Execs split on C’s chances

BOSTON HERALD

Steve Bulpett

CHICAGO — Executives from around the NBA are understandably reluctant to talk much about the Celtics’ current situation. All of them know they, too, may one day find themselves between the proverbial rock and hard place where the Shamrock AC now resides.

Given the opportunity to speak off the attributed record, however, can loosen one up. And, quite interestingly, in an entirely unscientific survey by the Herald here at the NBA combine, there were mixed outlooks for the Celts as they dive further into a summer of heavy decisions about their roster.

We expected only doom and gloom — and there was certainly a great deal of that — but there were also some who expressed the belief that the C’s are not so deep in the hole.


So where one general manager shook his head and said, “Oh, they’re screwed,” another stated strongly, “As long as you have assets, you’re never screwed. The Celtics have players that other teams want. They’ve also got some guys that would be really hard to move, but when you’re talking about Rajon Rondo and even (Paul) Pierce and (Kevin) Garnett, those are people who can make a team better. Now the question then becomes who you can get back for them and will those new guys make the Celtics better.”

One GM asked about Rondo said, “I haven’t heard his name being put out there like I have in the past, but if they’re ever going to try to overhaul that team, they’re going to have to at least be willing to discuss him (in trades). The thing is, with Rondo coming off an ACL (tear), teams will be looking to get a bargain, and Boston can’t go there. They’re better off letting him come back and show everyone what he can do again.”

The brightest forecast came from a veteran executive, who put the club in context with most of its Eastern Conference competition.

“Look, they didn’t have a great playoffs when you look overall. They played really well in stretches against New York, but they just couldn’t sustain it,” he said. “Now take that team you saw in that last game and add an All-Star point guard (Rondo) to it. Now add a kid like (Jared) Sullinger, who as a rookie — a rookie — gave them an inside (element) that they really missed when he got hurt.

“That’s not a bad team. They still don’t get past Miami, but I don’t think anyone (is) doing that. But they wouldn’t have been the seventh seed, and maybe they even get to the conference finals again. Then who knows? You get an injury to another team like the ones they had, and all of a sudden you’re deep into the playoffs.

“Now, I’m not saying this is highly likely going into next year, because, you know, even if the old guys (Pierce and Garnett) come back, they’re even older, and that makes it harder to count on anything with them.”

Another general manager painted a darker picture.

“It’s just so hard to get things done these days with the new rules,” he said. “The tax has become really punitive, and it’s become a real drag on everything. The bigger market teams still have an advantage, but it’s getting closer and closer to parity. That’s what the league said it wanted, but it makes it harder to make moves.

“I’m really not sure what the Celtics will be able to do. Players get older, and that makes it harder to trade them. It’s hard to get another team to give you an asset of any value when they’re getting someone who will only be playing another year or two. Not many teams want to go that way, because it means they’d have to win right now to make the trade worthwhile — and that’s hard to do under any circumstances.

“Everyone knows KG and Pierce can still play, but if you’re another team, what can you really give up for them? Another coach may want to make that deal, but the GM and the owner probably won’t.”

The general sentiment here is that the Celts may have to muddle through another year or so before they can get some salary cap clearance and flexibility. It may not be as bad as the “I think they’re (expletive)” we got from one team executive, who, perhaps out of competitiveness, sounded a little too happy when he said it. But there is no denying the Celtics will have to be both fortunate and good to get through this stretch.

112288

The Celtics are going to be a good team next year provided that Rajon and Sully can come back strong and we tweak the roster a little bit and we hit a home run in the draft.

Paul Pierce may or may not be with the team. Unless we can get s starting quality player for him why trade him?

If they were going to move PP DA should have done it last February. That did not happen.

Next year it will be high time for PP to come off the bench. Jeff Green has proven that he is more than capable of being a starter. Now we just need to find a Power forward or a center and our starting unit can be very good.

We need to find another shooter off the bench because neither Lee nor Terry proved that they can be counted on to score consistently off the bench. We need a BU point guard and one may already be on the roster. I really believe that Williams can be a factor off the bench for us next year.

Fab Melo spent most of the year in Maine or sitting on the bench in an observatory roll. He was a first round pick and came as compensation when we traded Perkins. He needs to play. Learn from his mistakes and develop into a contributor. I do not really care if he scores a lot. I would just like to see him rebound and block shots for us.

If we Draft a F/C I see not good reason to keep the undersized Bass. Maybe he can be packaged with Lee to get us a shooter.

With KG winding down a great career the main focus most be to find a replacement. We need a young defensive presence now. We will not be able to replace KG's all around game. He is a once in a lifetime player. But we need a long term solution at center.

dboss

dBoss,

With PP contract at $15.5M and him coming off the bench we have no money to acquire a half way good Power Forward or Center.

Forget it....Celtics will be a .500 team if that lucky with PP on the team and no significant additions at PF and C.

112288

We can get a good center from the draft. We can still make a trade to get a shooter. I really do not think we are that far away.

Rondo, Green and Bradley give us a good shot. A healthy Sullinger with Kg on board can still make some noise.

We need to get a good player in the draft.

Randolph is a very adequate bu center. Williams will have a chance to be in training camp.

One or two players can turn a team into a contender.

Pp can come off the bench and be a catalyst for the second unit. He can still play.

Feeling optimistic.

Dboss

Dboss

Optimistic to win it all or to make the playoffs ?

Swish

dBoss,

Ya we can get a good center/PF in the draft like Dieng....but he is not a seasoned vet with playoff experience in a key position. One thing with Rondo where the rest of the vets made up for Rondo's mistakes in 2008 and was not in a key defensive position as say the center/power forward position.

112288

Swish I am not saying we will win the whole thing but I think we will be very competitive. There is still a lot of talent on this team.

Dboss