Celtics Make Huge Splashes on Draft Day

Celtics Make Huge Splashes on Draft Day

story by G.M. Armchair

After many people felt that Bostons first first round playoff exit in the Garnet era signaled the final closing of the window for the Celtics to win titles with the reamining bunch for the 07-08 gang Boston in a single day made damn sure that the window was not just still open, but once more open all the way.

“A lot of people were righting us off, saying that the window was closed, that we needed to either rebuild or be satisfied with being a marginal playoff team till piece and KG were at last gone from the team, manegement never bought into that, Doc never bought into that, nor did I” said Danny Ainge.

So, just like in 07, the Celtics have spent the time up to today working on a plan, a plan that would return them to title contendtion. “It really began with KG, explained Ainge, the Celtics president of basketball operations, once we understood he would not need surgery, that he wanted to come back, not just for one more year, but to finnish out his remaining two years on his contract, we went to work.”

By work, Ainge meant opening negotations to bring back former Celtics Jason Collins and leanardo Barbosa and, yesterdat, signing a one year extension with Paul Peirce for nine million dollars, ensuring that Peirce and KG would in fact be able to retire together. Now however, the Celtics needed to make sure that they could put the pieces back around the superstar vets that could allow them to lead them back to the NBA's pinacle.

While many have pointed to the Celtics early exit in May as proof the ride was over for the Celtics for the time being, one of the major issues the C's had all season long was injuries, would things have been different had Barbosa not had his season cut short due to injury? Perhaps not, but the same can not be said about Rajon Rondo and Jared Sullinger. The expecatation that these two will be ready for training camp means that Boston ought to be at least a playoff quality team, after today though, those expectations have risen dramatically.

What happened?

Boston made a series of moves that could all but promises the NBA a Celtics- Heat Eastern Conference finals that will, in all likelyhood be even more exciting than the NBA finals. Heres the breakdown:

Deal 1: The Mavericks were looking for the best possible deal out there for their lotto pick- one that would not interfere with their cap space, as they plan to be players in the dwight Howard Sweepstakes. Boston was looking to wheel and deal and so aquired the Mav's 13th pick overall for $1 million, as well as their own 2014 first and second round picks and Brooklyns 2014 second round pick.

Deal 2: Boston sent Sacremento's second round pick rights in 2015 & 2017, Williams, White and Randolf to Houston in exchange for Thomas Robinson.

Deal 3: Boston sent their own #16 pick, their 2017 second as well as Courtney Lee, Fab Melo and Brandon Bass to Utah in exchange for Al Jefferson and the Jazz's #21 pick in the draft.

Deal 4: Boston then sent the 21st pick, just aquired from the Jazz to the L.A. Lakers in exchange for the Lakers 2014 first, unprotected.
Deal 5: Boston sent the Lakers 2014 first, 2018, 2020 seconds, and Jason Terry and Jordan Crawford to Memphis in exchange for Tony Allen in an sign and trade.

Boston then finnished out their nights activities by using the 13th pick to select Dennis Shroeder.

What does this all mean for Boston?

First Shreoder, Finely Boston will have a legit back up point guard, albiet one that will take some devoloping, and building of bulk to add to his tiny frame. Having a player he's been likend to in Rajon Rondo as a mentour will only benefit this young guy who the C's hope will be allowed to devolop nice and slow as he shares those 15 minutes or so a game that Rondo wont be out on the floor with Gabe Pruit.

Next, Tony Allen. Allen returns to Boston on a two year, 14 million dollar contract, the largest of his career, due mostly to his defensive resume, of which Boston is quite aware. Allen (31) has his contract ending at the same time as Peirce, Garnet and Rondo. Meanwhile Boston gets to enjoy adding the defensive capabilities of yet another of the leagues very best defensive guards to their squad to go along with Rondo and Pruit, creating the leagues best defensive backcourt its seen in perhaps decades.

21st pick for Lakers pick next season, the Celtics did this mostly to have another pick in the draft next season, and free some cap space this year. They will have enough young guys already on the roster to keep them busy “devoloping” that they have no reason to add more. The Lakers are hoping this season was an anomoly, and that next years draft pick will be a later first rounder, and it could be if Dwight Howard returns and Kobe returns to his old form.

Al Jefferson, The Celtics showed last season that they were in desperate need of not just rebounding, but for more offensive firepower. Jefferson, who is a familer face to the Celtics, offers just that. 20th in scoring last season on nearly 50% shooting with 9.2 rebounds a game last season, good for 14th in the league. Boston's addign of Jefferson will additionaly give them added depth to assist KG and Sullinger as the teams go to Bigs next year, this will be especialy important as the team looks to moniter KG's minutes even more so, planning to use him sometimes even off the bench and other times, as Ainge said earlier, sometimes not even in both games of a back to back series (as he said about Peirce as well).

Thomas Robinson, at 21 years of age, is now the teams official devolopee along with Shroeder, who will get a chance to join Sullinger in being mentoured by Kevin Garnett, his contract has two team options allowing the Celtics to break free of his contract at the same time Peirce and Garnett's ends if he does not show signs of becoming the sort of player who is worthy of his # 5 selection two drafts ago.

Aquiring the Mavericks pick, this deal insured two things for Boston, that they got the guy they wanted in the draft, while also being able to swing a deal that would help them land a quality player like Jefferson.

What it all means.

#1: From a finicial point of veiw. Instead of keeping White, Randolf and Willaims and hoping someone becomes something, the team aquired a single player with a much larger upside than any of the former players. Even though none had fully garunteed contracts, even if they;d cut them, some of that money would be on the books for the season. Instead they got more potential and saved a few dollars over keeping all three long term. Same with the Allen deal, Boston saved almost a million a year by sending off Crawford and Terry, and got a better player than either they sent packing. Again, the same with the Jefferson deal, the team got the best player in the deal and was able to cut down on the paychecks by well over 1 million a year.

#2: The Window is back open. Apparently a lot of folks were wrong when they said the windown was now closed for Boston, and that a total rebuild would be needed that would include the team parting ways with KG and Peirce. Boston still gets to cling to its beloved veterns, while adding more defensive minded Allen to the backcourt, providing literally every other team in the league nightmares having to face at any oen time a combination of Rondo-Pruit-Allen. In the front court Boston will have the luxery of offering multiple combinations of Bigs, Sullinger, Garnett and Jefferson will command the larget portion of the teams minutes in the front court, but will be able to get vetern expereince from jason Collins if he indeed rejoins and hopefully Richardson will be able to begin demonstrate even more than he has why he was picked 5th, especialy as he benefits from the guidence of KG. Also dont forget that Jeff Green will be able to play some at the 4 when the need arises. Yes this team will have went from sorely lacking on Bigs last season in the finals to one with multiple options that can be depended on once Garnett and Sullinger are both back 100%.

#3 Youth: for a long time now the Celtics have been called “one year older”, despite the fact that a good number of teams last year were actualy older on average (including the heat), this season only Collins, Barbosa, Allen, Garrnet and Piece have passed overt the “30” mark. Jefferson is 28, Rondo 27, Green 26 and Priut, Sullinger Shroeder and Richardson, all possibly the nucleas of the teams future are all even younger.

#4: The summer of 2015, Rondo's contract will be up, KG and peirces as well and both will likely retire together, freeing up even more cap, and Optiosn will be availible for Pruit, Sullinger and Richardson, with only Jefferson being on the books. Depending on the devolopment of the current young nucleaous Boston will have a lot of choices to make then- but will enjoy the flexability of being able to choose their direction.

#5: the MLE, Boston has been rumored to be willing to offer Greg Oden the full MLE for two years, again allowing themselves to have free cap come 2015, and if Oden takes the offer, Boston has the luxery of being albe to risk the Oden experiment, if it works out, Boston could end up with a healthy player who could yet, maybe turn into something very special. If He doesnt work out, they'd still have his expiring the following year- again, the choice would be theirs. If they dont use the MLE on Oden, the team could still look for more scoring capabilities, and with the depth they;d already be enjoying could look for simpley the guy out there who'se the best scorer availible and go after him.

In closing, the Celtics have in a single night, turned their fortunes around with the addition of Jefferson and Allen, they could still use more scoring firepower, but they are now loaded at every position and still have the MLE and LLE's to use as they see fit.Their defense, just got better and their scoring and rebounding woes could now be a thing of the past. Bostons window is once more fully open and Celtic fans are free to enjoy the breeze.


P.S.
this is what happens when i get bored.

MUCH TOO MUCH TIME ON YOUR HANDS BOY!!!!! BUT, YOU KNOW ME, I LOVE IT!!! PP COMING JUST AS I WANTED ALL ALONG. I KNOW I AM ALONE ON AN ISLAND HERE WITH THIS WISH, BUT IT IS HOW I FEEL.

LOVE YOU GUY, YOU ARE TERRIFIC

ROSALIE

The rumor du jour is that the Mavs are indeed shopping their #13 pick and are not asking for a lot in return.


bob


.

Rosalie,

luv ya too!!


Bob, everything i wrote was based on something ive read, except the lakers trading picks part, though i think a while ago i thought i read something about them wanting another pick this yr, but i cant say that with a degree of certainty...

mavs are looking to unload the 13th pick for whover can give them the best offer

utah and boston have had discusions in the past yr about bringin back Al, and there is some internet talk of a sign and trade for him

some have said a allen/celtics reunion might be possible

Oden has been in discusions earlier this yr with boston..

who knows for sure? what i do know is, back early in the 07/08 season i wrote a fictionaous story about that years nba finals in the BDC in which boston beat L.A. and it came true.... so who knows... LOL

Matty,

Pretty funny and thoughtful post.
Some think that the Mavs will sell their 1st round pick.
I cannot see that happening.
Mark Cuban does not need the $3.1m which is the max that a team could offer for a draft pick. I could see trading it for a future pick.
Also, the Lakers can't trade their 2014 1st round pick since they have already traded away their 2015 1st round pick.
I think Boston could acquire Al Jefferson in a trade. It would be hard to match up players salaries because I doubt Utah would want any part of acquiring Terry, Bass or Lee. Maybe Lee they would accept. Would have to probably throw in Melo and a 1st round pick.