Steve Bulpett: "I think you're going to see more changes [to the Boston Celtics] in the next couple of weeks."

by **bobheckler** Wed Feb 11, 2015 10:06 am

http://clnsradio.com/boston-celtics-news/item/11449-steve-bulpett-i-think-you-re-going-to-see-more-changes-to-the-boston-celtics-in-the-next-couple-of-weeks

Steve Bulpett: "I think you're going to see more changes [to the Boston Celtics] in the next couple of weeks."
Written by Edward Santiago

The trade deadline is fast approaching, February 19th, and this year Danny Ainge has been really busy. He has shipped off Rajon Rondo, and Jeff Green. He made a trade preseason that brought in Marcus Thornton. This week on Celtics Beat Larry H. Russell brings on Steve Bulpett from the Boston Herald to talk about what could possibly happen with the Celtics as the deadline approaches.

“I think you’re going to see more changes within the next couple of weeks. You got the trade deadline coming, and I think you could see one or two more deals.” The likeliest candidates to be traded out of Boston are Brandon Bass, Marcus Thornton, and Tayshaun Prince. “I think you could possibly see a buyout of Tayshaun Prince. The roster is will change more. the key is the guys you’re going to be moving forward with, are they developing.”

Development of the young players like Marcus Smart, James Young, Jared Sullinger, Kelly Olynyk, and Tyler Zeller will be a huge key to this team if the veterans are traded or bought out. “You’re seeing a little bit of emergence of James Young. I like the fact that they didn’t just give him minutes he had to earn them, he had to show that he was understanding of what they want to do defensively.”

Being in a winning/competitive environment can be a huge piece of developing “I think what Ainge has wanted more than anything as the young guys develop, they don’t want it to be in a situation like Philadelphia was last year, I think he wanted it to be where they come out each game with a legitimate chance to compete.”

Keeping the veteran players around to show the young guys how to be a professional, and keeping the team competitive can have greater impact than just rolling the balls out there and letting them play. “Playing in a game where you are competitive is twice to three times more important than playing in a game where you’re not competitive at all.”

To hear the entire interview with Steve Bulpett tune into the Celtics Beat Podcast. He discusses the trade deadline, and the young Celtics moving forward. Larry H. Russell talks all things NBA and takes you around the NBA in 5.

bob

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by **Sam** Wed Feb 11, 2015 11:27 am

Bullpett says, "Keeping the veteran players around to show the young guys how to be a professional, and keeping the team competitive can have greater impact than just rolling the balls out there and letting them play. Playing in a game where you are competitive is twice to three times more important than playing in a game where you’re not competitive at all.”

That's an extremely important theme. Keeping them competitive; keeping them hungry; keeping them energetic; keeping them tuned—all in the face of a mediocre won/lost record—is a tall order (pun not intended). The presence of a few veterans can help the team retain a modicum of stability rather than floundering (along with Brad) in a sea of additional discontinuity.

If Danny wants to jettison Bass and/or Thornton and/or Prince, there are ways to do so after the season. The worst scenario is that these free agents and free up $34 million in cap space if Danny renounces his rights to them.

I realize the chances are probably 80%-90% that Danny will make moves over the next couple of weeks that will eliminate most or all of these three guys from the roster. And I will understand his reasons. I just hate to see it happen.

Sam

by **worcester** Wed Feb 11, 2015 12:44 pm

Sam, How does it help our cap space to trade or buy out Prince now? Is he not an expired contract at the end of this season? Are we trying to clear cap space now to be able to sign some mega free agent now? I just can't imagine that to be the case.

by **wide clyde** Wed Feb 11, 2015 1:03 pm

Sam,

Absolutely great point about competitive games meaning so much more than non competitive games for such a young team. If the Cs end this season with a distinct lack of competitiveness because of anything but a big rash of injuries it will set the re-build back at least one full season.

worcester,

I think that buying out Prince would be more of a nice gesture by the Celtics than a money saving move. It would give this guy can get a chance to sign with a playoff bound team. They would probably only save a few bucks this season. He will not be on next year's team unless he would be willing to take a big pay cut.

by **worcester** Wed Feb 11, 2015 1:05 pm

Another classy thing to do by Danny.

by **kdp59** Wed Feb 11, 2015 1:12 pm

I don't believe it helps or hurts any cap space Danny can have next season, trading or keeping any of the three.

he could keep them all the rest of this year, then renounce all of their rights in the off-season. then there would be no cap holds on any of them. ( we also could not sign them of course and i am also not sure of the timing of renouncing rights per say RFA offers).

more likely IF Ainge moves any of those vets, its either:

1) he is trying to get them on a playoff roster(being a nice guy). Since Prince is 32 now how many years does he have left? Bass and thornton are younger and it may not be as much a concren to them right now.

2) Danny is afriad we'll make the playoffs with the current roster and wants a lottery pick this year.

I think #2 is more likely.

by **rickdavisakaspike** Wed Feb 11, 2015 1:43 pm

It used to be that being a Celtic meant something. You were more than a part of a team; you were part of a family. Red didn't dump players at the end of their careers, like they were assets in a portfolio. He famously kept Bird and McHale when he could have gotten a decent ROI.

As I'm trying to say, it has value to treat players as people, not commodities. If a team wants to attract free agents, it's a strong selling point. They need to get back to that.

by **worcester** Wed Feb 11, 2015 1:46 pm

Rick, Bass is family, but Thornton and Prince are really just recent house guests. Danny trading the latter two would be a decent thing to do.

by **RosalieTCeltics** Wed Feb 11, 2015 6:31 pm

Danny has done a great job taking care of "family" when making trades. He traded Paul and KG to Brooklyn for what seemed at that time to be one big run. He traded Rondo to the Mavs, Green to Memphis, both are going to be in the playoffs as major players on their teams. He gave Prince all the time he needed in reporting here after the draft, it is always so hard on a family when someone gets traded in the middle of the season.

You are right, the Celtics have always been a "family". If you read the writeups at different times, the guys who have been traded here have been impressed with the management of this team and the fact that most of the players seem to get along very well

To me, losing Brandon Bass at this time would be a shame. He has proven time and again what it takes to be a "pro". He was taken out of the starting lineup, Kelly taking his slot, but continued to contribute when called on When Kelly got hurt, he was inserted into the lineup and has shown these young guys what it takes to win. He is a true Celtic.

I have always been against trading away everyone. You want tradition? You have to have players here who can show these young bucks what it takes to win. Practice, games, post games, etc. The
Celtics will survive, it will just take a while.

Rosalie

by **NYCelt** Wed Feb 11, 2015 10:04 pm

RosalieTCeltics wrote: The Celtics will survive, it will just take a while.

Rosalie

I'd say you're exactly right, Rosalie.

by **kdp59** Thu Feb 12, 2015 7:42 am

last nights game against Atlanta, might help Stevens in his discussions with Ainge about keeping this team together.

he can rightly point out, that THIS team CAN win against one of the top teams in the NBA right now.

Atlanta had no major players out, played with their usual fire on both ends and we still pulled it out in the end (albeit at home).

can this team beat the Hawks in a 5 game series...no, but don't tell the players that right now.

for Ainge now the question may be, is it better to get a draft pick 5 picks higher OR make the playoffs this year?

it seems EVERYONE currently on this roster has bought in fully with what Stevens is asking.

by **Sam** Thu Feb 12, 2015 8:02 am

kdp,

I think your last sentence is the important thing. This is a team that pulls together and responds to the coach. Whether that will influence Danny's decisions, who knows? The likelihood is that he and Brad have discussed the near-future and already know in what general direction the team is headed in terms of the roster.

Sam

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Steve Bulpett: "I think you're going to see more changes [to the Boston Celtics] in the next couple of weeks."

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Re: Steve Bulpett: "I think you're going to see more changes [to the Boston Celtics] in the next couple of weeks."

Re: Steve Bulpett: "I think you're going to see more changes [to the Boston Celtics] in the next couple of weeks."

Re: Steve Bulpett: "I think you're going to see more changes [to the Boston Celtics] in the next couple of weeks."