll.

:Not Enough Information Available To Make A Decision

I like that dboss - it sort of helps to level the playing field between the basketball knowledge of the fans vs Brad and Danny.

swish